Hi guys - I'm a brand new fellow-member of the class of 2011! I was actually talking to Swinelake today about all her advice to you guys via SDN and thought it was time to corrupt you all, hehe...
I'm actually from NYC and have lived here in Buffalo for almost a year now... I've also had to commute down to the medical school every day just as we all will be doing soon enough, and like Swinelake mentioned, the commute is much easier coming from Amherst, in general, than it is from downtown.
Amherst is more of the suburbia with Wegman's (and as Swinelake said, you WILL come to realize the value of the one-stop-shop-can't-live-without Wegman's!), the mall, Panera, Target, Starbucks/Lowe's/Red Lobster/Ooodles of other chain-type-restaurants (TGI, etc etc). The prices are higher than downtown, but again, it depends on the apartment itself - they range from $800 for a 2-BR place to $730, which is what I pay for my 1-BR place. However, the most important thing to look for in Buffalo is HEAT INCLUDED... if it isn't, make sure you keep it in mind when thinking about prices. I pay a $14/month surcharge for heat, but I also keep it jacked up to about 80 degrees because that is how I need it. I have current 1st year (technically 2nd years) friends who live downtown and although their apartments "include heat," they often need to turn their stove on and add on a space heater here and there to make it work - so before you go with an apartment just because heat is included (esp downtown), make sure to talk to a tenant or something and see how much heat is actually turned on!
I'm not out to make an argument for Amherst... but for instance, the commute for me is 5 minutes without traffic... I am a block away from Bailey, and as soon as I get onto Bailey, I just ride straight down it past Main and the next right turn I make is into the parking lot for med school. As much as I love downtown, the commute is a tough luxury to give up...
Again, like my dear friend Swinelake (with the adoooorrable Snoopy on her icon... I miss your SouthPark one... poopers) said, it depends on YOU... what kind of neighborhood do YOU want to live in? My parents were gung-ho on 1) safety (Amherst is infinitely more secure - no doubt about that. I usually forget to lock my apartment door) 2) parking (harder to find parking downtown and I have a band-new car so street parking is not an option for me unless the apartment includes a garage or off-street parking) 3) cleanliness (this is variable... you can get some ****ttty amherst apartments and yet clean downtown apartments, so this isn't cut an dry, but overall, Amherst apartments are newer and thus more well-kept... and you often pay for it!)
Someone mentioned Peppertree and that is where I originally signed my lease, and then realized it was a bit too out in the boonies for me. There are many apartments closer than that. Boulevard towers has many happy customers and even though I chose not to rent with them (because I'm not an apartment-building kinda gal), most 1styears-going on 2ndyear... that lived there this year are staying there, so that gives you one perspective.
For anyone who is looking for a clean Amherst apartment close to school with great maintenance, a backyard with a grill and picnic bench, and ample parking (I can autostart my car from my living room as I get ready in the morning for school), Emerson Square Apartments (where I live), are highly recommended. I can personally vouch for their cleanliness and prompt service... they will come at 3am to fix your heat and 5am to fix a toilet. They even change my lightbulbs because they don't want me to fall on my butt.
However, there are some reaaallllly cute places downtown if you have the patience. I personally have fell in love with two that were unfortunately both 2-BR and I just cannot afford them on my own... so if any of you are looking to live downtown and have roommates, let me know and I can recommend some downtown places as well.
Okay, I seriously just wrote a book.... time to shuddup and get to bed...
