New Yorkers around the Albany area

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I've been in the process of preparing to get my own house--cleaning up credit, getting a pre-qual, etc. The house I'd fallen in love with is in North Tonawanda in Niagara County.

Well, the house I had my eye on is now off the market, so I'm going to start looking in the area around Albany. I've marked quite a few places, but I have absolutely zero knowledge of what area is good and what is bad.

The houses I've marked come from the areas around Albany, including Schenectady, Prattsville, Fort Plain, Gloversville and Richfield Springs. Since all the houses seem inexpensive compared to the rest of the country, I guess what I'm looking for is the viewpoint of someone in the area who would know what areas would be safe for me to live in.

Anyone willing to give me a fair estimate of the Albany area and some of these towns? It would be great to hear someone's personal experiences.