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My roots are in CNY, but I've spent my working years in major US cities. It'll soon be time to leave my career and find a more laid back way of life. I am looking at Oneonta for a home purchase/to find community.
I'll probably spend the winter months out of the area, but looking at buying a home in or near downtown (open to other towns/cities, but that's where I have been looking).
I want to be near family & friends, but I can't give up all parts of urban life - the arts, restaurants, events, etc. - although I understand it will be on a much smaller scale.
Would love to hear from people who live in Oneonta or have lived there and know it well.
What kind of vibe does it have? pros/cons?
Housing looks reasonable, but after I purchase, I'll be looking to upgrade a kitchen and bathrooms, so having an idea of how the contractors are there and rates would be helpful too.
There is also the possibility of staying a year, then travelling a year, but it looks like renting out a house might not be a problem due to visiting college staff and people attending baseball related events, maybe, not sure.
My roots are in CNY, but I've spent my working years in major US cities. It'll soon be time to leave my career and find a more laid back way of life. I am looking at Oneonta for a home purchase/to find community.
I'll probably spend the winter months out of the area, but looking at buying a home in or near downtown (open to other towns/cities, but that's where I have been looking).
I want to be near family & friends, but I can't give up all parts of urban life - the arts, restaurants, events, etc. - although I understand it will be on a much smaller scale.
Would love to hear from people who live in Oneonta or have lived there and know it well.
What kind of vibe does it have? pros/cons?
Housing looks reasonable, but after I purchase, I'll be looking to upgrade a kitchen and bathrooms, so having an idea of how the contractors are there and rates would be helpful too.
There is also the possibility of staying a year, then travelling a year, but it looks like renting out a house might not be a problem due to visiting college staff and people attending baseball related events, maybe, not sure.
Comments much appreciated.
Not to sway you another way, but are you pretty much sticking with Oneonta or are you just trying to find a smaller urban area in the CNY region?
I know that Oneonta has what you are looking for to some degree, but hopefully someone will chime in with more specific information.
If you are aware of any, please let me know. Hamilton is too small for my tastes and not close to a major highway for travel. Binghamton (home of Binghamton U) just seems so ungodly rusted...not ure where to find "Community" there.
If you are aware of any, please let me know. Hamilton is too small for my tastes and not close to a major highway for travel. Binghamton (home of Binghamton U) just seems so ungodly rusted...not ure where to find "Community" there.
What about quaint places closer to a bigger city like Clinton home to Hamilton College outside of Utica or Cazenovia home to Cazenovia College east of Syracuse? There's also Cortland, Oswego and of course Ithaca as well.
Binghamton U is actually in suburban Vestal, but I don't know if that would change anything.
A lot of college kids though will go out partying, get drunk, be loud, have house parties, trash the town etc etc. I wouldn't say this is the majority of them but it happens.
The police generally are out every Friday & Saturday night raiding bars and house parties. People get arrested for underage drinking. There are A LOT of bars.
On the flipside, both SUNY & Hartwick are very well-kept, beautiful schools. There is always something going on, a sporting event, a social event... it's a very busy fun place.
The food is surprisingly very good on campus and throughout the town. Try Tino's for the cold cheese pizza, it's an Oneonta staple.
(By the way I did not go there but a lot of friends did and I spent many many weekends there visiting them).
I have considered those other towns - the advantage of Oneonta is that it's closer to NYC and artistic interests I have around the Hudson Valley - as well as friends in Connecticut. I like Ithaca, seems more expensive, however and farther away from where I'd like to be.
The police generally are out every Friday & Saturday night raiding bars and house parties. People get arrested for underage drinking. There are A LOT of bars.
Ironically, I consider this a sign of life... as opposed to towns that go dead at night.
Bumping this old thread, as Oneonta has always made my maybe-for-retirement list also (albeit after four or five other places). The city certainly has a lot of great characteristics, but I've also long ago had more than my fill of drunken, yowling college students ruining the peace!
Hope that others will chime in about Oneonta, and the original poster's questions/concerns particularly. Thanks.
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as opposed to towns that go dead at night.
