Would love advice, need to make a decision about moving back upstate

[VA Yankee]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

Is there any other possibility in Upstate NY, it varies. This could be the case even within the same neighborhood, let alone town.

BTW-I believe that a bit further north, Ticonderoga has a Lowe's. Google Maps

Ithaca might not be a bad idea either.

Nothing is set in stone yet and we are at the early stages of looking. One big factor is where the kids settle, we are thinking of finding somewhere between both so we can visit when we want. I have been to Ticonderoga and it is a little to run down for my taste plus I prefer to be a little closer to an urban area.

[grdnrman]

Originally Posted by Barefootedone

Hi there,

I really welcome all advice, feedback, thoughts, etc. here on my situation.

My story is similar to many of the those we read here on this forum.

I left rural upstate (Central NY) about 20 + years ago in search of the things we all wanted back then:

- better job opportunities
-more excitement
- warmer weather, etc.

I graduated college, left for NYC, then eventually wound up in Wash. DC where I have lived for many years.

But now?? Now I'm in my late 40s, recently divorced, an empty nester and I am just flat out tired of urban life, traffic, etc. etc.

All of my family still lives in rural central NY and some of my friends as well.

I probably have another 8-9 years to work before retirement.

All that said, here is my half baked plan:

I am considering a move back upstate. I miss my family. I miss the idea of community, I miss being able to have a life that doesn't revolve around traffic patterns. I am tired of snobbery and pretension. The girl may have left the country, but the country never left the girl - and yet, I am overly educated and somewhat cultured, etc. - so moving back to a rural area is a big deal for me after having been gone so long.

I worked in the private sector for many years, but now am a recent federal employee. I am mostly likely to find federal employment in Rome, NY - maybe Syracuse or Schenectady(?) If I can't find federal employment, I have even toyed with the idea of getting certified to teach, just so that I can find a job up there somewhere.

I don't think I want to live in Syracuse or Rome or Schenectady, so I'd likely need to commute, which may not be too terribly bad since I can work from home some days, especially when the weather is bad.

My family lives and works in Chenango County, but my god, that is about the poorest county in NY, with the least number of job opportunities for professional employment. I am thinking I'd need to live nearby and visit them on the weekends, so that leads me to places like Ithaca or Oneonta or maybe the suburbs of Syracuse to the south.

I dread the idea of going back to long winters and dreary weather, but luckily I ski, so that gives me something to look forward to. I'm not sure about buying property - it looks cheap compared to DC, very cheap- but worried about escalating property taxes....

I wonder about my social life, but see that there seems to be a lot of good live music upstate and arts fests, nature of course (love the Adirondacks), so half of the year, I will be out and about

What am I missing from this picture? What else do I need to consider?
Would love thoughts on places for a single woman to live....

Thanks, BF

I'm not quite sure what to recommend to you.

Jobs anywhere, in any state, are not "a-dime-a-dozen" anymore. You should check the UNEMPLOYMENT rate for ANY county to which you may consider relocating. Locations with unemployment at the current national rate=9.6% or higher; you should be careful. If the unemployment rate is lower or considerably lower, then maybe you would have a better chance of finding employment.

I have written/given many people, considering relocating to Suburban Syracuse, a lot of information about the metro Syracuse area. If you go to my name -- grdnrman -- on this City-Data site, you can see/read all the posts/writings/information I have previously given other people. My writings may be useful to you, I'm not sure.

I will say a few things right here for your consideration. When I say Metro Syracuse, that means the City, the Suburbs, & the surrounding more rural area.
1) Metro Syracuse has been rated the #1 most affordable major metro city in the whole country in which to buy a home.
2) Metro Syracuse has been rated the #4 best place [quality of life] to live in the whole country.
3) Considering the Expressways, other highways, roads, streets serving Metro Syracuse, you would find driving around the Metro area to be VERY easy & convenient. People who move to Metro Syracuse from places like: NY City, Boston, New Jersey, Baltimore, D.C. are delighted with the ease of getting/driving around the area quickly.
4) I don't know about a Federal job here for you. Syracuse has a Veterans Hospital [also 4 other hospitals]. There is a Federal Office Building [? maybe jobs ?] in downtown Syracuse. The Main/Central Post Office for the Syracuse several-county region is here [the national post office does have financial problems but the mail still has to be processed/handled regardless]. There may be other possibilities; Lockheed-Martin, Syracuse University, the hospitals.

There is a Central Bank Check-Clearing facility [not sure if it is Federal] at the Utica Airport Industrial Park.

Two insurance companies in Utica are Utica Mutual Insurance and The Hartford Insurance Company. I know nothing about employment there nor their pay scales.

There is the Turning Stone Gambling Casino at Verona owned & operated by the Oneida [Indians] Native Americans. I know they employ Non-Indians for their high rise hotel, their restaurants, & their Casino. They also operate 4 Golf Courses & a Campgrounds.

You must keep Winter Weather in mind if you will be commuting to work. Because of Winter Snowstorms for myself, I would not want to live any farther north than the Brewerton area and not south of the Nedrow area. But I WOULD consider living a few miles west of Camillus and as far east as Chittenango & Canastota. I think the countryside/rural area between/around the Chittenango - Canastota area [maybe Wampsville-Oneida too] is a nice pleasant area=YOU would have to judge for yourself the commuting distance.

Ithaca is a nice small city. Cornell University & their Veterinarian College/Hospital are located there.

Metro Binghamton might be a place for you to consider but I've heard there may be some gang crime problem there because of NYC influence--I don't know for sure.

Regarding Watertown, I would not be interested in relocating there even though Fort Drum Military Base is there. Watertown is just too small and too far away from bigger American cities like Syracuse & Rochester.

For your info, Albany & other Capital District cities usually receive MUCH LESS snow & snowstorms than the area from Amterdam-Utica-Syracuse-Rochester-Buffalo. BUT, Albany region homes and other things seem to be higher than as you get closer to Syracuse and more reasonable prices.

Especially nice summertime attractions near Central New York/Syracuse are: the beautiful Finger Lakes, the Thousand Islands & Seaway, the Adirondack Mountains. Metro Syracuse is a great location to travel to cities like Boston, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Philadelphia, & NY City.

If you have other questions, just ask.

[Barefootedone]

The highest probability of a job for me in upstate NY is with the Air Force, as a civilian, working in Rome.

So would love some advice on reasonable commuting distances to Rome from other small cities.

Also, I am fortunate in that by selling my current home, I am likely to free enough cash in the form of equity to buy my own home outright in upstate NY, which means I am working to pay property taxes and utilities at that point - obviously, along with other things like food, gas, etc.

The ability to telework is also there.

Thanks again, BF

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by Barefootedone

The highest probability of a job for me in upstate NY is with the Air Force, as a civilian, working in Rome.

So would love some advice on reasonable commuting distances to Rome from other small cities.

Also, I am fortunate in that by selling my current home, I am likely to free enough cash in the form of equity to buy my own home outright in upstate NY, which means I am working to pay property taxes and utilities at that point - obviously, along with other things like food, gas, etc.

The ability to telework is also there.

Thanks again, BF

If you do get the job in Rome, you might like something in Clinton due to being just outside of the suburbs of Utica, having a nice walkable village center and is home to Hamilton College. You are still close to shopping on Commercial Drive in New Hartford and other shopping nearby, your workplace in Rome and the cultural offerings in Utica(symphony, ballet, theatre and festivals). Places like New Hartford, Whitesboro, Oriskany, Westmoreland, Sherrill, Camden and Oneida, among others. With Camden and Oneida, you are closer to Syracuse. Canastota might be another community to consider for the same reason. Sylvan Beach is a nice resort community between Syracuse and Rome that might be something you might like too.