Utica..what kind of town? (New York, Syracuse: real estate, apartments, rental)

[atlantis7]

There is a possibility I would be moving to Utica. I know nothing about NY State but I love the outdoors and I like small towns (if they are not depressed). Coming from Houston, I know the cost of living will be higher but what can I expect to rent a nice apartment for? If I move my wife and dogs, I will have to buy. Can I get a decent house for under 150k? I don't mind snow and cold and I like the seasons but will I be able to navigate the streets without snow tires? Somebody help me and give me an aurate picture. Thanks.

[siamesecat]

At the least you will need all season radials in the winter. Snow removal in the city has not been that great the past few winters. Lots of slush and slippery stuff.

You won't find townhouses under $30,000, like you can in Houston (I looked at a real estate site, don't know what the neighborhoods are like there). Rental prices for apartments are probably comparable. Check out the Utica Observer Dispatch website for apartment listings: www.uticaod.com. 2 bedrooms without utilities seem to start at about $500 per month. You can buy in Utica well under $150K, but those seem to be smaller homes right in the city. You would have to check out the neighborhood, to make sure it's not in a part of the city that has a higher incidence of crime.

Utica is not exactly a small town, it's a city, although it may seem like a small town compared to Houston. If you are looking for small town atmosphere, you might want to look at Clinton, or Waterville. Both are very nice areas, although the real estate is pricier than in the city. Saquoit is also a small town, very pretty, some nice old houses.

Hopefully someone who lives in Utica, not just in the Mohawk Valley like I do, will be able to give you more specific answers. Good luck with your move.

[BKQC]

Originally Posted by atlantis7

There is a possibility I would be moving to Utica. I know nothing about NY State but I love the outdoors and I like small towns (if they are not depressed). Coming from Houston, I know the cost of living will be higher but what can I expect to rent a nice apartment for? If I move my wife and dogs, I will have to buy. Can I get a decent house for under 150k? I don't mind snow and cold and I like the seasons but will I be able to navigate the streets without snow tires? Somebody help me and give me an aurate picture. Thanks.

You can find quite a bit on Utica if you search this site. Most of it will be pretty negative. I grew up in a suburb outside of Utica, but now live in the south. Many others have left the area as well. It's definitely seen better days and quite honestly, can be depressing between the gray weather and attitudes of many of the locals. I still do go back about once a year because there are aspects of the area that I like - great Italian food, nice old architecture, natural beauty, etc. If I were to move back to the area, I'd look at New Hartford, Clinton, Whitesboro, New York Mills. These are all suburbs of Utica. I don't know enough about the towns recommended by the previous poster, but my concern with living too far out would be boredom, distance to amenities (especially with coming from a larger city), commute to Utica during winter.

[Jeromeville]

The Utica AREA can be very nice. The city of Utica may be another story for some people. It's a city of about 60,000 with a colorful history (which included the Mob for a long time). Since its heyday, manufacturing industries flew the coop, taking with them jobs and young people, etc... the usual Rust Belt story. You have the usual urban problems - shuttered buildings, rough neighborhoods, drugs, etc but as with any city there are decent neighborhoods left as well.

Utica does happen to be close to Turning Stone, an Indian-run casino complex that attracts a lot of big name entertainment acts, so life there wouldn't be completely boring as some would suggest. Syracuse is also about an hour down the road and has things to do and see. You're also not far from Albany. And if you love the outdoors, the Adirondacks are virtually on your doorstep.

You should be able to get a decent house for under $150K in a suburb of Utica, so no worries there.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by atlantis7

There is a possibility I would be moving to Utica. I know nothing about NY State but I love the outdoors and I like small towns (if they are not depressed). Coming from Houston, I know the cost of living will be higher but what can I expect to rent a nice apartment for? If I move my wife and dogs, I will have to buy. Can I get a decent house for under 150k? I don't mind snow and cold and I like the seasons but will I be able to navigate the streets without snow tires? Somebody help me and give me an aurate picture. Thanks.

If you want to live in the city of Utica, go with either North Utica or South Utica. North Utica is more like a suburb in the city, with newer developments. South Utica is more like an old money type of area with some newer areas as well. Some parts of East utica, like around Proctor High School are fine too. I think you can get a nice house for around 150K, easily.

If you want to live outside of the city limits, look at places like New Hartford, Clinton, Whitesboro, NY Mills, Yorkville or Sauquoit. Frankfort might be a good option as well.

Here's an example of homes in the area in your price range: http://www.uticaromerealtor.com/search/SearchRes.php

Here's more on the area too: City of Utica, Home

Utica, New York - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mohawk Valley Chamber of Commerce Serving Utica, Rome, & Central NY, New York

Oneida County, NY

Oneida County, New York - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Places to check out in the area would be: Turning Stone Casino, Sylvan Beach, Herkimer Diamond Mines, Old Forge and the Adirondacks, Cooperstown(including the Farmer's Museum and Baseball Hall of Fame), the Boxing Hall of Fame, Fort Rickey Game Farm and Fort Stanwix, with the last two being in Rome.

As for the snow, you might be fine, considering that most places in the area clear the snow in a timely manner. I think All Weather Tires would be fine.

[jmancuso]

I'd reccomend moving to the suburbs (New Hartford, Whitesboro, Saquoit, etc.) as opposed to Utica itself. Coming from Houston, Utica comes across as downright depressing. most of the suburbs are quite nice though. if you have to live in the city, parts of south Utica are nice as is much of north Utica.


I was born in Utica but have lived in Houston since 1997.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by jmancuso

I'd reccomend moving to the suburbs (New Hartford, Whitesboro, Saquoit, etc.) as opposed to Utica itself. Coming from Houston, Utica comes across as downright depressing. most of the suburbs are quite nice though. if you have to live in the city, parts of south Utica are nice as is much of north Utica.


I was born in Utica but have lived in Houston since 1997.

I'd say that the village of New Hartford would be perfect if one wants a walkable community that is safe, close to a bigger city, but also has shopping within a close proximity. New Hartford schools are good and the area is probably the Utica-Rome area's most affluent too.

[clipper220]

Someone looking in the 150K range is not looking for New Hartford, their high taxes, or their lousy politics. Anywhere but there. Marcy, Deerfield, N Utica, Whitesboro, etc. NOT New Hartford, and surely not for a house under 150K in NH.

I presently live in Tennessee, but I love the Utica area. The adirondacks are the most beautiful mountains in the Eastern US. The recreational activity available around Utica and the Mohawk Valley is varied and abundant. It is a great area, but unless you are a social climber with a big bank account, you don't want to live in New Hartford.

[Rumblebelly]

I'm relatively new to the area, moved to Upstate from Fort Collins, CO. I gotta agree, parts of Utica are depressing. However, I visited the brewery district on Varick St and I was actually impressed. You rarely see anything like this in a historic district of a small city this size. Even Saratoga doesn't have a brewery right downtown, it's on the edge of town. Nail Creek on Varick rivals any beer bar Saratoga has.

I think Utica is lucky to have this and I hope the city continues to cultivate it.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by Rumblebelly

I'm relatively new to the area, moved to Upstate from Fort Collins, CO. I gotta agree, parts of Utica are depressing. However, I visited the brewery district on Varick St and I was actually impressed. You rarely see anything like this in a historic district of a small city this size. Even Saratoga doesn't have a brewery right downtown, it's on the edge of town. Nail Creek on Varick rivals any beer bar Saratoga has.

I think Utica is lucky to have this and I hope the city continues to cultivate it.

I think that's because Utica was a city of just over 100,000 until the late 60's. So, it is a city that can hold more people than it has right now.