Opinions of Unadilla? Cobleskill? Nearby towns/villages? (Oneonta, Sidney: houses, to buy)

[homeward bound]

Particularly in terms of:

*Commercially UN-ruined, quaint small-town feel.

*Older homes in good condition. Ideally, BIG older homes in good condition.

*Decent public schools.

*Village green, UN-desolate old downtown, etc.

*Proximity to lakes or parks.

Having to drive 20+ minutes for serious shopping NOT a negative to us.

Thanks in advance for all opinions/impressions/facts!

[honeychrome]

Unadilla is quite lovely, definitely classic "quaint, small-town feel." Nice looking, big old houses on main street and the smaller streets off of it. Not much going on in the town- there is a "Great American" grocery store, a couple convenience store/gas stations, bank, drugstore, hardware/variety and a pretty sad bar/restaurant (I'm not sure if the restaurant part is actually even operating). There is a closed down diner that someone with $ and imagination might be able to revive. The town is on 88, so it's pretty easy to head east or west- Oneonta has the 'big boxes' and is twenty minutes or so away. Sidney is a few minutes away and has some more to offer in terms of grocery shopping, "restaurants," etc. Condition of the houses is something that would have to be carefully dertermined- Unadilla is right on the Susquehanna and was hit fairly hard by the floods last spring (the rt 88 collapse was at the Unadilla exit).

It really is beautiful in the summer and spring, but if you can take a visit to the town either now or in early spring when I'd say it's at its "worst."

[mels]

I agree with all that honeychrome said about the Unadilla area. Beautiful, quiet, but the floods last year did do some serious damage to everything within close proximity to the rivers. I would certainly have a home inspector carefully look at any house you may want to buy.

Oneonta is where the big box stores are, the Home Depots, BJs, and all of that kind of stuff. Sydney is nearby and also has a Great American grocery store and a fairly new huge Price Chopper, a couple liquor stores, a McDonalds, Burger King...but is by no means a huge shopping mecca, but it does have all of the basics you need without hoofing it into Oneonta all of the time.

I am less familiar with Cobleskill other than driving through it for gas or a bite to eat. A bit more developed (but not heavily by any means) and has grocery stores, fast food, some shopping plazas, etc. Being that both locations are right on 88, there is easy access to both.