Pros and Cons of living in Amherst, MA

[@BostonAreaHomes]

Ready to start the conversation about moving to the Greater Boston area? Click the link below to schedule your private Zoom video call to learn more. calendly.com/nounekrealtor/meeting-with-noune

[@Inertia888]

Amherst, UMASS, and multiple other colleges and universities, North Hampton, College students everywhere. Lots of good intellectual conversation in public. In summer, lots of art and music, I love that about the area. Like she says, a bit pricey, but cognitively stimulating and interesting people. Even though I don't live there, I am close enough to spend the day in the area sometimes. It is easy to commute, with public transportation, to surrounding towns. Good food, lots of places to sit and eat. Oh, and did I mention the art and music!

[@BostonAreaHomes]

Thanks for your insight, @Darrick, Steele and for watching the video!

[@tovarisch2788]

Please note: Northampton, not North Hampton (I live there).

[@Inertia888]

@@tovarisch2788 Northampton. wow, I'm a dummy. I have lived here, two towns over, my entire life and I spell it wrong. I should hang my head in shame. haha... sorry about that.

[@ym7369]

Thank you for your helpful video. My daughter will go to umass as an exchange student from Japan. She and I are very exciting 😆

[@BostonAreaHomes]

@Y M Great, hope she will have a good time in MA!

[@westelevenlane]

I went to college out there! Thank you for sharing!

[@BostonAreaHomes]

My daughter went to school there too, love it!

[@thefox1703]

Great video!

[@ormarit8050]

I was there 14 years ago as an intern with every paid and I love the town sooo much. Now, I wish to start my PhD and need a place to rent.

[@ごうだきゃんたま]

I visited Amherst last summer from Japan I love the town

[@BostonAreaHomes]

I love it too, especially the farms.

[@adolfosantiago8152]

Yo iré en julio, me podrían compartir su experiencia

[@bobbyviensjr8991]

It’s crazy how no where else in the United States are they educated like they are in Massachusetts. Is it just Sally or does it feel like the 2007 Super Bowl with or without Wilson footballs

[@certinho76]

Smith College is in nearby Northampton and Mount Holyoke College is in South Hadley, not Amherst!

[@BostonAreaHomes]

Thank you for the correction

[@Chahitelma2012]

Thanks for your help.

[@rosebud679]

Great video, Noune!

[@BostonAreaHomes]

Thank you so much, Rose

[@lucid484]

Lived next to Amherst most of my life. Pros: Nice area environment wise, good restaurants. Cons: Some of the highest property taxes and home prices in the area, lots of college kids when school is in session, Extreme left leaning public government if that matters to someone.

[@BostonAreaHomes]

Thanks for your insight!

[@bbybap4729]

I don’t think that’s a con at all.

[@lucid484]

@@bbybap4729 It’s a con when it drives all the older long term residents out of town because they can no longer afford to live there. Or drives more people into my town wanting to live there but can’t afford it, thus driving up the taxes where I live.

[@bbybap4729]

@@lucid484 yes the taxes are insane, but that’s Massachusetts for you. I’m from New Bedford. I lived in Amherst short term in the 90s. I had to leave because I couldn’t afford to live there. Now in New Bedford, prices are soaring and it’s even worse in Amherst. But as far as the people & their ideology, that’s what I liked about Amherst. People from all walks of life live there, and I’m here for that.

[@arman.varaz.3726]

A great video, and a lot of useful information.

[@BostonAreaHomes]

Thank you!

[@jeanmm2996]

It's so unfortunate that regular folk from western Mass have to compete against commuters from Boston, who no doubt make a much better wage than what is earned here in the western commonwealth. Hard working mill people being displaced by higher rents that urbanites jump at the chance for. Don't forget that Amherst is a party town. I know, because I lived there for many years. As soon as Labor Day weekend rolls around, the streets fill pack full with cars (don't ask about parking), the establishments fill with the crush of students. It will be like this until the end of May, when every one leaves. If you want the numbers on crime and sexual assaults (yes) talk to the University Police, or Amherst police. Apartments and houses are hard to come by, and they are managed by out- of-area business folk. The biggest social event of the year is Blarney fest, a St. Paddys celebration: a lot of large student gatherings for music and drinking. In summertime, it's the local Extravaganja, celebrating legalized marijuana. And the frat houses! They have their own weekly celebrations to enjoy. Parties in Amherst begin on Wednesday, and run till Saturday-Sunday. One of the most crowded population centers anywhere is the 5- acre Southwest residential area at Umass, housing 5,500 of the 32,000+ university students, in high rises and low rises. In the village of north Amherst, the beginning of the end of the year is celebrated at the weekend-long Hobart Fest, an entire Lane of parties from all the students living in the rental houses. With social media, all of these gatherings propagate the arrival of young folk from outside the area looking to come for a party. It can and does get out of hand. Nevermind when the Red Sox or the Pats make it to the playoffs. Amherst is a city, but the core body of residents are aged 18-24. Think about that.

[@BostonAreaHomes]

Thank you for your thoughtful input. Rents are raising everywhere, in the close Boston suburbs and in Boston too, so people are forced to move further and further and commute longer. It is affecting all of us. Yes, Amherst is a huge student mecca and student parties are almost an everyday thing.

[@Odsteria]

Love the videos! Thank you! :)

[@BostonAreaHomes]

Thanks a lot, @Odsteria, means a lot to me

[@chill_nrg5349]

Great vid!

[@BostonAreaHomes]

Thank you, Space_roach!

[@craigsurette3438]

It should also be said, that with that vibrant student culture, comes a LOT of petty crime, which often doss not get reported. If you live downtown, you can expect super loud parties, and hordes of drunk and disorderly people with often very bad behavior

[@BostonAreaHomes]

Thanks for your comment and information

[@rasclotify]

I second this notion. We live here and hate it when school is in session. I commented at length above. The U-Mass students are horrible. Tons of partying and lack of consideration. They treat the town like a frat house.

[@Chahitelma2012]

What about taxes?

[@arman.varaz.3726]

If possible, please make a video about Armenians and the Armenian diaspora in Bostan.

[@rasclotify]

Number One CON: The students. More specifically U-Mass off campus students. They're horrible. U-Mass has a party culture. Like many college towns, there are beer pong tables on every lawn, their yards are covered in red cups and beer cans, you are woken up at all hours by drunken students screaming, parties, blasting music, they litter, they park in yr driveway and on yr sidewalks to attend said parties. There is a lot of entitlement in display. We pay $10,000 in taxes to thwart off borderline invasion of drunken kids, it changes from semester to semester depending on the students that live in the surrounding houses. The kids pay no taxes. They don't care about the community or being considerate. Some landlords are great and discuss with their tenants being considerate, but some just don;t care b/c they don;t live here or next to the houses that are a problem so it isn't their problem, its just business for them. And in recent years U-Mass has set up reps to the community when repeat offenders are a problem, and the students are supposed to give their neighbors a heads up when they're planning parties, but frequently do not. To be fair, these are not all the students, but we do have a major problem here with them and it causes tension in the town, and takes away from our enjoyment of living here. When the students leave, it is a GREAT rural town full of VERY nice local residents. Great nature trails, great local culture, okay to very good eating. We celebrate when the students are gone. It's ABSOLUTELY lovely. Come through!

[@craigsurette3438]

Amherst is not a place to live if you are poor and working class. If you are working class, chances are , the gentrification has already pushed you out ,or you are holding on by a thread. The area is also only "family friendly" if your idea of family is exceptionally progressive. If you are at all even remotely Conservative ,, or God forbid a Christian with traditional values, this area will not be a good place for you..

[@charlesparker8630]

Did I miss "health care" or did the video author?