Where house prices are low, going lower Schenectady County is affordable but home cost can be deceptive
By CHRIS CHURCHILL, Business writer First published in print: Wednesday, March 25, 2009 SCHENECTADY — The house is a simple bungalow, painted yellow and with a broad front porch. It sits on an attractive Pinewood Avenue block that ends at a wooded section of Central Park, within walking distance of the city's upper Union Street shopping district.
The Schenectady neighborhood seems cut from another era, so timeless is its appeal.
The asking price for the yellow house — $119,000 — seems cut from another era, too.
But in Schenectady County, such prices aren't rare at all. In fact, the county's median home price in February was just $144,000, a level that would seem to put ownership within easy reach and flabbergasts buyers from other parts of the country.
The Boston area, for example, hasn't had prices that low since the mid-1980s.
"I love to get people from Boston or California," said Paula Gaies, an associate broker at Weichert Realtors Northeast Group handling the Pinewood Avenue house. "They think they've died and gone to heaven."
Even for this region, Schenectady County prices are modest. Nearby Saratoga County hasn't had home prices so low since 2000, and the $230,000 median there in February is nearly 40 percent higher.
Albany County's median of $180,000 is 20 percent higher than Schenectady County's.
And like most parts of the Capital Region, prices are falling in Schenectady County. The median price for the first two months of 2009 is down about $15,000 from the same months of 2008 and 2007.
Real estate pricing reflects basic supply-and-demand economics, with the most desirable areas having the most expensive homes. So it's tempting to conclude that Schenectady County's low prices say little that is good about its livability.
But there are certainly desirable parts of the county: Towns like Niskayuna and Glenville have subdivisions of $900,000 homes.
And Realtors say there are factors that make the low Schenectady County prices deceptive.
First, the county is unusually small geographically, and its housing stock is heavy concentrated within the city of Schenectady, which is fighting to recover from a long economic decline.
Urban houses are typically smaller and older — and therefore cheaper. The Pinewood Avenue home is a good example: At about 1,100 square feet, some families would consider it too small.
Then there's the fact that parts of the county border truly rural areas.
"You get out into the western part of Schenectady County and you're in the Fulton County or Montgomery County market," said Eric Dahl, a Niskayuna resident and managing partner at the nonprofit Community Realty in Albany. "It's a really different part of the Capital Region."
And an inexpensive part of the region: The median single-family house price in February in Montgomery County, for example, was just $70,000.
Schenectady City taxes are now 3X Saratoga! Tell us again Ms. Savage what a great place it is to live. There are too many politicos that; "understand the importance of high taxes" like her and Marky Mark.
About time the MSM did a story on the absurd Schenectady County and City taxes. Maybe you'll understand when you try to sell or the government takes your property for failure to pay the record County taxes. By the way everyone from Schenectady County is going to Heaven, cause we've done our time in hell.
High property taxes and disgust with our county and state governments has taken a personal toll. Last week, my wife and I placed our home in Duanesburg on the market for sale. Despite my affection for the people of the Town of Duanesburg, my respect for my Town Supervisor and Town Board members (both Republican and Democrat) and my love of my home, I have decided that it is time to make a move to a community in which the elected leaders represent their constituents' interests and one in which I may enjoy (some of) the rewards of my lifetime of hard work. I have reached my limit with this tax-and-spend New York State government and Schenectady County Legislature.
So, to those who have been wishing for me to "go away", your prayers have been answered. (well, not quite yet. We have to sell the house first). If, we decide to remain in the state, we will likely relocate to Saratoga county where my property taxes (for a comparable property) will be approximately 1/2 of what I now pay. The preferred plan, however, is to leave New York State, my birthplace, to those who want to continue financially supporting this socialist government and settle in a state where individuals are responsible for themselves.
That is as you see, just what the liberals wish. That you would go away and leave only mind-numbed fools here to vote for "change we can believe in" and the "new team." Sorry that you will be leaving...too many tax paying people are shipping out leaving only people who "take" the benefits of hard workers.
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
good. get lost you troblemaker. we need to get rid of more like you. me and sal will fix your mess
Another case of multiple personality disorder? You only create messes that taxpayers have to bail out.
Multiple Brad by thousands of times across Upstate. Job creator/taxpayer flees-welfare tax eater moves in. Brad should be appaulded for demanding accountability, demanding a release of the Metrograft audit, and upholding real Conservative principles of small government and self reliance. We have no shortage of County sheeple willing to look the other way and re-elect appaulding seals.
I have heard numerous people say the same thing. First they want out of Schenenctady County....and Saratoga is their choice.....or out of the state completely.
Most say that they are tired of local politics, high taxes and unions. And they don't see any change coming from 'any' party.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Some people fight what is going on, but obviously can't fight alone on every battlefield and every front, with no back-up support. Some people actually present ideas of how to cut things and offer amendments, cuts, and then vote against popular things like giving away "arts" money (even though it loses votes) and all kinds of things that WASTE MONEY AND DRIVE UP TAXES. Those same people then get no support from their party, or from the conservative base if they are found to disagree slightly on even one thing. Whereas liberals, no matter how much they have to hold their nose and vote for a few common sense things like 'welfare reform' or something to win, ALWAYS GET unified party and liberal base support to the tune of 100%, because they know that in the end, that is the only way to get the socialism they want.
Conservatives are too independent minded to ever forgive the least of disagreements and often fail to support their people because of one or two issues of a thousand, henceforth ultimately helping socialism prevail. They are always looking for a purer and more ideal candidate, even though no such candidate exists who can win, in general. Even Reagan compromised to move a broader agenda to reverse the course of socialism, but for many conservatives, this was not enough. In retrospect he was grand, but the reality is that we will never have another of him, anytime soon at least. So we end up with less conservative leaders at times, and when we aren't happy we take our toys home from the sandbox and stop playing with our fellow conservatives. Therefore this is what has happened in our county.
Some men get tired of fighting alone in a foxhole, wouldn't you think. A few more people to back them up would not be a bad thing, but it appears they must continue to fight alone.
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
Political parties are no better than the candidates, no better then the rank and file. When the candidates stand for nothing, when there are no primaries, when voters re-enroll as Blanks, you get mush.
There was only one Reagan. But by 2012, we will have several electable fiscal Conservatives to take out Obama. Jindal, Romney or Huckabee are ready to correct years of Socialism.
As far as the County, it is bleak with the Dems taking over yet another line. People will have to learn to vote REP even if not cross endorsed or learn to write in candidates, as we have done in Rotterdam for years. We need other fiscal Conservatives with business sense, like ANG, to run for political offices. We cannot have another 4 years of Metrograft waste, idiotic "plans" that never get completed and 10% a year Krat increases in record County property taxes.
Logged
Schenectady City taxes are now 3X Saratoga! Tell us again Ms. Savage what a great place it is to live. There are too many politicos that; "understand the importance of high taxes" like her and Marky Mark.
Another case of multiple personality disorder? You only create messes that taxpayers have to bail out. 
