Not sure where to go after KC....

[bostonguy1960]

My brother moved to "The Burgh" a few years ago. Lives in Upper St. Clair, supposedly one of the best school systems in Western PA. I would move to Pittsburgh from what little I know and have seen.

One sports announcer called it the most scenic city in America (rivers, skyline, hills converging). Photos of its nighttime skyline are impressive. A new arena for the Penguins opens downtown next year, simply adding to the impressive downtown sports palaces.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by kcmo

I just know the metro was one of the only metro areas that was losing population (city and burbs). Not because Pittsburgh is not a desirable place to live, but because of the economy in the area.

It's funny how long it takes to shake off a negative reputation. Some people still think Pittsburgh is a smokey city that gets dark before noon due to bad pollution. Pittsburgh hasn't been like that since the 50s. Our economy tanked decades ago, yet people think it's still bad. The economy really took off here in the 90s, and it's holding steady during this current recession. As I said, Pittsburghers really don't mind the misconceptions because it keeps our economy and real estate market rather stable. We've got our pride, but we quickly realize that outside positivity would draw a huge influx of population, which would put a strain the area. There's something to be said for slow and steady.

[scimitar12]

Originally Posted by OneKC

I've never been to Houston, but it just does not appeal to me at all. It has all the problems of a humungous city (traffic, home prices), but none of the charm.

Pittsburgh on the other hand, I think is one of the most underrated cities in America. They have a terrific downtown area, really quaint eclectic neighborhoods, friendly people, and terrific dining.

I also love Minneapolis/St. Paul if you don't mind the cold weather months.

I lived in the DC area for a bit. Housing prices can be outrageous, but the public schools in the burbs are some of the best in the country. And their rail system is the best in the country IMO - reliable, clean and extensive into the suburbs. And downtown DC is roaring back. They have a lot of really great shopping/dining areas - Adams Morgan, DuPont Circle, Georgetown, Chinatown. You could probably find a townhome in Maryland or maybe out south in Springfield, VA for not too much, still be close to a rail line, and still be able to walk to shops and restaurants (suburban DC still employs a lot of great "new urbanism" design - denser developments), all while enjoying top-notch schools.

I live in Sterling, VA, a suburb of D.C. in Loudoun County. The metro is okay but it does not go far into the suburbs, especially the heavily populated areas of northwest Fairfax and Loudoun counties. The closest metro stop is the Vienna station. They are buildling a new metro extension to connect Dulles but that won't be done for at least another fifteen years. The COA will kill you here, but it sounds like you already know that. The D.C. housing market really had its bubble burst; most areas suffered a price drop of aobut 30 percent the last two and a half years. Ouch! Heck, some places had prices drops of over 50 percent! Still, housing is still over double what it is in K.C./Johnson County.

[ryanswindle]

Originally Posted by Hopes

It's funny how long it takes to shake off a negative reputation. Some people still think Pittsburgh is a smokey city that gets dark before noon due to bad pollution. Pittsburgh hasn't been like that since the 50s. Our economy tanked decades ago, yet people think it's still bad. The economy really took off here in the 90s, and it's holding steady during this current recession. As I said, Pittsburghers really don't mind the misconceptions because it keeps our economy and real estate market rather stable. We've got our pride, but we quickly realize that outside positivity would draw a huge influx of population, which would put a strain the area. There's something to be said for slow and steady.

I am currently in Pittsburgh and moving to Kansas City because I can't stand it here, and am hoping and praying it's nothing like this out there.

You just centered on one of the reasons I hate it here, Pittsburghers have their pride and don't want an influx of population - That is to say, Pittsburghers are proud of their little place and want to keep it exclusive. Folks here are all very proud, and very exclusive.

Me and my wife have deemed it the city of anonymous *******s- everyone here is great and friendly when you get to know them, really truly. However everyone here is a complete dick if you're a stranger though, this is clear in the driving, in the service industry (restaurants, grocery stores, coffee shops), and clear just in general public walking around no one will ever greet or acknowledge you (unless you're carrying a thousand dollar handbag like all of them maybe?). Either way, I think the place wreaks of arrogance, which fuels the exclusivity and segregation of the neighbourhoods (small towns).

[WiseOwlSaysHoot]

I say go to the city you truly want to experience, and you will be able to make it work in your price range. All cities will have something for $1000 - it may not be in the trendiest neighborhood, but you'll find something. I just had a similar grad school situation and went to NYC. I really liked my apartment and neighborhood that I found for $1100.

If you want to try a big city and something different from KC, I'd say go for Boston - very nice city. I just visited some friends there who live in the Jamaica Plain area. I really dug it and I think you can find some reasonably priced places there.

[skrizzle]

Ok a little incite. I'm sure we can make almost anyplace work for $1000 maybe.

Here is the thing. While we don't mind a 1 bedroom, we would prefer 2. We will probably end up having a kid around this time, so while 1 bedroom would work due to age, 2 would be better.

We would prefer to have an area in the city of wherever we move, would LOVE it to be downtown cuz we like the vibe looking out the window seeing the city... but it's not a must have either. If we could be in a decent urban neighborhood it'd be great.

We will rent instead of buy since we don't plan to be there more then 4 years most likely tho of course things may change if we just fall in love with the city. Right now we own our 2 story townhouse, it's in the suburbs of KC but it's got a huge kitchen, nice living room, small courtyard, 2 big bedrooms with big closets and 1.5 bath, and while it's in the burbs it's in one of the more unique parts of the northland and is close to all the highways so getting anywhere is still really easy. We originally wanted Hyde Park, but based on maintenance and cost of restoring places and utilities, plus we are paying for school... this ended up being the trade off, and we love it. It's not exactly where we wanted, but it's nice and convient to downtown/westport/plaza and zona rosa.

So, we are willing to make trade-offs, and would probably rather have a nicer place then be right in the city. Now nice to us doesn't mean HUGE. Are house now is probably maybe 1000 sq. feet, possibly slightly under, and it's plenty of space because we utilize that space well.

So, like I said we originally would have liked Hyde Park, or even downtown or river market. I find a tradeoff to get a better place to be some of the bungalows in North Kansas City or the areas around Briarcliff (older area not the new huge places)... even some of the older houses around Liberty.

So, yeah DC, Boston, and Chicago sound great... but we would we be more likely to get a better place we would like in Pittsburgh in the city for the money, and then have an easier time traveling to those places? I honestly just don't know enough about any of them, the one i've been to most is Chicago, and I just don't know where is a nice area for $1000/month there, even just a 1 bedroom that would work... i've got friends who live there in the city and pay 1500 or more for 1 bedrooms.

But i'm definitely open if someone can point me in the right direction of where to look...

[ryanswindle]

Let me throw my home town in the ring of Denver. Nobody doesn't like it. You would be among the practically 99% of the population that is not native to Denver, transplants are treated great because they're the majority. You could find a ton of places around downtown in your price range, and outside of downtown there's still plenty of great areas. The furthest place from Downtown is no more than a 40 minute drive (in non-rush hour), the vast majority of the metro area is within 15-20 minutes.

Me and my wife last year were renting for $650/mth a 650sq/ft one bedroom in a newly renovated 50's brick apartment complex, a quarter mile from I-25 and Speer Blvd (map it- basically a crossroad denoting the northwest corner of what folks tend to refer to as "downtown").

Plus if you want something for a few years, why not go with a place that has many unique opportunities? There aren't any other places in the nation that can boast 5 of the best ski resorts in the entire nation within a 2 hour drive of downtown. Nowhere else has anything even similar to Red Rocks amphitheater (where else can you hike and mountain climb to sneak into a concert?). Few other states in the nation have any mountains that you can hike above tree-line to see clearly for such a distance. There is a unique beauty in the rockies (yes you can find it in the rockies up in Wyoming and Montana as well, but you want to live in a city right?).

I am not saying the mountains there are the end all be all, in the same vain, if I was thinking about going somewhere for a short period, I would want to go somewhere that had opportunities for experiences unique to that place. So I could also say try somewhere near a beach where you can get experiences sailing/yachting as outside of coastal places you wont get that. I've always wanted to go to a beach camping party, but in lieu of that, there are plenty of great mountain camping parties I've had the joy of experiencing around Denver.

How many other places will you have the opportunity of getting completely blasted and having several friends around you agree that it's a magnificent idea to scurry to the top of a mountain in the pitch of night without any flashlights (because folks in Denver are definitely the sort who think this idea is great)- while still being a half hour from a 2.5 million person metro area?

Oh, and almost forgot- Best weather in the nation outside of Hawaii. It has the second most sunny days in the nation, don't believe for a second the bad winters nonsense people equate it with, that's in the mountains, Denver is not. In Denver it drops 6" of snow and then the next day it's 75 degrees and every bit is melted by 11am. Happens all the time. In the summer is never gets too hot. The falls aren't eastern awesome because the dryness, one day the trees have leaves, the next day they're brown, the next day the leaves are blowing down the street. But the benefit of the dryness is comfort, the cold doesn't pierce and neither does the warmth. I grew up without air conditioning, Denver air conditioning is a 15 dollar box fan in the window. This has changed with the easy access of AC in recent years, but none the less a viable option.

-- Yes, I am severely biased. I miss it dearly..