Why are so many Marylanders buying in the Finger Lakes? (Baltimore: transplants, affordable houses)

[DauntlessDan]

Why are so many Marylanders buying land/houses in the Finger Lakes of upstate, western NY? I lived in a small town in the Finger lakes Area for 6 years and saw tons and tons of Maryland plates. A lot of these people actually had houses/camps. I asked one Marylander that came in where I work why purchase in the upstate, western New York. The answer was that there was a lot of affordable land and houses there, unlike Maryland. I didn't realize Maryland was that expensive. What about western Maryland, surely there must be cheap affordable houses/land there?

[HandsUpThumbsDown]

Interesting, I haven't heard of anyone doing such. We really have only one recreational lake of any size; it's man-made and there's already plenty of tourist development.

The finger lakes are 4-6 hours from the metro areas, considerably cooler, beautiful - why not?

[westsideboy]

It would interesting to know if the Marylanders you meet are natives or transplants. I will offer the hypothesis that the Marylanders that buy in the up-state New York are most likely transplants from states like NJ or NY that are more familiar with that area than they are with the hinterlands of their new state. Besides, it is a good 3.5 hours to Deep Creek Lake (Maryland's only "big" lake) from D.C. and Baltimore proper. If the Finger Lakes are only 4-6 hours away, the extra drive time is probably not a big deal.

[North Beach Person]

If you can get to the Finger Lakes in 6 hours from much of MD I'd like to ride along. From Upper Marlboro it takes me about 5-6 hours get to Brookville, PA, that's without a traffic burp in Frederick, and another 2 hours to get to the PA/NY border right below the lakes. I just recently learned the speed limit signs you see aren't minimums.

[ki0eh]

From Harrisburg it takes me about the same time to get to Corning, NY as it does to Brockway, PA. One more hour from Corning gets you on nearly any Finger Lakes shore except Skaneateles and Otisco.

Also the western FLX is as close to Baltimore as to NY City if not more so. In most places the first hill south of each Finger Lake is the drainage break with the Susquehanna River basin: on I-81 in NY the divide is halfway between Cortland and Syracuse.

[HandsUpThumbsDown]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

If you can get to the Finger Lakes in 6 hours from much of MD I'd like to ride along. From Upper Marlboro it takes me about 5-6 hours get to Brookville, PA, that's without a traffic burp in Frederick, and another 2 hours to get to the PA/NY border right below the lakes. I just recently learned the speed limit signs you see aren't minimums.

Just going by google. I only rode up that way once, to Rochester. Can't remember how long it took.

[slowlane3]

I've lived in MD for 60 years, and only heard of one person from here ever retiring to NY State. Doesn't NY State have THE highest property taxes in the country ?

For retirees looking to live near a lake, wouldn't it make more sense to retire to one of the many Federal TVA-created reservoirs in VA, NC, SC, TN, KY, or GA - some of which have the bonus of being close to cities/ universities such as Knoxville, Durham, Charlotte, Clemson SC, Athens GA, Columbia SC, Huntsville AL, Murray KY.

[HandsUpThumbsDown]

Originally Posted by slowlane3

I've lived in MD for 60 years, and only heard of one person from here ever retiring to NY State. Doesn't NY State have THE highest property taxes in the country ?

For retirees looking to live near a lake, wouldn't it make more sense to retire to one of the many Federal TVA-created reservoirs in VA, NC, SC, TN, KY, or GA - some of which have the bonus of being close to cities/ universities such as Knoxville, Durham, Charlotte, Clemson SC, Athens GA, Columbia SC, Huntsville AL, Murray KY.

I think it would make more sense for people to retire where they wish to do so. Climate matters to folks.

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by DauntlessDan

Why are so many Marylanders buying land/houses in the Finger Lakes of upstate, western NY?

hint: It's not for the winter weather or the job prospects.

[JacksonJeep]

The wonderful plethora of wineries is probably an attraction too! Being a native WNYer myself that now live in Maryland I can say that Maryland doesn't really have anything in comparison to the Finger Lakes. Keuka is by far my favorite lake! So gorgeous.