Relocating from Philadelphia to PGH (Pittsburgh, Lebanon: lawyer, real estate, house hunting)

[anitacandle]

Thanks again 5Stones and Janiesgirl! Gotta say, makes my head spin, that's why moving it up there in the top ten stressful things.

Our date to be there is Oct. 20th. Luckily we have a nice relo package. This month we are spending time getting our present house rfeady to be on the market and then spending Sept. shopping for houses there.

It will all go very quickly and before I blink I will be sitting in our new house amongst boxes LOL.

I will hold off on preschool until we get there. My son will be 5 in Dec. and goes to an all day preschool now two days a week. I am not a fan of the half a day preschool. So when I get there I'll start looking and figuring out the kindergarden thing too.

I work from home and need someone to watch my youngest 3 hours a day and have found them coming to my house is so much better. I will definitely keep my options open!

So on street parking is more complicated then I thought. Not that its really complicated, but with the permit and if we have family and/or friends visiting notifying the police.

Good point about the winters and it being steep. When I lived there (early 90's) before i remember being at the bottom of a hill and seeing the school buses with chains unable to make it up the hill.

I'll keep saying it...thank God for you guys and this forum!!! When we get out there and start looking i will definitely PM you both!

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by anitacandle

Good point about the winters and it being steep. When I lived there (early 90's) before i remember being at the bottom of a hill and seeing the school buses with chains unable to make it up the hill.

The early 90s was a string of super bad winters with a couple of blizzards per year. We haven't had winters like that since. We might be overdue, but at least know that the winters you experienced in the early 90s aren't the norm here in Pittsburgh. (btw, I remember the winters of the early 90s so well because my son was an infant and toddler doing those winters.)

[5stones]

we had that great Presidents weekend snow fall (3ft total) back in 2001?? It was great because it hit a weekend and a holiday weekend to boot! so by Tues the roads were all clear.

That was the most snow we saw in the 8 years we lived there.

I will say that the snow removal in the area is sooo much better than ALOT of other places!

As far as on street parking...Peters doesn't allow overnight parking either. But the driveways are usually long enough and wide enough to accomate many cars. Most houses have 2 car garages.

** Thanks janisgirl for listing the preschools in mt Lebo! Yes...forgot that Westminster is in UPC!! (right by south hills village)

GOOD luck anitacandle...
moving is overwhelming but I've done it enough (8 times!) try not to stress too much and since you have a move package (movers included?) that takes alot of stress away!

[anitacandle]

5Stones... you no longer live in PGH? Where are you now? I will definitely PM you when we get closer, thanks!

I remember those cold winters, -30 degrees wind chill. The city not removing the snow until after it was finished snowing and then it was mostly two tracks for the tires. And our first apartment together after we were married was in Carrick and I hear its pretty scary there now. The weather here in Phila is no nice, we'll miss that, not looking forward to cold winters.

My husbands relo package is pretty good so that will help with the stress and make it easier. It does't matter where I live with my work, its totally mobile so lucky there again.

Funny thing, called Bally's yesterday and they have child care. I joined them in 92' when I lived there before so I will probably be going back there to work out.

Janiesgirl, so glad they will starting a Y there! We spent this morning at the Y for a class for my son. Its such a great way to meet others mom's. I really love our Y here, and they are building an even better one, major expansion which will help the sell of our home. It almost seems each Y here tries to out do the other.

Since my son will be going into kindergarden next year, is it full or half days? And I will start the preschool search once I am there and will refer back to this thread for the suggestions. I might go the daycare way for the full day option.

I won't even mention shopping... we have awesome shopping here. I here they are building a Nordstorms soon!!! I am planning on shopping here before I go, there are some things I need to get that I know I will have to search for there.

In Peter's Township, are McMurry and Venetica the town you recommend? Are there any others in Washington County close to South Pointe?

So glad we are moving, my husband travels every week to PGH, he's there now, LOL! No more traveling, yeah!!!

[5stones]

Peters township includes the towns of McMurray (15317) and Venetia (15367)
confusing when looking for real estate as it might be listed under all 3.
Peters township school district is the top school dist in Washington county. Thus it's homes are more expensive than other areas in wash county.

Other places to consider would be South Stabane township and Cecil township (lower housing cost)

I don't know of any preschools that are full day. most run 1/2 day and 2x per week for 3-4 year olds and 3-4x per week for 4-5 year olds. St DAvids is hte only in peters that offers a "transition class" for older kids who have turned 5 but are "ready" for k-garten. it's 5 days per week I believe. Theres a place called "Just about kids" that encompasses day care and preschool and kindergarten.

Kindergarten in Peters is 1/2 day, all the schools run afterschool care at the school for students 1st grade on up.(extended day services) Most of the day care places will drop off and pick up kindergarten students.

(I currently live in northern Va...outside DC)

[likepgh]

For full-time day care and preschool, try the JCC in the South Hills (it's like the rye bread--you don't have to be Jewish).

[janiesgirl]

Almost all pre-schools here are 1/2 day. Kindergarten is 1/2 day too. Mt. Lebanon has an extended day program for school age kids with 2 working parents. The program is run independent of the schools, but uses school facilities. You can find info about it at Extended Day.

The JCC - I forgot about that. A lot of people here belong to the JCC for the health club facilities - they have daycare, programs and a pool.

The Y is rebuilding in its current location, but they'll be upgrading and expanding.

[anitacandle]

Thanks for the preschool/daycare suggestions and info on Peter's Twnshp too.

I have to laugh, my first order of moving business today was to re-join Bally's! Working out and having time away from the kids helps me keep my sanity and helps me be a better mom and woman.

[5stones]

The Y is rebuilding in its current location, but they'll be upgrading and expanding.

The one in USC? it's about time, that facility was in dire need. A great need in the area for a really nice modren Y!
I was so unimpressed when we first move to the area and went over to it. (Our old Y in CA had gym facilites, racquet ball courts, baset ball courts, indoor/outdoor pools etc...)

[anitacandle]

ok.... I am overwhelmed a tad but working hard on not staying there! Let me start by saying I am a researcher by nature, it takes me 3 months to buy a digital camera. With big decisions I like to look at the variables and options. And moving is pretty big.

So...we will have 5 days to find a home in PGH. Our relo is happening faster than we had thought. In the scheme of things that will be good for me, I will have less time to stress and I'll be forced to go with the flow.

5 days! It seriously took me longer to find a digital camera, LOL!!!!

Here are the suggestions my husband hears about towns to move to from the people he works with in PGH.

Huston, (wash county)
Bridgeville
Bethel park
South park
Mt Lebanon (most folks say no to ML)
Upper st Claire
Peters twp.

I have been focusing on Mt. Lebo and Peter's Twp. How do you feel about the others? It seemed from the Mt. Leb site the taxes are the same for much of the South Hills, so if you are paying high taxes, why not get the most for your buck which seems like Mt. Lebo. Any major no's? We don't neccasarily need to be in the "best" school district, pretty good is good too.

So whatcha think? Soon we'll be planning our trip with the realitor, 5 days, coming back to Phila with a forwarding address.