Affordable "small" towns with beautiful houses and downtowns? (Pittsburgh: section 8, mortgage)

[villageidiot1]

Originally Posted by ker8

I forgot the best one: Johnstown, PA It really is beautiful. When you drive into the city, you'll think "what in the world was this person talking about?" but not the downtown area, you have to go to the top of the hill, either take your car up the incline or drive up & around. Gorgeous homes, and most of them are in excellent condition. After the Great Flood, most people did not want to move back into downtown Johnstown, so instead they built their homes at the top of the mountain.

You are referring to Westmont and not Johnstown. It is mostly a very walkable, residential area with tree lined streets. Someone who is looking to retire (and not needing a job) is lilkely to find a good deal on a house in this area.

[Clark Park]

An extremely "Victorian" town with a tiny but charming downtown area is Wyalusing, in the "Endless Mountains Region" of northestern PA, north of Scranton. Prices on properties are very cheap up there. Other towns that have a lot architectural charm include Tuckhannock, Montrose, and New Milford.

Closer to Philly is the Poconos, which has some nice towns. I always liked Stroudsburg's downtown era ... lots of Nineteenth Century storefronts, looks like a Norman Rockwell kind of town. Other nearby towns that I find quaint are Jim Thorpe, Lehighton, and Tamaqua.

[HappyRider]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

It also has one of the least impressive built environments in the region IMO and seems quite depressed and impoverished.

Don't make him mad,

[Evergrey]

And yes... I hate the ubiquitous anthropomorphic groundhogs... so tacky. I think the town would look much better with more realistic groundhog sculptures.

[Magritte25]

LOL! No worse than Erie's frogs or Wilkes-Barre's asses, I mean mules.

[ker8]

^Don't forget Erie's fish too! lol, who knows what's next....I expect to see seagulls dotting the horizon in addition to the frogs & fish.

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by ker8

^Don't forget Erie's fish too! lol, who knows what's next....I expect to see seagulls dotting the horizon in addition to the frogs & fish.

Seagulls are too messy.

[Hokie Mom]

I have a fondness for Bedford, a gracious small town in the Cumberland Valley with lovely old homes and a nice downtown. Ligonier is a nice small town, wonderful town green, nice older homes but it lacks the grandeur of a classic Victorian Main Street -- the countryside is stunning however, and it's easily accessible to Pittsburgh and its amenities. Johnstown has the dreariest weather, year-round, that I have ever encountered. It is 'in the valley' and is constantly overcast, and the miserable winters last forever. Westmont is a lovely suburb with magnificent homes but the weather still sucks! Would NEVER go back!

[alleghenyangel]

Uniontown, Greensburg, Hollidaysburg, Chambersburg, Gettysburg, Oil City, Franklin, Ligonier, Bellefonte, Williamsport, Waynesburg, Bedford, Pottsville, etc.

Actually, there is no end to this list. Virtually every small town in PA has a beautiful downtown and Victorian architecture. Some are in better condition than others.

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by alleghenyangel

Uniontown, Greensburg, Hollidaysburg, Chambersburg, Gettysburg, Oil City, Franklin, Ligonier, Bellefonte, Williamsport, Waynesburg, Bedford, Pottsville, etc.

Actually, there is no end to this list. Virtually every small town in PA has a beautiful downtown and Victorian architecture. Some are in better condition than others.

Don't forget Ridgway, Brookville, Warren, Coudersport, Wellsboro, Clarion, Huntingdon, Lock Haven!