Upstate NY (Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse: house, schools, quality of life)

[Lancet71]

I recently purchased a home upstate (Brockport) by Rochester and an hour east of Buffalo.I was born in NYC and lived on long island most of my life.Originally when I thought of upstate I thought of the Catskills and lots of other mountains and desolate areas and farmland.I'm very curious what everyone elses perception of the area is.I'll be 20 minutes west of Rochester which looks like a cleaner version of NYC and the suburbs upstate are beautiful with lots to do and not desolate at all.

[dman72]

Originally Posted by Lancet71

I recently purchased a home upstate (Brockport) by Rochester and an hour east of Buffalo.I was born in NYC and lived on long island most of my life.Originally when I thought of upstate I thought of the Catskills and lots of other mountains and desolate areas and farmland.I'm very curious what everyone elses perception of the area is.I'll be 20 minutes west of Rochester which looks like a cleaner version of NYC and the suburbs upstate are beautiful with lots to do and not desolate at all.

2 words: cold, and snow.

[Cindy15161]

Originally Posted by dman72

2 words: cold, and snow.

Lot of it! LOL!

[Lancet71]

That was the other thing,they do get times where it is a bit colder but the snow hits Syracuse much more and the last few years they have been comparable to Long Island but they get powdery not packing snow.

[jasonsdaddy]

Originally Posted by Lancet71

That was the other thing,they do get times where it is a bit colder but the snow hits Syracuse much more and the last few years they have been comparable to Long Island but they get powdery not packing snow.

LOL, I say report back after experiencing a full winter there!

[dman72]

Snow or no snow, it is COLD and will be COLD from October until April. Not 40 degrees LI "cold"

[Lancet71]

All I can go by is all the people I spoke to but the homes----$180,000 for a home that would fit perfectly in the best part of Dix Hills (5 bed/3 bth 3900 sq ft. built in 1996).

[dman72]

Originally Posted by Lancet71

All I can go by is all the people I spoke to but the homes----$180,000 for a home that would fit perfectly in the best part of Dix Hills (5 bed/3 bth 3900 sq ft. built in 1996).

There are plenty of places in the country where you can get a house like that for under 250K where the weather isn't nearly as bad and the job situation is the same or better. But, if you like building snowmen, more power to ya!!

[Lancet71]

I can't speak for you but I personally was a member of the Air Force for years and travelled all over the United States and most of the people who live in long island would want no part of the midwest,south, and most of the west coast as well. In the Rochester areas including the suburbs its a booming economy that wasn't hit by the housing crisis and the schools are far better then here. Also the schools haven't cut back on new books and also use tax dollars for school supplies to provide for all kids and computers, field trips,etc...also lower utility bills, and a much better quality of life.Also rochester was voted the #1 metro area to raise a family.

[AlexisT]

Rochester got hit by problems at Xerox and Kodak, which is partly why it's still relatively cheap. Its economy is good by upstate standards but lagging behind downstate.

Snow wise: Rochester averages 95" a year, Syracuse 116". Both have a perennial lack of sunshine. (I went to the U of R for 2 years; one of my sisters went to Syracuse, so a reasonable familiarity with both cities). You will have weeks where there is no sun. The wind comes off the lake and it is COLD. As upstate cities go, Rochester is one of the nicer ones but it's not what I would call a strong slate of contenders.