New job in Plattsburgh (Oswego, Batavia: rental, crime, house)

[plattsburgher]

that I honestly believe that your daughter (didn't you say you had a daughter who loved sports and was in high school?) wouldn't be able to make the transition as easily as in say...........the Peru district. Even if you absolutely LOVE your new home in Jay............and your daughter was miserable, would it be worth it to you? You are definitely going to be so much more secluded from other neighbors and teenagers if you live in Jay. Also what is a 50 minute commute in wonderful summer and fall, might turn into an hour or more commute in snow, ice, fog, sleet, and I just couldn't do it myself day after day.......

Just a suggestion.........but see if some of those prices won't budge a little and maybe try to rent a place in the Peru district until you decide exactly what is best? I would hate for you to buy a place and just have your daughter hate the area because there are no friends around or everyone has been BFFs since third grade and they aren't used to new kids moving in........There are also some nice houses in the West Chazy and Chazy area and that school has some great kids and great school teams for soccer and bball for girls, I believe...............

I don't want to put a damper on anything, but I learned a long time ago, that when my kids are unhappy, I am pretty unhappy which makes dad unhappy which makes the house not a happy home.............I think if you offered some of the folks on the market a sale, some might have been on the market a long time, and they might just take it. Worth a shot anyway.........If not, no harm in renting and waiting for the right thing to come along...............just my opinion.............or you might end up building somewhere in a particular district. Land is still relatively cheap here outside the city of Pburgh.............good luck!

[nomoresnow]

Best of luck with your job situation and possible move.

I lived in P'burgh for about 8 years until we moved down to Florida this past summer. It is a beautiful area and plattsburgher really knows what she is talking about. I remember reading posts by her before I moved and she's not afraid to tell the truth, so you have a great mentor there.

P'burgher, where is the stadium style movie theatre going in? I hadn't heard about that; how exciting! And it's nice to see Target has finally come thru after all their fits and starts.

[plattsburgher]

To NOMORESNOW: Where in Fla did you move...........? I am actually trying to plan a time somewhere in the future when I don't have to deal with cold or snow and can garden year round, but it will be a while yet. Enjoy it all for me.

Yes, Pburgh is having some growth, primarily because of the Canadian dollar and all of its population coming down to shop. Not that that is a bad thing at all! I actually go out of my way to be very nice to Canadians because without them our economy would be like everywhere else in the US.....We are very lucky to have visitors that love to spend money like crazy here!!!

The new theatre is going where the old North Country shopping center was. Near the Cumberland Head Northway interstate ramp.......It is actually a Vermonter who is bringing the stores in because he recognizes the potential and there have been many new homes built by Vermonters on C. Head in the past couple of years who couldn't afford anything on the Vermont side and decided to build here instead and do the commute. I talked to a real estate friend and they said there have been lots of couples who both work in Vermont decide that they could build their relative dream home here and commute (with second car parked at ferry) much cheaper than getting a fixer-upper in the Burlington area. The new shopping center is supposedly going to have some new restaurants and possibly a new department store which we could use...........I am looking forward to the new movie theatre for this winter.............It is just north of that bowling alley on Rt. 9. There is more good news for this area......a bus company.........(think they make commuter type shuttle buses?????) is supposed to come here in the fall.....they are called Nova Company and are forecast to be hiring at real wages with benefits up to 300 people. The airport is just amazing now.......you would not believe the cars parked at the new airport all the time (I live on the new base so I drive past there all the time to get on the Northway).
Between Allegiant Airlines flying several direct flight out of here to Florida destinations and an airline that flies to Myrtle Beach and the local airline, there has been a remarkable transformation and already expansions are planned for the airport. It is already too small! We took the direct flight to Fort Lauderdale in February and it was so nice not to have to pay a week's worth of parking fees and be within a 15 minute drive (less!) after landing.
Montrealers are finding it worth the drive as well.................They did a first class job on the terminal itself...........If you come up in the next few years to visit, be sure and check it out!

[nomoresnow]

Gosh, P'burgher, I'll have to check out those direct flights. DH is up there right now, visiting his family in Mooers. I'll be up in July for 2 weeks, but at my mother's place in Ogdensburg. I'm glad to hear things are taking off (no pun intended!). I used to drive past the airport daily, also, to go to work.

We moved down to N. Ft. Myers. Love it here. After having lived in NNY our whole lives, it was a real trip to be sitting out on our front porch at 7:30 on Christmas Eve, checking out all the decorations. And it was still in the 70's. Just wonderful. I'd recommend it to anyone.

It's been nice chatting again. I hope all is well.

[plattsburgher]

Might be helpful info in finding a home........Found the website people use up here for sale by owner...............It's Adirondack Real Estate, Vacation Rentals and Timeshares Offered "By Owner" in Lake Placid, Lake George, Old Forge, Lake Champlain New York
Says there are over a thousand listings with photos. Might be worth a look?

[ref301]

Originally Posted by plattsburgher

Might be helpful info in finding a home........Found the website people use up here for sale by owner...............It's Adirondack Real Estate, Vacation Rentals and Timeshares Offered "By Owner" in Lake Placid, Lake George, Old Forge, Lake Champlain New York
Says there are over a thousand listings with photos. Might be worth a look?

Already forwarded a couple of listings to my wife for her perusal. She, my youngest daughter and I will be making a visit to the area again, this coming weekend. We have set up appts to visit Chazy, Peru and Ausable Valley Schools.

I expect a formal offer of employment on this visit, so pending my family's acceptance of the relocation, the home search will intensify. We are still considering building new but that will likely require temporary accomodations in order for my daughter to start school in the area this coming Fall. We are going to visit Cedar Knoll and the Log Home Specialist to see what they offer. It's an exciting time but scary as well!

Again, thanks to you for all your valuable input.

[nomoresnow]

Best of luck, and enjoy.

[stevemorse]

I would not live in Jay, taxes are out of control, everyone is trying to sell in Ausable Acres, its got nothing there, ohh its beautiful but its for vacation home buyers and even they want out due to taxes!!! Go outside the Park, Peru is a much better choice. I have a vacation home right buy Macomb state park on the salmon river. I can tell you winters are a shock!!!! People are nice as hell, but be prepared for that element of extreme poverty. If your coming from a very wealthy area and move there you will have to adjust to this element. I moved there full time and not just weekends for vacation, what a mistake. I quickly ran and bought a house back in Northern NJ!!! Now my cabin is a vacation home again and lets keep it that way. Its different, things run backwards!!! You are very isolated and hope you like trees!!! I could not deal with the poverty. Its worse than West VA. Its deliverence at its finest. Sorry that my opinion. TO be honest I hated it when winter came, no sun, and boy what a shock too! Was totally unprepared for the whole mentallity of keystone light, and chevy pickups!! I see your from upstate so maybe the adjustment wont be as terrible. It was hard for me!!!! The one bright spot was the people, extremely nice with no MOTIVE!! I wish I could move my neighbors up there to NJ, the people are the best!!!!!

[ref301]

Originally Posted by stevemorse

I would not live in Jay, taxes are out of control, everyone is trying to sell in Ausable Acres, its got nothing there, ohh its beautiful but its for vacation home buyers and even they want out due to taxes!!! Go outside the Park, Peru is a much better choice. I have a vacation home right buy Macomb state park on the salmon river. I can tell you winters are a shock!!!! People are nice as hell, but be prepared for that element of extreme poverty. If your coming from a very wealthy area and move there you will have to adjust to this element. I moved there full time and not just weekends for vacation, what a mistake. I quickly ran and bought a house back in Northern NJ!!! Now my cabin is a vacation home again and lets keep it that way. Its different, things run backwards!!! You are very isolated and hope you like trees!!! I could not deal with the poverty. Its worse than West VA. Its deliverence at its finest. Sorry that my opinion. TO be honest I hated it when winter came, no sun, and boy what a shock too! Was totally unprepared for the whole mentallity of keystone light, and chevy pickups!! I see your from upstate so maybe the adjustment wont be as terrible. It was hard for me!!!! The one bright spot was the people, extremely nice with no MOTIVE!! I wish I could move my neighbors up there to NJ, the people are the best!!!!!

Thanks for the insight. Have seen the difference in tax rates and there are a ton of homes for sale in Ausable Acres! We asked the realtor about the situation and are going to discuss when we get up there tomorrow. Really focused on the getting the right school district for my daughter. Most people tell me I can't make a bad choice in terms of the quality of education, but taxes are definitely an issue.

Yes, we are living in WNY now. On 7 acres in a log home. Have to peer through the trees to see any neighbors and that's how we like it. We are sociable folks, just like our space. When you live outside the Buffalo area, snow and cold are not an issue! The school district that we are in is mainly populated by farm families, so we know what it is like to be rural.

Everyone that I have met in the Plattsburgh area since beginning this search has been wonderful. Open, honest and most appear to be happy. I think they are all "comfortable in their own skin". My wife and I were both brought up in small towns and rural places and like the peace, quiet and yes, the isolation. I love to ski, we both like to boat, walk and fish and play a little golf. As we approach our "empty nest" years, we believe that this is the kind of place we want to be. I'll work for the hospital, so access to healthcare won't be an issue and for goodness sake, there is an "international" airport!

[plattsburgher]

Have to honestly say that I think you will like the place a lot IF you find a cool place for your daughter.....................Talked to a Mom who moved here from AZ today and they chose Peru district and the daughter fit in after a bit. Lots of friendly people but you can also be as isolated and remote as you like, but within a bike ride or walk or cross-country ski trip of another teenager. I wish I still lived in that district............................long story. I transplanted from a southern CITY and loved Peru........................You guys will be fine. Just as the previous poster advised, don't stray too far from Pburgh. I remember going to Lake Placid for the Olympics and the post Olympic ski jumps, mogul competitions, skating competitions and thinking as I drove through Jay and the back woods roads toward Lake Placid...............who the hell would like here and why?????????????????????
I am glad that someone else spoke out so you won't go too far away from the Northway...............I-87. It is civilization here............Pburgh, Bton, Montreal, Lake Placid are very cool places and great to live, but in between, no way................................!