Moving to Pittsburgh from Colorado, need advice

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by pittnurse70

What is the difference between Cranberry and Cranberry Twp? I thought they were one and the same.

One of the reasons the Post Office didn't want to give Cranberry TWP their own post office is because there is a Cranberry PA, in Venango County, near Oil City. They had the name first.

My Cranberry is just more popular.

By the way -- they did capitulate -- I may be wrong, but 16066 (Cranberry Twp.) has only been around for less than 10 years.

[Katiana]

Thanks. I was quite confused. I had only heard of the Cranberry Twp in Butler Co.

[VALT]

dear CO -

we moved to the east side of pittsburgh from burlington vt and would say (very much) that you will find everything you need in or close to the city - especially excellent day care, the zoo and parks - regent's square and highland park come to mind but there is also friendship and point breeze.

It is exhausting to check out all these areas at once when you visit, but latch onto one or two locals you meet and can trust.

There was an under current of move to the burbs, but it is dying out (compared to the 50's) and the tide is bringing young families like you and us back to the city - it is so much better IMO!

This is the only decent city in the country where we could afford a real house near everything, and still get a yard and neighbors and all that.

[mevancho]

I have to agree with the poster about Hampton Twp. A very good school district (4th in the state and 3rd in the region). Also true that you are between 20 -30 minutes from everything. The school district will never get to large. As far as housing, I work for a builder, Maronda Homes, and we have a development in Hampton Twp. I strongly encourage you checking out Apple Ridge. New construction 3000 sq ft for 248K to give you an example.

[sbrobbie]

Thanks for all of your help, I am now here in Pittsburgh, sold my home in 14 days and had to be out in 10..lol Whew, I am tired, I sold my home on my own too.. whew, while I was busy in Colorado, my husband found a home in Bradfordwoods, I checked it out, spoke to the neighbors, etc. We have not closed on the home yet. My realtor was telling me that homes go for 400k but when I did a comparison, some do sell high, the ones on that street with the same sq footage, one sold for 265 the other 309. There is not two homes a like in the neighborhood, so I suppose I could do an average price per square foot and go from there. Any Advice?

[sbrobbie]

Originally Posted by Hopes

You might need to re-adapt to networking in Pittsburgh, sbrobbie. I personally never care how many, or how long, children stay at my house. They're just children afterall.

They are just children, however the parents drop them off hungry, they drop them off with no nap so the kids are over stimulated, hungry, tired, etc. With no phone call saying they will be late, it is disrespectful, and since they are not paying for your time, they take advantage of it. I also worked at night, so I had to plan my day accordingly, if a parent cannot use they're cell phone to call you to say, hey I am running late is that okay, well sorry, I won't watch there kid again. This is the same parent that drops her kid off in a baby pool on her own... at the age of two... with two six year old kids whom are strangers to the child... while she reads a Danielle Steele book. (priorities??) I don't have a problem with the child, I have a problem with the parent.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by sbrobbie

My realtor was telling me that homes go for 400k but when I did a comparison, some do sell high, the ones on that street with the same sq footage, one sold for 265 the other 309. There is not two homes a like in the neighborhood, so I suppose I could do an average price per square foot and go from there. Any Advice?

Pittsburgh is different from other cities in that homes are not valued based on other homes on the same street or even in the immediate neighborhood.

I not sure what you want to know since you already bought the home, but haven't closed. Are you thinking of pulling out of the deal?

I recommend checking out the property on the Allegheny County Real Estate assessment website: Allegheny County Assessment

You'll be able to see the history of the property's selling prices and check out the comparibles chosen by the county to match that property.

Property values in Pittsburgh are so much lower than property values in other areas of the country (especially where you're coming from) that it's sort of crazy to be paying 400k for a property in Pittsburgh when your last home in Colorado was under 300k. That tells me that you're moving into one heck of a house by comparison to the one you had in Colorado, or you are merely paying too much for the new house.

You initially said you needed to stay under 250k for a house because of taxes. If this realtor steered you to high priced houses, telling you that's what houses cost in Pittsburgh, you were scammed. There are plenty of nice sized houses in Pittsburgh for 250k. Don't trust your realtor. Do your own homework. I have a friend who moved here from out of the country and she bought a home for 700k that was only worth 400k tops. Realtors in any city seem to take advantage of people moving in from out of state because they have no idea what property is worth in the new city.

While Bradford Woods is a beautiful area, I'm a bit surprised you chose to move into one of the largest school districts in the county. Perhaps you anticipate moving again proir to your children complete elementary school. Granted, North Allegheny is a good school district. It's just super huge. It's like going to a mega-high school. And there's a lot of wealth in the North Allegheny School District which means it's filled with children who have what seems to be unlimited funds for drugs.

[Katiana]

School districts in Pennsylvania seem to be very small in comparison with those in Colorado. srobbie's Colorado home is in a large district. My district has 5 comprehensive high schools and several charter and "focus" high schools. Big districts can personalize things with 'schools within a school', etc. Drugs are a problem in every high school around, if you get in to the wrong crowd. Bradford Woods is similar in demographics (I think) to what they had in Colorado.

[Hopes]

Thanks, Pittnurse.

I do think it sounds like the realtor is scamming them though.

While there are some very expensive houses in Bradford Woods, 400k is not the only thing available and the OP wanted to stay below 250k.

[Katiana]

I agree. You are more knowledgable about the real estate situation there than I am. Maybe they should look at Wexford? I think it's a neat place, part old farm town, part suburb, in Pine-Richland SD. Would also be similar to what they had in CO.