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The further away you go from the larger cities (Albany, Troy, etc) the friendlier the people are (usually), just like any area.
The thing is, unless you have a solid housing budget, you're either going to pay really high rent for a newer apartment in a newer development, or you're going to be buying an older home that needs upgrades and stuff like that. Couple that with the high property taxes and the maintenance costs of owning an older home, it's not a fun lifestyle. Homeownership is more of a headache up there than it is down south (yes, I own property in both areas).
As far as do I think the area will bounce back, yes and no. Yes in the sense that some progress has been made already. No because literally the growth is so much lower compared to basically any area down south that's near a New South city (Atlanta, Raleigh, Charlotte, Nashville, etc). Saratoga County and Rensselaer County are the only areas that see any notable growth. By notable I mean not really that impressive but "growth" nonetheless. And the ONLY reason why is because of the one tech plant in Saratoga County and the Regeneron plant in Rensselaer County.
The benefit of living in the Albany/Troy area is there's been lots of gentrification in those areas and that salary can make for a great place to rent something spectacular in a trendy neighborhood. Another benefit is that when the economy tanks, Albany is the capital of the state and is somewhat more insulated from the effects of a recession than other upstate cities are.
Life is just a lot easier down in Raleigh. Even if you only made $70K down there, you could comfortably rent or own a nice, newer house with all the updated amenities most people want. You could live downtown, near the college area, or near any of the other in town more walkable neighborhoods. Plenty of more rural areas to choose from like I mentioned in my previous post. But the fact that you'll likely make more than that just adds to the fact that you'll be able to have a much nicer quality of life down there compared to Troy. Overall, people are friendlier down there (more approachable than people in Albany are). The RTP area has so many tech, healthcare, and education institutions that you never really need to worry about a disastrous local economic collapse. If you like the beach you can hop on 40 and be in Wilmington in 2 hours (super easy drive, 70 most of the way with virtually no traffic). If traveling via plane is important to you, you have wayyyyyy more options flying out of RTP than you do from Albany.
Ckhthankgod is right to point out the positives of the Albany area, I can't fault him on that. But even if I absolutely LOVED the Albany area myself, there's just no way around the fact that RTP is better. I'm not saying I absolutely HATE the area, but I would feel wrong telling you that moving to Troy instead of RTP is a good idea.
I think this is a very fair assessment, from what I personally know myself. I actually really like A-S-T metro, but there is a lot of merit to the RTP area too. Both have many pluses and minuses. It all depends on what you want:
I think A-S-T is better if you like living rural/ex-urban living. The outskirt towns and rural areas are just SO nice, IMO. Tons of trees, wilderness, mountains and lakes. Lots of fresh air. Interesting history. Not cookie cutter (Saratoga, Ballston Spa, Glens Falls all have real, authentic downtowns). VT very close by and is probably the last authentic, intact state left (as in, not destroyed by any real sprawl development). If you prefer camping to shopping, you'd probably like A-S-T better. If you like homes with character, that need work or if you're handy and like to fix up old homes, A-S-T is better.
If you like city/suburban living with every type of new chain restaurant, a Walmart within 5 mins, and new homes with top notch amenities, RTP is just better. In every way. If you like being near warmer beaches and maybe see some palm trees, RTP is much better. But frankly, like Mr. Jones said, the outskirts of RTP are pretty depressing. Lots of trailers and hog farms. Not many places to enjoy deep wilderness.
Home appreciation is very good in RTP, but many people expect to get a new home there, since there are so many new developments. So, "older" homes can be less desirable there. By older I mean 1980s. Older in NY is 1940's or earlier. Again, you can improve a NY home if you're handy and put in sweat equity, and sell it for more than you invested. Its the same as where I live in PA. Tons of older homes and they all need work. Upgrade them and they will fly off the market.
Raleigh has most of what you need, city wise, but its no NYC or Boston even. So its a little isolated in that respect but you may not need to leave the area. Whereas, if you want big city amenities on an occasional basis, Albany is well situated for that (close enough for weekend trips to Boston, NYC, and Montreal).
I'd also agree on friendliness. The people in RTP are super nice. Of couse it varies on the person but overall I'd say the vibe is people being open and even oversharing their personal life stories. New Yorkers are more skeptical of people and take a bit longer to warm up to you. Once they know you're a nice person though, they can be very reliable and not as flakey.
Hockey is surprisingly popular in RTP from what I remember. I'm assuming due to a pro hockey team in the metro. NFL football is not. Can't remember seeing many Panthers fans. Albany is filled with Giants, Patriots, Jets, and to a lesser extent, Bills fans.
I could live in either area, but if I had to choose, I'd pick A-S-T. Raleigh, IMO, was a bargain 10-15 years ago. New homes for $150k and the area was still pretty traffic-free, no tolls, and lots of treed areas. I went back last year and saw much more tacky development. Tolls roads are there and the general "city in a forest" feel was less so. Homes were also $300k+. Its still a super nice area and you really can't go wrong down there, the weather is nice and its one of the best places to live in the East if you ask me. But I just really like the authenticity of Upstate NY. Its gritty and its old but it feels homey to me. Just my $0.02.
I think the thing is that there are other places in the area besides Troy that the OP could consider. That is why I asked them where did they go within the area, as that could have played a part in their observations. From what they stated, it looks like they missed a lot of places within the area that are nice, within a reasonable commute and are quite popular. For instance, the town of Colonie has about 83,000 people and is a town that the OP didn't even visit. So, while I'm not saying where to go either way, it is tough to make a judgment about the area, when they only went to a few select viable options and most of those options aren't even that well populated. Albany and Schenectady counties have also had some population growth recently as well.
I also say this, because where they are likely coming from(a region with places like Peoria, Springfield, Bloomington(State Farm HQ's)-Normal(where Illinois State is located), Decatur, etc.), a move to the Albany area, dare I say, may be an upgrade in terms of multiple factors. For instance, you can be in NYC and Boston within 2/2 and a half hours. In regards to NYC, you can actually take a train and not have to worry about parking. You have multiple small mountain ranges within a short drive(Adirondacks, Catskills, Berkshires, Taconics, Green Mountains, etc.). You have a nice resort town like Lake George, which also has a lakeside beach. There are some nice, quaint communities that one could visit as well. There are other things, but all of this will depend on what one prefers.
Hehe. I grew up in Bloomington, I have worked in Peoria, Pekin, Springfield, lived in Decatur for 6 years and now in Champaign for 5 years So I am Central IL through and through.
Hehe. I grew up in Bloomington, I have worked in Peoria, Pekin, Springfield, lived in Decatur for 6 years and now in Champaign for 5 years So I am Central IL through and through.
Are you looking for something similar to Champaign/where you live in that city or are you pretty open about the type of neighborhood you want to live in?
I am fairly open, low crime and decent schools are my 2 main requirements. Prefer newer homes as I am not a handy man by any means. I did accept the offer earlier this week so I am headed to Upstate for sure.
I am fairly open, low crime and decent schools are my 2 main requirements. Prefer newer homes as I am not a handy man by any means. I did accept the offer earlier this week so I am headed to Upstate for sure.
I think the thing is that there are other places in the area besides Troy that the OP could consider. That is why I asked them where did they go within the area, as that could have played a part in their observations. From what they stated, it looks like they missed a lot of places within the area that are nice, within a reasonable commute and are quite popular. For instance, the town of Colonie has about 83,000 people and is a town that the OP didn't even visit. So, while I'm not saying where to go either way, it is tough to make a judgment about the area, when they only went to a few select viable options and most of those options aren't even that well populated. Albany and Schenectady counties have also had some population growth recently as well.
I also say this, because where they are likely coming from(a region with places like Peoria, Springfield, Bloomington(State Farm HQ's)-Normal(where Illinois State is located), Decatur, etc.), a move to the Albany area, dare I say, may be an upgrade in terms of multiple factors. For instance, you can be in NYC and Boston within 2/2 and a half hours. In regards to NYC, you can actually take a train and not have to worry about parking. You have multiple small mountain ranges within a short drive(Adirondacks, Catskills, Berkshires, Taconics, Green Mountains, etc.). You have a nice resort town like Lake George, which also has a lakeside beach. There are some nice, quaint communities that one could visit as well. There are other things, but all of this will depend on what one prefers.
I guess Colonie and Latham are larger than I thought, I assumed they were parts within Albany, but looking a the map I guess these towns are north of Albany. I will have to investigate further, maybe even fly back out before Christmas.
I guess Colonie and Latham are larger than I thought, I assumed they were parts within Albany, but looking a the map I guess these towns are north of Albany. I will have to investigate further, maybe even fly back out before Christmas.
Latham is a former Census Designated Place within the town of Colonie. It is in the North Colonie SD and the village of Colonie is in the South Colonie SD.
As for the city of Troy, look into the outer East and SE portions of the city for a more middle class chunk of the city.
For those following this thread or curious about Troy Schools, here is an interview with the Troy City SD superintendent that includes some interesting information about the district: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fr3E...&feature=share
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