Last month we ran a post on buffalorising.com, Looking for City Dwellers (at Heart), and Kyle LoConti was one of many people who answered the call. As it turns out, her personal profile fits exactly the type of person real estate agents and developers have been telling us will move into Downtown Buffalo.
LoConti is a unique person whose most typical trait is that of a being an empty nester, single, professional who is looking for a place in the City of Buffalo to call her own. “My three to five-year plan is to get a place downtown at the same time I retire from the college,” LoConti said.
The Department of Theatre Arts Chair at Niagara County Community College, LoConti doesn’t want another house due to the constant upkeep it would require, and she doesn’t want an apartment because she doesn’t want to incur capital gains taxes from the eventual sale of her home in Tonawanda, NY. Furthermore, she wants to live in downtown Buffalo.
“Most of my social life is downtown,” LoConti said. “I’ve done some superficial looking. Last summer during Old Home Week (now renamed Home Coming Week) I looked at the Elk Lofts, the Warehouse Lofts on Ellicott Street, St. Mary’s on Elmwood, and some of the apartments were absolutely fabulous. My space use ideas are pretty well formed. The condos fell short—size wise–and some were run down and looked like work. Or they didn’t have off street parking.”
She’s also looking for ease of living. “Part of this move will be about streamlining junk, not having to scrape the car off in the morning and shovel.” Planning for the future, LoConti added, “When I’m retired, I want to live where I won’t have to drive every day.”
Real estate agents will tell you, and developers are banking on the fact, that there are a lot of people like LoConti out there–empty nesters looking to downsize and move where the amenities suit them best. “I’m at the front end of this plan,” LoConti said. “I just started considering it last summer after spending nine years in my house. I’d like to make an even-up trade. I want it to be big enough for [eventual] grandchildren, but I don’t need a formal dining room.”
LoConti’s tour through lofts and condos left her feeling that much of what she saw on the market was box-like. “It was just space, and I can’t imagine that the seller was going to make much money, but I think I would like something done-up where they’re selling luxury. I don’t know if I’m hoping for something that isn’t going to happen.”
Then, keeping in mind the widespread desire to live in a downtown condo, LoConti said, “This may be the right time to do my homework.”
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