Looking To Rent in Syracuse? You're In For A Real Treat (New York: foreclose, assessor)

[VintageSunlight]

Originally Posted by Becca8377

Places like that Perry Point are definitely way more expensive though too. Prices vary greatly for a one bedroom that's less than 800SF from over $700 to over $1000.

Yeah, not super cheap. But I will say that deposits, for some reason, are usually like $100 - 200 down there. Up here, they always seem to want 1 or 1.5 months rent upfront, and it can be difficult to get back. Once I photographed how clean the apartment was left, and they still only gave me 1/2 back. Due to the carpets being in worse shape than when I supposedly got it. Yeah, of course. I walked on the carpets for 2 years, and they used the cheapest 5 year warrantied crap carpeting. But its a money grab. I get it.

[Becca8377]

Originally Posted by VintageSunlight

Yeah, not super cheap. But I will say that deposits, for some reason, are usually like $100 - 200 down there. Up here, they always seem to want 1 or 1.5 months rent upfront, and it can be difficult to get back. Once I photographed how clean the apartment was left, and they still only gave me 1/2 back. Due to the carpets being in worse shape than when I supposedly got it. Yeah, of course. I walked on the carpets for 2 years, and they used the cheapest 5 year warrantied crap carpeting. But its a money grab. I get it.

Yeah it must be a southern thing with the deposits. I lived in Florida for college and all apt complexes there had only like $100 deposits - I didn't realize that wasn't the norm elsewhere in the country.

Where abouts in Philly are you? I go down there several times per year as I have good friends in the area and my Mom and stepdad live right over the river in south Jersey. One of my close girl friends (who I met while we lived in Hawaii) is in Ardmore - such a cute area!!

[VintageSunlight]

I live in Manayunk. I'm ready to leave though. It was fun for a while, but the drunks and partying is wearing thin. I'm looking to move somewhere much quieter, more laid back, and frankly, without the Philly attitude. I get to travel about 50% with my job, and I'm exploring a few new spots.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by VintageSunlight

I live in Manayunk. I'm ready to leave though. It was fun for a while, but the drunks and partying is wearing thin. I'm looking to move somewhere much quieter, more laid back, and frankly, without the Philly attitude. I get to travel about 50% with my job, and I'm exploring a few new spots.

What places are you considering to move to?

[VintageSunlight]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

What places are you considering to move to?

Possibly back to the Triangle. Perhaps Carrboro/Chapel Hill, really liked that area, its like Manayunk with way nicer people but young and vibrant still. I love the integration of all people down there. Blacks and whites and people of all ethnicities seem to integrate better down there than here in Philly. Parts of Raleigh are very upscale yet can be 70% "minority" and I really like that. Also, has a very green ethic to the area.

I also like Denver and Portland, Maine. I surf and love the ocean, and Portland is a cool little city with surfing nearby and a green lifestyle. Lastly, I was considering Pittsburgh for its cheap housing and semi-mountainous terrain, but its kinda low on my list.

[proulxfamily]

Originally Posted by VintageSunlight

You're cool, proulxfamily. You were helpful and nice in a previous thread last year. I'm not defending or denying the OP, actually I didn't read his whole OP. But I do think he is entitled to his opinion, and the facts as he sees them. Whether or not they are accurate or not with regard to dogs or price, etc.

Not sure what the point of ignoring people on this is, myself. Its just words.

It depends on my mood. lol - I have to be very proactive, to avoid dripping sarcasm.

BUT- I'm proud. And I know how hard it would be, for me, to admit that *I* am part of my own bad situation. I HAVE been there.

I have one person on ignore... but it's a rub-me-the-wrong-way type of reason. The mannerism is all wrong, when I'm reading his posts. Ignoring him is best for both of us. haha. I can't be sarcastic and mean (and I AM) if I can't see them!

An aside- my dear friends live in Carrboro (MUCH cheaper to finish masters' programs) and meet the COOLEST people in the Triangle... the kind of projects you wonder about doing and they're doing it. And they're so open to sharing ideas. Love it. They went to look at an '82 Benz yesterday - for biodiesel (there's a biodiesel STATION, there, that's cheaper than gasoline!) - and came upon a very cool story. The couple was selling everything to start a coffee plantation in Hawaii... better to sell and re-fit than ship it all. They're even selling an eight-passenger, pick-up style UNIMOG. Awesome.

And I'm jealous of all the bamboo in their backyard... I could use some, for sure, for some gardening and structure projects, here. :/

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by VintageSunlight

Possibly back to the Triangle. Perhaps Carrboro/Chapel Hill, really liked that area, its like Manayunk with way nicer people but young and vibrant still. I love the integration of all people down there. Blacks and whites and people of all ethnicities seem to integrate better down there than here in Philly. Parts of Raleigh are very upscale yet can be 70% "minority" and I really like that. Also, has a very green ethic to the area.

I also like Denver and Portland, Maine. I surf and love the ocean, and Portland is a cool little city with surfing nearby and a green lifestyle. Lastly, I was considering Pittsburgh for its cheap housing and semi-mountainous terrain, but its kinda low on my list.

I was going to say, if you didn't mind Upstate NY, Ithaca would probably be up your alley and the overall cost of living is lower than Chapel Hill/Carrboro. You wouldn't be near or close enough to the ocean, but the vibe and everything is very similar. Parts of the bigger cities like SE Rochester, Westcott in Syracuse, Allentown/Elmwood Village/North Buffalo and Center Square in Albany have similar vibes too.

As for solidly middle class mostly minority neighborhoods, much of Syracuse's Salt Springs, Rochester's. 19th Ward(southern half) and Buffalo's Hamlin Park come to mind and all are about 60-80% Black. Of course, overall racial demographics will vary due to multiple factors.

[VintageSunlight]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

I was going to say, if you didn't mind Upstate NY, Ithaca would probably be up your alley and the overall cost of living is lower than Chapel Hill/Carrboro. You wouldn't be near or close enough to the ocean, but the vibe and everything is very similar. Parts of the bigger cities like SE Rochester, Westcott in Syracuse, Allentown/Elmwood Village/North Buffalo and Center Square in Albany have similar vibes too.

As for solidly middle class mostly minority neighborhoods, much of Syracuse's Salt Springs, Rochester's. 19th Ward(southern half) and Buffalo's Hamlin Park come to mind and all are about 60-80% Black. Of course, overall racial demographics will vary due to multiple factors.

I dunno....that area just feels different than Ithaca. I've spent some time in Ithaca and I can see the similarities, but also it is very different. The South feels different from the north, including the racially integrated areas. I lived in 27609, which has a really nice mix of all races, but also has really close access to downtown Raleigh and super (I mean super) upscale areas:

North Hills Raleigh - Shopping, Dining, Movies and Events

I lived in an apartment complex right near here. Here, these areas would be all filled with snobby rich a**holes. Down there, you can meet country rednecks shopping side by side with ex-Long Islanders with their snotty kids, middle class Blacks and wealthy Asians, Indians, etc. Now I don't really care too much for upscale shopping, but admittedly it does keep the area clean, billboard free, and vibrant. Also, just a few miles from here are nice towns and lots of trees and open space. Typically sunny weather in the winter make these outdoor "lifestyle" centers more possible. Taxes are really low too. My friend lives down there and pays $1500 a year in property tax on a $150k house- a house that easily would cost $250k in Ithaca or Queensbury and probably $200k in Syracuse, with $6k a year in taxes. It is what it is.

What I don't like, that the South has and upstate doesn't have: high heat and humidity. Rural areas that are really backward. No snow. So you can't have it all. I guess I'm hoping that maybe Maine or Colorado may have everything that I'm looking for- particularly cold winters with snow but also sunshine. I'll be checking out both states more in depth this summer. If I don't like either or can't afford the quality of life that I want, I'll most likely move back to the Triangle.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by VintageSunlight

I dunno....that area just feels different than Ithaca. I've spent some time in Ithaca and I can see the similarities, but also it is very different. The South feels different from the north, including the racially integrated areas. I lived in 27609, which has a really nice mix of all races, but also has really close access to downtown Raleigh and super (I mean super) upscale areas:

North Hills Raleigh - Shopping, Dining, Movies and Events

I lived in an apartment complex right near here. Here, these areas would be all filled with snobby rich a**holes. Down there, you can meet country rednecks shopping side by side with ex-Long Islanders with their snotty kids, middle class Blacks and wealthy Asians, Indians, etc. Now I don't really care too much for upscale shopping, but admittedly it does keep the area clean, billboard free, and vibrant. Also, just a few miles from here are nice towns and lots of trees and open space. Typically sunny weather in the winter make these outdoor "lifestyle" centers more possible. Taxes are really low too. My friend lives down there and pays $1500 a year in property tax on a $150k house- a house that easily would cost $250k in Ithaca or Queensbury and probably $200k in Syracuse, with $6k a year in taxes. It is what it is.

What I don't like, that the South has and upstate doesn't have: high heat and humidity. Rural areas that are really backward. No snow. So you can't have it all. I guess I'm hoping that maybe Maine or Colorado may have everything that I'm looking for- particularly cold winters with snow but also sunshine. I'll be checking out both states more in depth this summer. If I don't like either or can't afford the quality of life that I want, I'll most likely move back to the Triangle.

Yeah, it's going to due to demographics. Keep in mind that Black folks live everywhere in the South in higher volumes because of the history of where Black people live in the US. You have the universities that attract Asians and Indians too.

As for homes, I don't know due to not having an example to compare. So, I can't say.

As for overall cost of living, it will depend. Here's an example: Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowedCost of Living Comparison: compare De Witt, New York to Cary, North Carolina

and another: Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowedCost of Living Comparison: compare Wake Forest, North Carolina to Salina, New York

Now, I'm not sure if they are comparable communities, but it shows that there are many factors towards COL.

[VintageSunlight]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

Yeah, it's going to due to demographics. Keep in mind that Black folks live everywhere in the South in higher volumes because of the history of where Black people live in the US. You have the universities that attract Asians and Indians too.

As for homes, I don't know due to not having an example to compare. So, I can't say.

As for overall cost of living, it will depend. Here's an example: Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowedCost of Living Comparison: compare De Witt, New York to Cary, North Carolina

and another:Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowedCost of Living Comparison: compare Wake Forest, North Carolina to Salina, New York

Now, I'm not sure if they are comparable communities, but it shows that there are many factors towards COL.

Interesting site for comparing 2 different places. I do seriously question the housing cost calculator, as homes may be somewhat cheap but taxes offset that. Also, I will tell you that Cary is very expensive. Probably the most expensive area down there, even more so than Chapel Hill I would surmise. Its a nice area, but has little character, IMHO.

Here is a house in the neighborhood where my friend lives, in Wake Forest. Its a really nice house (as is his) in an upscale neighborhood with mature, tall trees, close to shopping areas, and you can walk to the downtown area:

1406 Cedar Branch CT Wake Forest NC - Home For Sale and Real Estate Listing - MLS #1817461 - Realtor.com®

Try as I might, I cannot find a house like this anywhere in the Syracuse area, at this price point, and certainly not at these tax rates. Now again, I'm not trying to get into a north v south rant; I've seen your past posts and you clearly are very pro-Syracuse and seem to have a lot of hometown pride, which is great. Syracuse is a nice place and if I had to live there, I would make the best of it. My only point is that I really take those cost-of-living calculators with a LARGE grain of salt, as you can plainly see here, the calculator is way off.