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I've visited the Buffalo area twice (once for Niagara Falls, and once on my way to Toronto), and I had mixed feelings about it. It still struck me as a rather depressed area, but was not as bad as I had expected it to be. People just make it seem like a mini-Detroit. That isn't the impression I got, though I do understand where they're coming from. I LOVE the Elmwood area; it just seems so welcoming and the houses are beautiful.
So, those of you who live there, what do you think of the area?
I came in the 1960s for college. I never left. If you like the weather, and the cost is to your liking and the job situation works for you ( as in you have one ) and you like what you see? Then it is a good place.
What's not to love??? 4 distinct seasons, low cost of living, very easy commutes, friendly neighbors, strong sense of community, diverse ethic representation, highly educated, historic sites all over, beautiful architecture, easy access to NYC or Toronto. NHL/NFL pro sports. Minutes from 2 of the Great Lakes and Niagara Falls.
Need I go on?
I'd say get on our bandwagon now before it fills up!!
What's not to love??? 4 distinct seasons, low cost of living, very easy commutes, friendly neighbors, strong sense of community, diverse ethic representation, highly educated, historic sites all over, beautiful architecture, easy access to NYC or Toronto. NHL/NFL pro sports. Minutes from 2 of the Great Lakes and Niagara Falls.
Need I go on?
I'd say get on our bandwagon now before it fills up!!
You hit on what strikes me most about Buffalo. Having a few tenant properties over there, I've witnessed this first hand, and what a nice surprise it was. The friendliness seems warm and real, and whatever the Sabres or the Bills are doing, everyone is supportive and knowledgeable
Only one thing to add - the gardens. Not just public, but residents in all types of areas enjoy mixing art with gardening and out of that comes a whimsical and colourful gardening style unique to the area.
Western New York is one of the most underrated areas in the country.
Low cost of living, good schools, good sense of community, best summer east of the Rockies, protected from natural disasters, and a diverse culture. It is also has real urban, suburban, and rural areas.
I moved here in 1990 to go to school and never left. It's not for everyone, but I've always thought place is inconsequential. Best to find a good group of people you can really call friends, the place will sort itself out later. That being said, I love it here.
I came to Buffalo for a summer internship in 2010 and liked both the job and the city, so came back in 2011 full-time and have been here since. I moved from Chicago, so I was used to big cities, and I was surprised how cosmopolitan and urban Buffalo is, especially for its size. There are beautiful well-kept neighborhoods that are straight out the 19th century, great and unique food, and a lovely waterfront, and it is very walkable and bike-able and also has good public transportation. There are some rough neighborhoods on the east side, so that's probably where the poor reputation comes from, but overall I have come to really like Buffalo. I don't mind cold weather as long as summers are warm and sunny (which they are), so the weather here doesn't bother me, but some people don't like it. Prices are still quite low here - you can still buy a historic house for $50,000 that is totally livable (though perhaps in need of some updating.) There is tons of development right now, though, and prices are rising, so that may not last.
It's good if you can handle the extreme weather changes. There might not be a ton of stuff to do IN Buffalo, but there's a lot of good places surrounding it.
I wouldn't count on "easy access to NYC" though. I mean, it'll take at least 7 hours to get there.
It's good if you can handle the extreme weather changes. There might not be a ton of stuff to do IN Buffalo, but there's a lot of good places surrounding it.
I wouldn't count on "easy access to NYC" though. I mean, it'll take at least 7 hours to get there.
WNY is fairly compact, and along with nearby Ontario there are endless things to do. The topography allows easy travel and commuting, and unless one is limited to walking it is easy to enjoy what every local city, town, and village has to offer. I wouldn't say "there's nothing to do" in Buffalo (assuming you meant just the 42 square miles of city limits only), but it really depends on what you are interested in, just like any other community. Outside of mega malls, camping, skiing, beaches, and touristy things (like Darien Lake , Niagara Falls, etc) the City has quite a number of things going on at any given time, especially in the summer and Autumn, and certainly more than any other WNY communities.
As far as NYC access, there are also dozens of flights per day of less than an hour. Buffalo airport is about 20 minutes from downtown. There are also multiple Amtrak and buses, but as was said that's about 7 hours.
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