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We've been trying to relocate to Fayetteville/Manlius from a small town in VT. Our main reasons to move are better schools, amenities, and job opportunities. I have a few questions:
1. What are the people/children like in these suburbs? Are they snobby? Will my daughter have a difficult time socially in school?
2. What is the morning traffic like? Is it really 20 minutes to most places in Syracuse at 7:30 am?
3. Is the economy on an upswing or downturn?
4. Is Cazenovia much different than Fayetteville/Manlius?
5. And finally - any difference between Fayetteville and Manlius (we thought the taxes seemed much higher in Manlius)?
I know there are a lot of questions here. Thanks for your help.
Vermonter, sorry I couldn't try to help you before today. I'll do my best to answer some of your questions. I hope others will help me because I have limited knowledge of the Fayetteville/Manlius area.
1. People in Manlius are not too snobby. Rochester's southeast suburbs have much a more snobby population than Manlius. And to compare even more, the people in southwest Connecticut are way more snobby than anyone in the Rochester area. I'd call most people in Manlius sophisticated. Many people there have money and like to dress nice.
Not really sure what the kids are like in Manlius. Growing up in the northern suburbs, I didn't have much contact with them. So with that as background.... the most insight I had about school aged kids in Manlius comes from a show I saw on MTV a few years ago called "High School Stories: Scandals, Pranks & Controversies". They did an episode on a FM High School prank and in the show one kid said something like "it's a well known fact that at FM High school the kids drive better cars to school than the teachers". To me it sounded like he was indicating that it's the norm in Manlius for your kid to get a pricey car for their 16th birthday. Even with that said, a girl from New Orleans came to live with a friend and her family in Manlius last year after Hurricane Katrina. They interviewed her on the local news when she first came to Manlius and then a year later when she left to go home. It sounded she was able to get along with everyone because she said something to the effect that a part of her doesn't want to go home to New Orleans because of all the people she made friends with here.
2. The problem with Manlius is that it only has a couple main roads that go toward Syracuse or DeWitt (the two places with the most employers in the area). No highways directly from Fayetteville or Manlius, therefore there is traffic. It's not gridlock like in the south, but there are lines of cars at traffic lights and it may take a couple green lights before you can go through etc.
You can go most places in the area in 20 minutes most of the time. But if you live in a housing development on the fringe of Manlius and want to go to Camillus or Baldwinsville, it will take a little longer.
3. Upswing. For example, the Syracuse metro had 3,000 more jobs this year than last year. But, if you look long term, the Syracuse metro only has 6,000 more jobs than it did in 1990. That's why the population hasn't grown much since the 1980s. The mid 90s was the "depression" around Syracuse. It seemed like everyone was leaving town or lost a job and every couple weeks there would be news of more layoffs or of a plant closing etc.
4. Cazenovia is much more rural. There is very little retail there. Cazenovia doesn't want to become the next Manlius. They even succesfully fought off Wal-Mart. (Not that Manlius has Wal-Mart either) Cazenovia is more like Skaneateles than Manlius.
5. Manlius is further out than Fayetteville. Manlius seems like the more "walkable" community. Large shopping centers are much closer to Fayetteville than Manlius. The high school is closer to Manlius.
I hope my post helps a little. I believe you will really like Manlius. It seems like a nice upgrade from Vermont. Manlius still has a rural feel with the beautiful rolling hills, but it has a lot more to offer because its so close to a mid-sized city.
Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions - it is a big help. We have been eyeing a slightly less expensive neighborhood on the west end of Manlius (King's Grant?) that is close to a road that would avoid going through "downtown" Manlius and possibly avoid morning traffic. The taxes are still double what we pay now, so we have to figure that in, too.
We moved here from Long Island last December. We have no school age children but another recent transplant reports that her middle-school aged daughter loves the school.Taxes are quite high, but you do get value for the money. There are ways around the traffic blockages, but coming from L.I. even bad traffic here is bearable. As Bellafinzi said, Caz is much more rural , almost Vermont-like. Fayetteville is also a really nice town, with some areas that rival the nicest I've seen. The most positive thing I can add about the economy is that the housing downturn has not seemed to affect this area as badly as most, by some measures housing prices actually increased last year.
Vermonter, we moved to Manlius about three months ago and eveyone has been extremely nice not snobby at all. The development we moved into is really great, neighbors baked us brownies, cookies and an apple pie! Next weekend they are having a neighborhood Halloween party for all the kids. My kids are 7 & 10 and they seemed to fit right in at the schools and make friends right away. I don't know much about the morning traffic but it takes my husband about 20min. to get to work. I don't know much about the area being new myself but from what I've seen so far it's a great place to raise a family. Hope your move goes well.
What part of Vermont are you coming from? I know some parts well and live in the Syracuse area. I might be able to make some comparisons for you. Send me a direct message if you are more comfortable with that.
I'm moving to the Syracuse area from CT. I have 3 kids, 1 in elementary, 1 in middle and 1 in high school so the school system is a priority. We would like to be in a friendly neighborhood with kids. Any suggestions with town/neighborhood. If you can, please specify developments if applicable. Thanks for any help!
Do you prefer new construction/development types of homes, split levels in slightly older developments or older, well maintained homes with more character?
Do you have a rough price range?
Manlius sounds like a good choice for you and also where we live so if you can tell me a little more about your situation, I can be vastly more specific. And yes- the school district is fantastic!
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Send me a direct message if you are more comfortable with that. 
