Moving to Pittsburgh from Colorado, need advice (Bethel Park, Lebanon: equity, relocating)

[sbrobbie]

We are relocating to Pittsburgh, my husband will be working downtown. We have one toddler (2yrs old) and currently live in Parker Colorado which is a wonderful family town. It has fantastic schools, movies in the park on the weekends. Drop off daycare on main street for those emergencies and it is virtually crime free. They have a mini water world as the community pool, Parker was the 26th best place to live by money magazine.
My question is what places are great for families, good for downtown commute and is reasonable to live. I read something about taxes, and an added tax upon closing on a home. We have a newer home here, four bedrooms plus loft in a pool community, and paid under 300k. I am a nervous wreck regarding where to buy and where we maybe happy. I love taking her to the zoo, parks and we swim everyday. Is there any drop off daycares in Pittsburgh? I would appreciate any help.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by sbrobbie

I am a nervous wreck regarding where to buy and where we maybe happy. I love taking her to the zoo, parks and we swim everyday. Is there any drop off daycares in Pittsburgh? I would appreciate any help.

Consider Hampton Township. The commute into the city is approximately 20 minutes. There's a huge park in Hampton called Hartwood Acres and another large park nearby called North Park. The zoo is only 20 minutes away. Hampton also has a community pool. I'm not sure if there are any private neighborhoods with a shared pool. If you want something closer to home, you'll have to install a pool or buy a house that already has a pool. Granted, I don't think that Hampton's pool is anything special, and Fox Chapel's isn't either. Shaler has a very large community pool. All three mentioned townships are nice areas (Hampton and Fox Chapel more upper class than Shaler) with reasonable commutes to Pittsburgh. They are nessled among one another so all of the things you are interested in are within a reasonable distance.

As for drop off daycare, I highly doubt it. I've never heard about drop off daycare except for dogs. You'll have to network with other parents like the rest of us.

[cnote]

We live in Moon Township about 13 miles West of Pittsburgh. We LOVE the area and are extremely sad to be relocating next week to Delaware.

Our neighborhood is amazing, tree lined streets and yards, sidewalks with baby stollers and joggers, Never locked our house the two years we lived here, the neighbors passed out a neighborhood phone list to us, lots of young couples with dogs and kids playing in almost every yard, neighborhood block parties a couple times a summer. There is Settlers cabin wave pool a few miles away and every store & restaurant that you could imagine in Robinson Town Center. The only down side or it maybe and upside is that they are putting in a Walmart on University Blvd in the next couple years. My house is listed for $259 and it is a 30 year old 4-bedroom with just enough updates.

I wish we were staying here.

[Hopes]

By your description, I wish I was there too! Sounds wonderful, cnote!.

[sbrobbie]

So is this the town of Hampton? Now is Hampton the same as Hampton Township? I found a really nice farm house in Hampton, but not sure if that is the same as what you mentioned. My husband will be staying in Moon Township, so that will give him a taste. I was looking at a home in Rossyln Farms and also the town of Carnegie.
Is that a good area? I thought we might fix up a home there, but if it is a bad area, forget it. I have a two year old to think about. I just bought this house here in Parker last year so we will be taking a bit of a hit because no equity, so we need to stay under 250k because of the taxes out there. I appreciate your comments tremendously.
Kind Regards,
Susan

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by sbrobbie

So is this the town of Hampton? Now is Hampton the same as Hampton Township? I found a really nice farm house in Hampton, but not sure if that is the same as what you mentioned.

Hampton and Hampton Township are the same. It's a beautiful area. The school district is smaller than most others. You won't feel like your children are attending a mega school. The population is mostly upper-middle class with a little of everything else sprinkled throughout. It has a rural feel for being with 20 minutes from the city.

Originally Posted by sbrobbie

I was looking at a home in Rossyln Farms...

I love Rossylin Farms. It's amazingly close to the city for being so rural.

Originally Posted by sbrobbie

......and also the town of Carnegie.Is that a good area? I thought we might fix up a home there, but if it is a bad area, forget it.

Forget Carnegie. There are housing projects there. It's just a very depressed area. I suspose it's safe enough. I wouldn't want my children attending the school district though.

Originally Posted by sbrobbie

......I have a two year old to think about. I just bought this house here in Parker last year so we will be taking a bit of a hit because no equity, so we need to stay under 250k because of the taxes out there.

250k is very doable in Pittsburgh. Just pick your favorite areas and look for your house.

The following zip codes contain houses in Hampton school district.

All areas listed below are very safe areas:

Allison Park consists of Hampton, North Allegheny and Shaler school districts.

Allison Park real estate — Allison Park homes for sale — Trulia.com

Glenshaw consists of Fox Chapel, Hampton and Shaler school districts.

Glenshaw real estate — Glenshaw homes for sale — Trulia.com

Gibsonia consists of Hampton, Pine-Richland and West Deer school districts.

Gibsonia real estate — Gibsonia homes for sale — Trulia.com

So, if you pick your school district---say Hampton---you know to search for real estate under "Allison Park," "Glenshaw," and "Gibsonia."

Whatever school district you settle upon, let us know and we'll tell you what towns would be included in a real estate search for that district.

[mister brewski]

Originally Posted by Hopes

I love Rossylin Farms. It's amazingly close to the city for being so rural.


Forget Carnegie. There are housing projects there. It's just a very depressed area. I suspose it's safe enough. I wouldn't want my children attending the school district though.

Carnegie and Rosslyn Farms both feed into the same school district (Carlynton) along with Crafton. Not the best school, but there are far worse.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by mister brewski

Carnegie and Rosslyn Farms both feed into the same school district (Carlynton) along with Crafton. Not the best school, but there are far worse.

Again, very true. I'm not as familiar with the area to know what school district Rosslyn Farms fell into.

[Katiana]

My friend lived in Allison Park and had a huge yard full of trees. That is one thing you don't usually get in CO.

[janiesgirl]

I have very good friends who have lived in different planned cities/developments near Denver for almost 15 years and I have visited many times. You will find the lifestyle in Pittsburgh to be very different from your current situation. Most communities you'll look at will have a municipal pool and some rec facilities, but they will be used/shared by a bigger population. The average/median age will skew older than in Parker.

That said, you might want to look at some of the newer communities in the North Hills, like in Allison Park or Wexford or in Moon Township or Robinson. They might feel more like Parker. The schools will range from decent to very good. We live in Mt. Lebanon, which was designed to be a walking community, with accessible municipal facilities. Schools are very good. The houses are old and older - you may not like that. We don't have a drop-in daycare, but there is one housed in a church in an adjacent community over (Bethel Park).

Carnegie is working class - middle class and in the same school district as Rosslyn Farms. Rosslyn Farms is cool, but you'd probably want to do private or parochial schools.

Good luck with your search!