Commute from Cranberry to East Liberty (Upper St. Clair, Indiana: for sale, chapel, new house) - Pittsburgh - Pennsylvania (PA) - City-Data Forum

slackbox · 03-24-2011, 08:47 PM

I'm thinking of moving to the area. I'd work in East Liberty but I'm thinking of living in Cranberry. Any info on that commute? Horribe? Not bad? Think 45 min is a reasonable estimate? Thanks!

ferraris · 03-24-2011, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slackbox

I'm thinking of moving to the area. I'd work in East Liberty but I'm thinking of living in Cranberry. Any info on that commute? Horribe? Not bad? Think 45 min is a reasonable estimate? Thanks!

That sounds like a reasonable estimate to me. Why are you considering Cranberry? There might be some other places that would fit the bill, but with a much shorter commute.

greg42 · 03-24-2011, 09:08 PM

Probably take more like an hour at peak times. If you don't have to travel at peak times then 40-45 min might be enough. There's also a bridge construction on I-79 for a few months that is lengthening this in both directions (normal 3 lanes down to 2). At least I think it's only a few months.

Any particular reason why Cranberry? Unless you're insisting upon buying a newly (and fairly poorly usually) built house amid the sprawl there are many other closer places that might work depending upon needs and budget. And indeed if you still want the newly built house in the sprawl probably Murrysville is more suited to East Liberty commute. Normally eastern burbs are a little less convenient, but East Liberty pushes you a few miles east from downtown. Getting to East Liberty from other than the eastern side requires you to go through a fair bit of the city on surface streets.

It may not necessarily be out of your budget to live quite a bit closer to East Liberty and still have the size of place you need and most of the things you might want. Fill us in on some of the details of your circumstances and what you're looking for, and perhaps we can suggest something that saves you a lot of commuting time.

slackbox · 03-24-2011, 11:06 PM

I would prefer new or newish. But of course I'd prefer not poorly built. My budget is $400-$600k. I also need an area with good schools because I have two young (almost school aged) kids. I'd also like to be in a nice neighborhood with other young families so our kids could have playmates.

I asked this in another thread and I was directed to Fox Chapel. I looked into this, but it doesn't look right. There were nice houses there, but the ones under 600k didn't look very nice. Also, it looked like it had lots of million dollar estates, which may not fit with my wanting to be in a neighborhood w/ other young families.

My wife has a friend in Cranberry and it's closer to my family in NE Ohio. And from research online, Cranberry seemed like the closest thing to matching all of our needs and wants, except for the commute.

Murrysville might work, but I'm concerned about the schools there.

Thanks.

gg · 03-25-2011, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slackbox

I would prefer new or newish. But of course I'd prefer not poorly built. My budget is $400-$600k. I also need an area with good schools because I have two young (almost school aged) kids. I'd also like to be in a nice neighborhood with other young families so our kids could have playmates.

I asked this in another thread and I was directed to Fox Chapel. I looked into this, but it doesn't look right. There were nice houses there, but the ones under 600k didn't look very nice. Also, it looked like it had lots of million dollar estates, which may not fit with my wanting to be in a neighborhood w/ other young families.

My wife has a friend in Cranberry and it's closer to my family in NE Ohio. And from research online, Cranberry seemed like the closest thing to matching all of our needs and wants, except for the commute.

Murrysville might work, but I'm concerned about the schools there.

Thanks.

Wow, I didn't even know there were homes in Cranberry in that price range. My image of the place is a bunch of plastic sided homes that all look the same for about $200K.

If I was going to spend around $600, I would look in areas that it is more normal. Have you looked in new plans in Indiana Twp? $600K in Fox Chapel isn't doable, but Indiana is in the same school. Hartwood Estates and others are nice and well built homes. O'Hara may be too expensive new as well, but it has been a while since I have looked. Would be a better commute and you can jump on the PA turnpike to get to OH. I can't imagine dealing with Cranberry and working in E. Lib, but that is up to you. I feel for the person making the commute. Traffic in the N. Hills is bad most of the time. Even on Saturdays I was shocked at all the traffic.

greg42 · 03-25-2011, 08:32 AM

Yeah, I'd check Indiana Township in Fox Chapel school district. Seneca Valley (Cranberry) or even Mars Area (if the house is in neighboring Adams Township instead of Cranberry Township) are not bad school districts, but they aren't quite as tops as Fox Chapel. Also Franklin Regional schools in Murrysville should be at least on par with Seneca Valley, although if you really want proximity to Ohio or must be close to the friend in Cranberry that would put you a little farther away. Indiana Township, though, really isn't too far. Of course Indiana Township is in Allegheny County and will put your property taxes somewhat higher. Set your home price target accordingly.

About $200k is low for Cranberry, but I think $300k range is a more common number for the new, larger houses. There are new homes still going up but I don't think I'd spend north of $400k in that area, would be afraid of eventual resale. I don't think I'd spend that high in Murrysville either. Very bad to be at the top end price-wise of the immediate surroundings, unless you know for certain you're going to stay there forever. (Who knows that? I guess a few people do.)

Your price target might be a little low but you could also look in Quaker Valley school district. This might not cut your commute so much though unless you stick with like Osborne which is going to be old houses (good old ones though, not 20-year-old crap). A sleeper might be Ohio Township which is in the Avonworth district. Avonworth should be roughly on level with Seneca Valley. There are new and newer houses in Ohio Township. Most such places should shave maybe 10-15 minutes off the commute. Might not want to spend too high there either, though, unless perhaps if it's in Diamond Run. You might even find a few newer ones for sale in Franklin Park (I don't know if any brand new ones are still going up there) but you have to choose carefully or the commute wouldn't get any shorter. This puts you in North Allegheny schools. Some of these areas are still convenient and nice looking without having to go through the same sort of Cranberry sprawl. You might even sneak a newer house in Hampton somewhere, but most of them are not that new. Still it might not be a bad place to look, you might find something you like, great school district and would cut your commute as well or perhaps even better than Indiana Township.

New or older these areas are going to have families. It's a fairly good budget giving you lots of options. Many of the older houses are better built than the newer ones, but perhaps not all. My only experience with a newly built house (from Ryan) is secondhand (and 10 years ago, but I'd say that's still relevant), but my impression from this close colleague's experience is that you're likely to have just as many problems if you're the first owner of house as if you're the second, third or 10th. They may be different problems, but there will be problems.

As one who has done a Cranberry-like commute to downtown for over 7 years (which is shorter than yours would be from Cranberry), I'd really suggest you look closer even if you give up the new house idea or something else. Man the commute gets old after while. I thought I didn't care either. Shorter is worth it for your sanity.

Bong477 · 03-25-2011, 09:47 AM

Cranberry will be more like an hour during rush hour.

Indiana Township is a good suggestion. Also look at Hampton, Pine-Richland, and North Allegheny school districts which are all as good as any others in the metro area (people will debate about the pros/cons of any one individual system, but overall those three, Fox Chapel, Mt. Lebo, and Upper St. Clair are all similarly good). They will be a little closer to the city than Cranberry but still close to Cranberry. Taxes are higher, but schools are a bit better and commute is improved.

The closer you are to I-279, Route 8, or Route 28 the better off you will be getting to work.

robrobrob · 03-25-2011, 12:01 PM

I would look out east. Murrysville, Penn Township or North Hunitingdon. Basically, Franklin Regional, Norwin or Penn Trafford School Districts. The schools are pretty good and about the same as Seneca Valley however the commute is much better.