Want to relocate to pennsylvaina from California Some information would be greatly appreciated.... (Pittsburgh: chapel, new home)

[Robert and Devina Sharp]

Hello, my husband and I have lived in southern california all are lives, and would love a change, and would like some information on Pennsylvania. We would like some information on some nice and not runned down, gorgeous area's and affordable area's to, with good school districts. We have two beutiful daughters that are 10 and 6 years of age. My husband and I would like to no about area's that are close to pittsburgh because we are big time football fans and love the pittsburgh steelers. We have been looking at mount washington, and bethel city does any one no how those places are. And of course how is the weather there. if anyone could help us that would be great thanks...

[guylocke]

Hello, my husband and I have lived in southern california all are lives, and would love a change, and would like some information on Pennsylvania. We would like some information on some nice and not runned down, gorgeous area's and affordable area's to, with good school districts. We have two beutiful daughters that are 10 and 6 years of age. My husband and I would like to no about area's that are close to pittsburgh because we are big time football fans and love the pittsburgh steelers.

Hello Robert and Devina Sharp and welcome to the forum!! I'm sure myself and a ton of people (several from southern Cali!) will be glad to help you out on this thread! I wanted to also tell you to take a look around, you are definitely not the only person who's come from Cali and inquired about the same things! You will find good info all over these boards.

That being said, let me see what I can do for you. Coming from SoCal, I imagine there is no place in Pittsburgh that would truly be out of your price range. Do you have a price range?

One of the very first recommendations that you will get, and it is a classic (I particularly love this part of town) is Mt. Lebanon. It is a really lovely place that is mostly middle to upper class families and the school district is top quality. It's a quick commute to downtown, too! You should most definitely look into Mt. Lebanon with zip code 15228. Beware! I do not believe there is bus service, but that might have changed.

A place not terribly far away that is also lovely with a respected school district is Upper St. Clair with zip 15241. It has bit more rural feel (in some places) but has some really beautiful homes.

Fox Chapel is another area that has some gorgeous manors, mansions, and homes with a great school district. Zip 15238. It is a bit older but a well-established (where Teresa and John Heinz/Kerry have a home) wealthy community.

Another classic is good old Wexford. This is the name of a community that is made up a few towns: Borough of Franklin Park, the Town of McCandless, Pine Township, and Marshall Township. Zip 15090. This area has become quite a hot spot suburb along with neighboring Cranberry (which is THE hot spot but the school district is only meh). Some of the areas in Wexford are absolutely beautiful. The majority of Wexford kids go to North Allegheny which is a highly recommended school district (where Christina Aguilera went :P)

Finally, there is the North Hills, another large community area made up of different towns (Wexford is even included technically) but I speaking of Ross Township, Borough of West View, Shaler Township, Bradford Woods, Hampton Township, and Richland Township. You have a wide range of families here, from your basic middle class to upper class. My boyfriend is from North Hills and came from a really beautiful neighborhood. The majority of these kids go to North Hills which is North Allegheny's big competitor! They are big rivals, and North Hills is also a very good school. :P

Anyway, these are just snip-its of info for you, other people will recommend some other places, but this is a start!

It is important to note that North Hills and Wexford are extremely commercialized! Car lots, malls, shopping, eating, playing, the works! Some love that, some don't! None of these areas are more than a half hour ride to Pittsburgh, most are much shorter. The only one that might be a half hour is Wexford.

[Hopes]

With school-aged children, you don't want Mt. Washington unless you plan to pay for private education.

[beachlover1]

Well to be honest, I hate Pittsburgh and wish I could afford to live in California. Used to live in Santa Barbara but way to expensive but beautiful! I would recommend Sewickley or Leetsdale areas, that's where I live. Quaker Valley School District is the best in the Pittsburgh area and very safe! We won national blue ribbons for our school district! Good Luck!

[guylocke]

Quaker Valley School District is the best in the Pittsburgh area and very safe!

Actually I'm not sure if this is a fact. Don't just take his word for it.. lol. Sewickley is a nice area, with a lot of old victorian homes. It has a lot of character, but some people want brand spanking new homes.

[Hopes]

Quaker Valley is a good school district. It's in the top 5 of 64. The downside is it's fairly far away from downtown so the commute will be long. Another issue is that it's a district with significant wealth. If you're into keeping up with the Jone's (my girlfriend from California says that Californians are very competitive in that regard), you'll probably find that you can't keep up with the Jone's of Sewickley, Mt. Lebanon, Fox Chapel, Upper St. Clair, etc.----espcially since your'e looking for affordable. It's probably wise to aim for more middle class and upper-middle class districts where you'll feel more comfortable in that regard.

[Robert and Devina Sharp]

Originally Posted by boylocke

Hello Robert and Devina Sharp and welcome to the forum!! I'm sure myself and a ton of people (several from southern Cali!) will be glad to help you out on this thread! I wanted to also tell you to take a look around, you are definitely not the only person who's come from Cali and inquired about the same things! You will find good info all over these boards.

That being said, let me see what I can do for you. Coming from SoCal, I imagine there is no place in Pittsburgh that would truly be out of your price range. Do you have a price range?

One of the very first recommendations that you will get, and it is a classic (I particularly love this part of town) is Mt. Lebanon. It is a really lovely place that is mostly middle to upper class families and the school district is top quality. It's a quick commute to downtown, too! You should most definitely look into Mt. Lebanon with zip code 15228. Beware! I do not believe there is bus service, but that might have changed.

A place not terribly far away that is also lovely with a respected school district is Upper St. Clair with zip 15241. It has bit more rural feel (in some places) but has some really beautiful homes.

Fox Chapel is another area that has some gorgeous manors, mansions, and homes with a great school district. Zip 15238. It is a bit older but a well-established (where Teresa and John Heinz/Kerry have a home) wealthy community.

Another classic is good old Wexford. This is the name of a community that is made up a few towns: Borough of Franklin Park, the Town of McCandless, Pine Township, and Marshall Township. Zip 15090. This area has become quite a hot spot suburb along with neighboring Cranberry (which is THE hot spot but the school district is only meh). Some of the areas in Wexford are absolutely beautiful. The majority of Wexford kids go to North Allegheny which is a highly recommended school district (where Christina Aguilera went :P)

Finally, there is the North Hills, another large community area made up of different towns (Wexford is even included technically) but I speaking of Ross Township, Borough of West View, Shaler Township, Bradford Woods, Hampton Township, and Richland Township. You have a wide range of families here, from your basic middle class to upper class. My boyfriend is from North Hills and came from a really beautiful neighborhood. The majority of these kids go to North Hills which is North Allegheny's big competitor! They are big rivals, and North Hills is also a very good school. :P

Anyway, these are just snip-its of info for you, other people will recommend some other places, but this is a start!

It is important to note that North Hills and Wexford are extremely commercialized! Car lots, malls, shopping, eating, playing, the works! Some love that, some don't! None of these areas are more than a half hour ride to Pittsburgh, most are much shorter. The only one that might be a half hour is Wexford.

Thank you, it's good to no that there are socal people there to. And no there really isn't a price range, not saying that we have all kinds of money but well you no how ridicously expensive it is to live out here. I would just like a normal price range for once . Well those places sound really nice, I will look into them. Thank you very much....

[guylocke]

Thank you, it's good to no that there are socal people there to. And no there really isn't a price range, not saying that we have all kinds of money but well you no how ridicously expensive it is to live out here. I would just like a normal price range for once . Well those places sound really nice, I will look into them. Thank you very much....

Thank you for the compliment! I wanted to let you know that all those places I mentioned can be a bit pricey and are fairly up-scale. I don't know why the word "gorgeous" stood out to me but I missed "affordable" when you inquired. Selective reading! LOL.

However, that being said, our upper scale might be your middle class. For example, you can buy lovely (more than lovely in some places) homes in Upper St. Claire, Mt. Lebanon, Wexford, Fox Chapel, and North Hills for 350k to 400k. Probably even less depending on the neighborhood, I'm not a complete pricing guru. Now, if you WANTED to spend half a million, a million, or more, in these areas, you could--but we're talking about some BIG homes now. Homes that would be many millions of dollars in Southern California and homes that would be considered MIGHTY expensive in Pittsburgh where the cost of living is so low. So it's all about perspective. I figured you would sell your house and probably be able to afford a very nice home in one of the places I mentioned with the good school districts!

[Robert and Devina Sharp]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Quaker Valley is a good school district. It's in the top 5 of 64. The downside is it's fairly far away from downtown so the commute will be long. Another issue is that it's a district with significant wealth. If you're into keeping up with the Jone's (my girlfriend from California says that Californians are very competitive in that regard), you'll probably find that you can't keep up with the Jone's of Sewickley, Mt. Lebanon, Fox Chapel, Upper St. Clair, etc.----espcially since your'e looking for affordable. It's probably wise to aim for more middle class and upper-middle class districts where you'll feel more comfortable in that regard.

Well living in laguna niguel, I'm very sure keeping up with the jone's would be no problem. The truth of the matter is, Is that were tired of living around snobby millionaires. I'm trying to teach are kids the difference about love and not material things. So what I meant about affordable it was are type of affordable like down here. My girls are growing up fast and I do not want them being snobby girls. There gonna no how to work hard for there money and not just expect it from us. So that is another reason why we want a change. So if you can see not all californians are like that. There are a lot of us decent people over here. well thanks again and hope u have a great day....

[Robert and Devina Sharp]

Originally Posted by boylocke

Actually I'm not sure if this is a fact. Don't just take his word for it.. lol. Sewickley is a nice area, with a lot of old victorian homes. It has a lot of character, but some people want brand spanking new homes.

Omg My husband and I love victorian homes so we will look into that thank you...