although the market hasnt been the greatest as of late, we still managed to have a sizable downpayment for us to buy our first home. we found a 4 bedroom 2 bathroom home with a one car garage for about $1000.00 a month morgage.
commute is no existant if you live in the city, anything you want to be at is near you. i think from the center of the cities water front district to the outskirts walmart is maybe 7 minutes. traffic is light even during the top hours.
resteraunts are plentiful and good. there are resteraunts run by italians, greeks, albanians, and every major chain resteraunt. the riverfront is remodeled and beautiful for walks and play grounds. many parks dot the city, and schools.
if you want to do any major shopping you have to travel 45 minutes in either direction but when you get there you find some of the biggest malls in the state, so the trip is always worth it.