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Hello! I first came across this site a while ago, and since then, it has come up numerous times as I research and look for a home in WNY. I have randomly read so many interesting posts here from people who know the area really well, that this site earned a spot in my bookmarks and I have been "lurking" here for the past few months. I finally thought perhaps some knowledgeable person could help me with my own search for a home in WNY.
I currently reside in North Tonawanda (renting) and would like to move to my first home "somewhere" in WNY. But... I'm not sure where! I've been living in this little "bubble" of Tonawanda and North Tonawanda and want to move someplace new. Not that there's anything wrong with the area, but I'm just ready for some change.
I have a job near where Niagara Falls Blvd. meets Sheridan and would want to be within 35 minutes of that area. 25 is ideal but I think 15 would be too close to be getting something new. I don't want to move TOO far away, but I definitely want to start somewhere new and away from North Tonawanda.
I'm in my early 20s and want to experience things (in addition to the "experience" of owning my first home) and would like to live someplace where I'm "nearby someplace where something happens". A little nightlife, a strip, or someplace with goings-ons. This is something that I don't have here in North Tonawanda. It's too sleepy here. I would like to be close to the city, City of Buffalo is great, I wouldn't mind being in the city itself except that I'm not sure where the good areas are.
Most roads seem to lead to Cheektowaga, for me. But I'm concerned that there are so many houses for sale in Cheektowaga in my price range (around $90k). It's a little off-putting after having read posts on this board about sinkholes and areas where homes shouldn't have been built. I vaguely know about the Love Canal incident and am afraid there may be some similar well-known problem with Cheektowaga that I haven't heard of. Hamburg seems to be another area that might be a good fit for me, but the houses are quite expensive, I would be giving my realtor quite a challenge to find a home there within my budget.
I know this board seems to mainly be for people hoping to move here from out of the area, but I fear that after living here for so many years, I probably don't really know that much more about the area than an outsider would. I would greatly appreciate any thoughts, opinions, or ideas. I'm sure I can't be the only person who would benefit from this information. Thank you for reading.
EDIT: And in case it matters... I DO NOT mind the snow! Give me a "snow belt" anyday!
If you want a strip, nightlife, or things going on... Cheektowaga is not the first place I would think of. (I live in South Cheektowaga on the West Seneca border).
I would say you want a place in the area of Hertel and Parkside in North Buffalo to me.
If you want suburbs, then I think the closer to your place of employment the better. The Town of Tonawanda or Amherst areas right around Sheridan and the Boulevard are fairly close to a lot of restaurants, bars, etc which are a little more "hip" and not the corner dives you would find in NT. (Probably due to proximity to UB).
If you're in your early 20s, I would think somewhere in the nicer areas of the City of Buffalo would be best. The highest-appreciating property values in the metro area are in the city right now (in general, but Allentown in particular) and there is just no comparison to the culture and nightlife the city offers in any of the suburbs. I would suggest either Hertel Avenue, Allentown, or somewhere close to Elmwood as nice generally safe areas to buy a house. Property taxes in the city are also about half what they are in the burbs, so you can save serious money there. If you're thinking about kids in the future, people on this forum often cite schools as the problem with living in the city, but actually there are some good schools in the city system, if you're worried about that. Olmsted or Fine Arts are examples of good elementary schools and City Honors and Hutch Tech are good high schools.
BUT everyone is different - some people prefer suburban living, even in their 20s. If that's you, the NF Blvd strip near the Boulevard has some more trendy restaurants and grocery stores (like Trader Joe's), so perhaps somewhere in Amherst or Tonawanda near your work? Or perhaps Snyder or Williamsville? - both have some trendiness.
Thank you all for your time and replies! I will certainly let you all know where I end up! Thank you and God bless! If anybody else would like to weigh in though, I will certainly check back this thread so please do not hesitate to add your input! It is all greatly GREATLY appreciated
I too would suggest North Buffalo. It is just a 15 minute drive from your job, but within walking distance to all of the restaurants and bars on Hertel. You can still find plenty of houses on streets like Taunton Place around the $90K range, whereas you probably won't be able to buy a house in the Elmwood Village or Allentown area in that range. You can find very inexpensive houses a half dozen or so blocks west of Elmwood, but there you are starting to get into an area where it really pays to be more familiar with which streets (and even just blocks) have recurring crime issues.
I currently live in Tonawanda close to the Sheridan golf course and I some days regret it because its so isolated and boring. When I purchased this home I was coming from North Buffalo, I loved that area because it was so close to entertainment, great food and limited shopping, I could walk to everything but we outgrew our home. I wanted to move to the burbs for the larger lot, double garage, and less pedestrians walking randomly at night through the area. You will find the houses are pretty much all the same styles in the burbs, it really gets boring after a while of looking. The major differences I see between Cheektowaga and Tonawanda is that the income levels of the previous owners affects the condition of the homes. I come across more poorly maintained homes in Cheektowaga than in Tonawanda. You just need to know what you desire in your home, like do you want it already updated or do you want to get something that you can design and have updated yourself in the future. If you still want to live in Tonawanda and still be within a few minutes of things, look into the Lincoln Park area close to Niagara Falls Blvd, you will see houses in great shape selling below your price range sometimes because of estate settlement sales.
OP, have you considered areas in Amherst that are close to the UB South Campus? You could (assuming you had the money), buy a 2 or 3 unit house and rent the other units to college students while staying in the other one. You would be fairly closer to the "action" by the South Campus, while still being very close to NFB.
First off, thank you for the continued replies. I have continued to read them all as I search for the house (I have gotten my pre-approval!) and refer back to them every once in a while, too.
1. When referring to "North Buffalo" what areas does this encompass? (Street-wise) And is it generally a safe area? A good friend said that while I wanted things to be going on, that she thought I would be unhappy in Elmwood/Allentown and that the fun would burn off very quick. (She used to live there and work there too) Not to mention out of my price range too, unfortunately. I was actually looking at South Buffalo (Abbott Rd/McKinley area) because there are some nice houses that aren't priced too high. I have friends who live in that area but not sure if its a great area. The houses seem very close together and just in general very deserted.
@gwgirl80 Thank you for sharing your story. I can only hope to be in that place in a few years. Right now I'm single and just looking for A house. I definitely don't want to end up in a sleepy place. There are SOME goings-ons in the Tonawandas, but it just isn't the same sort of community or vibe you get when there are events on Elmwood or Hamburg or even Buffalo. I don't know how to explain it, but I know what you mean. Its kind of like there isn't that "community pride" as cliche as that sounds.
I don't mind some DIY but it has to be something I can do, or learn how to do. Entire houses caked in wood paneling are just ugly and something that I think is over my ability to take care of. (Plus, who knows whats behind those walls thats just covered up?) Actually, I had set my sights REALLY low, and some of these houses I've said to my Realtor in disbelief "I can really afford that?" (I figured "conveniences" like Garages and Full Basements were a rarity, not a commonplace).
My Realtor feels that Cheektowaga may be the best fit for me, and he is very comfortable with the area in being able to tell me good areas from bad. It seems to be really close to everything and within my price range although not too many goings on IN Cheektowaga, which maybe I'll just have to live with. I agree totally with what you said about the houses being very similar. A lot of the houses have a brick exterior with bay window, no porch, with the garage-on-the-right, 2 bedrooms down, small kitchen, 1 (attic) master up and a bathroom on the first floor, with a living room caked in wood paneling. Alot are downright tiny too, which I don't particularly care about, except I don't want to buy something that I'll never be able to sell in the future, you know?
As for what I want, I think I'm like everyone else and can say "I'll know it when I see it, but I don't know what that is off hand." I want to be within this perfect radius of work and play, busy and quiet, family-friendly, and single-friendly that I know doesn't exist (or at least, doesn't exist in my price range!).
I definitely don't like the Tonawandas. It is too close to everything I know and when I mean "action" I don't mean the kind of action like the NFBoulevard. The only "goings-on" here of any fun is Canal Fest. And that's only once a year.
@topchief1 I have considered everywhere but my budget only allows a few areas. (80k) There are very few houses that I've found in my price range in Amherst. And in my first message, I kind of alluded to it but I heard that most Amherst was built on a swamp and that the houses were sinking unless you were in very specific areas? I wondered if that was true or not?
EDIT: Also, I didn't really answer this: I am not able to buy a multi-family home with the particular program I am on for my loan. I am severely against it as I have had to rent (and move) all my life because of horrible neighbors and poor landlords that don't care about their property.
Thank you both for your responses, I will certainly come back to this thread frequently. This website as a whole has been a tremendous influence and helpful resource in searching for a home.
Last edited by lorddonk; 03-19-2014 at 05:33 PM..
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