Buffalo NY

[Susita 175]

Hey guys... just a quick question:

Have any of you ever lived in or near Buffalo, NY? I'm asking because there may be an opportunity for me in the future (1 or 2 years) to work up in Buffalo and I was looking at some of the local suburbs and they have really good schools. I also like the idea that I would still be in NY state.

Real estate is so reasonable there too.

Advice?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

It snows too much. Way too much. I mean, way way way too much. Lake effects are crazy.

[alienlovechild 75]

Have any of you ever lived in or near Buffalo, NY? I'm asking because there may be an opportunity for me in the future (1 or 2 years) to work up in Buffalo and I was looking at some of the local suburbs and they have really good schools. I also like the idea that I would still be in NY state.

Real estate is so reasonable there too.

Advice?

Haven't lived there but it's one the cities that has experienced a big drop in population over the years. The lake effect snow is legendary. The prices for homes are cheap because no one wants to move there.

Look at the website below for some hard stats.

http://www.bestplaces.net/

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

The prices for homes are cheap because no one wants to move there.

The corollary to that being that Susita today lives in extremely desirable Long Island

[Chris_Жанна 11]

Don't do it. It's an industrial waste land.

If you want to stay in NY and still have access to NYC you may want to look in Sullivan or Orange County.

[*julez* 124]

I live in suburban Buffalo and have my whole life. It is a really nice place to raise a family and it is very affordable housing-wise. You get a lot more for your maney here. Though depending on what suburb you choose, taxes can be quite high. But the suburban school districts are excellent, as you have already pointed out, which makes paying higher taxes worth it, IMO.

Yes, we do get snow here. Some years are worse than others. It's not as bad as many outsiders are led to believe. Plus, it can really depend where in the suburbs you live. Oddly the Northtowns tend to fare better than the Southtowns. If you enjoy four seasons, you would like it here. I really like living near Lake Erie. Plus, it neat living in such close proximity to Canada.

Also, the commute here is pretty low-stress. We always joke that it never takes you more than 20 minutes to get from any part fo the area to another.

If you want to ask me any specific questions, please feel free to PM me. I am a big cheerleader for this region of NY!

[Deb+Steve 13]

Hey guys... just a quick question:

Have any of you ever lived in or near Buffalo, NY? I'm asking because there may be an opportunity for me in the future (1 or 2 years) to work up in Buffalo and I was looking at some of the local suburbs and they have really good schools. I also like the idea that I would still be in NY state.

Real estate is so reasonable there too.

Advice?

Husband is originally from Buffalo and I just spent a couple of days there over the holidays. Way too cold for me. The best thing about it - IMO - was Jim's Steak Out. Husband also tells me it is a dying city and he would never move back (although he loves his Bills & Sabres).

[Susita 175]

The corollary to that being that Susita today lives in extremely desirable Long Island

My idea is to pay as much as I'm paying in rent for my mortgage and all my utilities

Working doing the same job, same pay, different inexpensive location def. works for me. There is another option, Philadelphia - but I don't know about PA. I know some people who went to college up in Buffalo but they really couldn't comment on anything more than the weather and the city. I wanted some insight on the suburbs, school districts, etc.

[Chris_Жанна 11]

Husband is originally from Buffalo and I just spent a couple of days there over the holidays. Way too cold for me. The best thing about it - IMO - was Jim's Steak Out. Husband also tells me it is a dying city and he would never move back (although he loves his Bills & Sabres).

Do you really want to be a Bills fan?????

WIDE RIGHT lol

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

My idea is to pay as much as I'm paying in rent for my mortgage and all my utilities

Working doing the same job, same pay, different inexpensive location def. works for me. There is another option, Philadelphia - but I don't know about PA. I know some people who went to college up in Buffalo but they really couldn't comment on anything more than the weather and the city. I wanted some insight on the suburbs, school districts, etc.

Philly itself, with the exception of a small part called center city, is a sewer.

But Philly has some very nice suburbs!

[Susita 175]

I live in suburban Buffalo and have my whole life. It is a really nice place to raise a family and it is very affordable housing-wise. You get a lot more for your maney here. Though depending on what suburb you choose, taxes can be quite high. But the suburban school districts are excellent, as you have already pointed out, which makes paying higher taxes worth it, IMO.

Yes, we do get snow here. Some years are worse than others. It's not as bad as many outsiders are led to believe. Plus, it can really depend where in the suburbs you live. Oddly the Northtowns tend to fare better than the Southtowns. If you enjoy four seasons, you would like it here. I really like living near Lake Erie. Plus, it neat living in such close proximity to Canada.

Also, the commute here is pretty low-stress. We always joke that it never takes you more than 20 minutes to get from any part fo the area to another.

If you want to ask me any specific questions, please feel free to PM me. I am a big cheerleader for this region of NY!

Thanks Jules This is a big help!

[Krikit 1,166]

Buffalo is a fabulous city. Yes, there are some less than desirable areas, but you'll find that anywhere. I lived on the border and know the Buffalo area like the back of my hand. I also use their airport for getting back and forth. Much better than Toronto. I would move there in an instant.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Long Island Stinks. High priced everything.

Buffalo does get lots-o-snow

[scandal 951]

I considered moving there, back when I was weighing different job opportunities. There was an opening at HSBC which has its main US headquarters in Buffalo.

I ultimately didn't do it because HSBC is the only game in town (at least for major financial services companies). I wound up in Chicago because there's a much more diverse ecosystem of companies here, so if I want to move to a new employer I'm not forced to leave the city.

That rationale probably doesn't apply to you, at least not directly. But it is a factor to consider, in that Buffalo is a smaller metropolitan area than NYC or Chicago or other 'major' cities. That means it will have more of a "one industry town" feel to it. For some, that could be a could thing. For others - not so much.

Pluses: you're right near to 2 Great Lakes (Erie, Ontario), Niagara Falls, the Finger Lakes, southern Ontario (St. Catherines, Niagara on the Lake, metro Toronto).

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

My wife was born and raised in Buffalo and her parents and much of her extended family still live there. It's also where we got married. I've been there a few times now, and I think it's quite a nice city -- very historic, and full of unique restaurants, museums etc. It's true, however, that Buffalo has been steadily shrinking for something like fifteen years. A lot of people hate the municipal government, as they continually make dumb decisions regarding zoning and development etc. But the people are friendly, and it's right on the Canadian border, allowing for quick day trips to Toronto.

It's probably not big enough of a city for MY liking, but there are at least as many compelling reasons to move TO Buffalo as to move away from it.