Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We are moving to Buffalo from south this summer, and are looking for an apartment (2BR+). I heard Williamsville is a good area considering school district and safety, which are our priorities since we have a school-age kid and a new baby. Just wondering if anybody knows any good apts there? I've searched online and found names like windsong, country club, georgetown..., but they are a lil bit expensive. Is it possible to find something around $900 (utilities inc.) in Williamsville at all?
imho windsong is very very overpriced, if you pay a rent like that, you might as well purchase a home - for the most part, it's cheaper lol
The schools yes are very very very good in Williamsville, I can personally attest to that.
Utilities are not usually included with a rental.
Currently there is nothing in our system in that area in that amount -
HOWEVER - try craigslist.org as well as the Amherst Bee, you might find something that will fit into your budget!!
WELCOME!!!
Hi. I agree that if you're plans are to stay here and not move in the next couple years that you would be better off buying a home here. Housing prices are inexpensive enough that a mortgage payment could be equal to or lower than rent. Also, you get the benefit of tax deductions that you don't get as a renter, you have a yard that is yours for the children, and it's yours to do with what you want. I do not know what your financial situation is, so in no way do I mean to push you into anything, but it's worth considering if you can swing it and have the time to come and look at some homes.
I live in the part of Amherst that is Snyder/Eggertsville (I'm not sure where the designations begin and end) and it's a very pretty, safe area. I do not have first-hand experience with the public schools since my children are in Catholic school, but I know they are excellent.
I wish you the best of luck with your move and let us know if you have any more questions.
Umm...I dont think you will be able to find 2B+ including utilities for under $1000, especially in the williamsville, amherst and clarence area. When we first moved, we looked at country club, windsong, dannybrook and coventry green. They are all around the same price range. But check out for specials. Mostly in these areas people buy houses here, so you wont get that much of a choice in apartments, unless you were to stay in the UB (uni. ) campus areas.
PS: forgot to mention we live at country club and love it. Its very safe, and has a pool and gym on site. We pay $1025 for a 2bedroom apt (utilities not included).
Also I think you might save if u were to buy a house on mortgage payments, but property taxes are high here..so I think overall cost is the same as renting. Many of my friends who are only going to live in Buffalo for 2-3 years, all live in apt's instead of buying a house.
It was shocking to us how high taxes were when we moved back, but I would guess that's all taken into consideration when rent prices are set. So whether you buy or rent, you're covering some amount of property taxes either way. At least with owning your home you can take as deductions the property taxes, mortgage interest, homeowner's insurance and PMI (if you pay it). Whereas when renting you can't deduct any of it (I don't believe you can deduct renter's insurance, but I could be wrong).
I guess what you need to consider most, outside of the obvious financial ability to buy a house, is how long you plan to live in Buffalo as well as the costs of maintaining a home. If you know it's short term, then it does not make sense to buy because you could never recover the costs of selling in the short term (real estate commission, closing costs etc. would not offset short term appreciation and you would lose money). Also, general home maintenance is something you don't need to worry about when renting.
There's no right answer. I just thought it was something you might want to consider since housing is pretty affordable here.
Are you open to looking around in other suburbs besides just Williamsville? No doubt Williamsville is a great place to live, and the schools are good, but it’s not the only safe area with good schools, and it is probably one of the more pricey areas as far as rents go.
If you want a comparable apartment in a good area that is a little cheaper, you may try the Hamburg/Orchard Park/West Seneca areas. Those are east (West Seneca) to South (OP/Hamburg) of the city. I cannot think of the names, but I know there are a few places along Southwestern Blvd (US 20) that are a little cheaper and very equivalent to the large complexes in Williamsville.
I would also consider looking in the Tonawandas. The apt complexes there are a little older, and not necessarily as nice, but you may be able to find a non-complex rental which may be nicer, and more neighborhood oriented. There are a lot of older doubles in Kenmore for instance (Town of Tonawanda schools) which are very nice, in good shape, and are in a safe community. I grew up in Kenmore, and love it there! It’s also convenient to everywhere. Their school district was always a good one too, although it has been a long time since I was in school there, so I cannot speak for it today. A craigslist search would probably turn up a lot of places too.
Lancaster would be another good choice to investigate.
Good luck on your search… oh, and I would second the thought to consider buying too if your going to be here for a while. At $1000/mo, you can buy a decent 3 bedroom home in most of these communities, in good neighborhoods. Search for homes in the $80K to $130K range (or so) and those houses, plus taxes and insurance, will generally work out to around $1000/mo with today’s interest rates.
Truthfully, try out Idylwood. It is in West Seneca/Cheektowaga, offer great ameneties, and the schools are West Seneca which isnt too bad. My grandmother just moved out of her lower apartment in Lancaster and paid $400 month, but the two bedrooms, bath, kitchen, and living room were tiny
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I agree...
