Concord or Pittsburg? (real estate, foreclosures, condos)

[Steeplechase2000]

I'm going to be starting a new job in Concord this summer, and I'd like to buy a home in either Concord or Pittsburg somewhere in the 300s. I've heard lots about the ghetto of Pittsburg, but the Oak Hills neighborhood seems to be a nice area. Does anyone have information about living in Oak Hills, or should I just steer clear of Pittsburg and get a home in Concord?

[GreenGirl]

Pittsburg isn't bad overall, it's just a little suburb full of condos, beige subdivisions and shopping centers like all the other little suburbs you'd find anywhere. It isn't crime-free, there are some rough areas of town, but there is some degree of crime in every town of any size. I have relatives who've lived there for nearly thirty years and haven't had any trouble. My guess is that people who refer to Pittsburg as "ghetto" have never actually lived in one. One thing that may take some getting used to is the wind that comes up in the evening. Pittsburg is right on the delta and the wind really blows when the sun starts to go down.

Concord is expensive, much bigger than Pittsburg, but is still just a suburb. Nothing special. And there are definitely some seedy areas in Concord, too. If you're looking to stay around 300k, you're looking at a condo, maybe. I'm not even sure you could get a condo in Concord for that price, even with the market slump.

Since you're working in Concord it would be ideal to live there as well since traffic is a problem everywhere in the Bay Area, but there is nothing inherently wrong with Pittsburg.

Good luck.

[bigtallredhead]

Originally Posted by Steeplechase2000

I'm going to be starting a new job in Concord this summer, and I'd like to buy a home in either Concord or Pittsburg somewhere in the 300s. I've heard lots about the ghetto of Pittsburg, but the Oak Hills neighborhood seems to be a nice area. Does anyone have information about living in Oak Hills, or should I just steer clear of Pittsburg and get a home in Concord?

-There are now 2 bedroom single family homes selling in concord for well under 300K. A lot of 3 bedrooms in the 300's, as well as higher and a few less. Overall Median is now somewhere in 300's, -it has dropped fast, as it had risen Unsustainable before. Look in to a foreclosure. -Condos can be easily had for for well under 300k, some less then 200k, but those only one bedroom and maybe in not such a good area. Pittsburg has good and bad areas, and in between. -The older part north of the freeway has a lot of problems but the historic downtown is being re-developed and is already greatly improved but still needs a lot of work. It has a lot of new housing down by the marina, and some good new restaurants moving in.

The thing is, though, for the most part public schools in Pittsburg aren't so hot, if that's a concern. Lot's of foreclosures in Pittsburg, which means prices are dropping and average under 300k, but a high rate of foreclosures can also lead to major problems for a community.

-Red.

[ImRandy]

From what I've seen there are a significant number of people/banks playing a pricing game in that area right now. Listing homes below 300K in the hopes of starting bidding wars. My inlaws have put out bids on several homes at or below 300k only to have them bid up to 400k. I don't know if they are actually going for that or agents are flat out lying about having bids but it has been a very frustrating process for them.

As to the original question. I would go with Concord over Pittsburg. It's a much nicer area overall.

[bigtallredhead]

Originally Posted by ImRandy

From what I've seen there are a significant number of people/banks playing a pricing game in that area right now. Listing homes below 300K in the hopes of starting bidding wars. My inlaws have put out bids on several homes at or below 300k only to have them bid up to 400k. I don't know if they are actually going for that or agents are flat out lying about having bids but it has been a very frustrating process for them.

As to the original question. I would go with Concord over Pittsburg. It's a much nicer area overall.

Well, there are definitely price wars going on right now. I was going on actual home SALES statistics in the S.F. Chronicle, though, in the sunday real estate section with info from Dataquick news. -The prices have gone down as low as I mentioned, but also much higher too, up to over 600k. It's been rather volatile lately, too. Real estate around here has just been kind of crazy for a few years now really. -I am honestly glad I still rent.

Concord is a diverse city. I live in Concord, and one of my Aunt's and her her family live in Pittsburg, -and I definitely think Concord is nicer on the whole, though that is by no means consistently true comparing all neighborhoods in both cities. But on the whole, yes.

-Red.

[18Montclair]

Definitely Concord.

There are much more mature trees, a bit more retail, more established neighborhoods and the commute over Hy 4 is very bad.

[MsNikkiBelieves]

Concord, unless you can afford the really nice areas of Pittsburg.

I live in Pittsburg and it's an okay area, but if I could go back and do it over, I'd choose a more established part of Pittsburg or Concord and a much more pricey house. Good luck!