Homewood (Pittsburgh, Dormont: homes, neighborhoods, living in)

[la_torquemada]

I'm with the rest. Truly dangerous. And I live in a neighborhood most people consider really bad -- Mt Oliver. I would say that one of the biggest problems with the "bad" parts in the east end (Homewood, Wilkinsburg, Lincoln Larimer, etc) is that you cannot get police help when you need it. You may go a long time without any trouble, but when trouble comes along, you're gonna be on your own. You can't get a cab, when you call the amublance, it's gonna take at least 20 minutes to come, there's no grocery, etc. Real estate in Pittsburgh in general is so reasonably priced that I think it's foolish to go that far down the safety/comfort scale.

Also, if you're planning to have kids, really think hard about moving to a bad area. It's not fun to put your heart and soul into renovating a place and then finally realize you're just going to have to move. I have lovely Victorian house in Mt Oliver on three lots but we are leaving soon for Observatory Hill because I just am not comfortable with my kids playing with other kids on the street here or going to their houses -- there is just too much sketchy activity of all kinds. We are homeschoolers, so it's not the schools that are the issue, it's just the neighbors. And this is NOT a racial issue -- we are white, and our questionable neighbors come in all colors. The place we're moving to is also very mixed, but much more middle class. It's just a question of culture -- until you've immersed yourself in it, it's hard to see how different the culture of poverty is from the culture of "professionals." My neighbors constantly hit me up for money, odd jobs, rides, the use of my phone, etc. Recently we learned that one of the neighbors we thought was a decent guy stole a petty amount of money from the old lady next door after she paid him to do work for her. The kids two streets down (ages 2-10) are routinely out until 2 or 3 am playing in the street unsupervised. After a while, it just gets uncomfortable.

[PApisces]

Originally Posted by Hopes

I agree. Last time we were discussing Homewood on here, we looked at some of the real estate on the assessement website. We were amazed to see how property values have dropped just within the past 10 years. Property purchased for 20k is now worth a mere $700 dollars at times! That's outrageous. There's simply no way Homewood is going anywhere but down. The buildings are slowly being torn down as they deteriorate. Eventually, I suspect Homewood might simply cease to exist---50+ years from now.

Really?!?!? The property de-valued THAT much?

[Mermaid77]

Sorry, Hopes--I did not realize that you were referring to someone with the username of "pimp"--I thought you were saying you had actually talked to pimps! LOL and by the way since I'm on here--I should say I'm using my wife's username, but I'm a guy and I'm from N. Ireland. My wife is black. Our daughter is 3. I don't know--I might be up to the challenge of Homewood--nothing beats the terrorists in N. Ireland. I have not noticed propert devalued to that extent!

[wordzgirl]

I work in the court system here, and I've got to say a lot of crime takes place in Homewood. Yes, there is gorgeous architecture in all areas of urban Pittsburgh, but there is also a mass exodus out of the city, leaving a lot of problems behind.

If you like beautiful old houses, check out Crafton Borough. There's lots of nice houses, and the school district is considerably better than city of Pittsburgh schools.

[zip95]

Originally Posted by Mermaid77

I might be up to the challenge of Homewood--nothing beats the terrorists in N. Ireland. I have not noticed propert devalued to that extent!

Terrorists and Thugs are two very different groups of people. No one in Homewood is going to set off a car bomb or plant a pipe bomb at a corner store. Some one may, however, break into your house while you are sleeping, tie you up, and rob you. Or maybe while your driving some one will stick a gun in your face and take your car...

There are much better areas for marginally more money.

[prototypepariah]

Originally Posted by Mermaid77

Sorry, Hopes--I did not realize that you were referring to someone with the username of "pimp"--I thought you were saying you had actually talked to pimps! LOL and by the way since I'm on here--I should say I'm using my wife's username, but I'm a guy and I'm from N. Ireland. My wife is black. Our daughter is 3. I don't know--I might be up to the challenge of Homewood--nothing beats the terrorists in N. Ireland. I have not noticed propert devalued to that extent!

please don't take this the wrong way, have you been to america yet? have you been to a bad neighborhood in this country? and not just in passing like spend a few weeks in a ghetto? I've been to europe in a few different places and the idea of crime there compared to here is night and day. I'm sure terrorists are difficult to deal with but how often is there a bombing ? There's gonna be a threat of crime here much much more often. Homewood is no bad nyc area's it's certainly no compton or southside chicago. but it's bad enough..why would you want to subject yourself and more importantly a young kid to that kind of environment? to save a few bucks?

pittsburgh is a pretty cheap place to live compared to other metro us areas and tons cheaper than anywhere i've been in europe. You could spend just a bit more and live in a much much better area.

is there a reason you've selected pitts?

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by Mermaid77

Sorry, Hopes--I did not realize that you were referring to someone with the username of "pimp"--I thought you were saying you had actually talked to pimps! LOL

I forget that people might not know members. His username is now PPG because someone complained about his first username. I still call him Pimps since that's the name he prefered.

Originally Posted by Mermaid77

and by the way since I'm on here--I should say I'm using my wife's username, but I'm a guy and I'm from N. Ireland. My wife is black. Our daughter is 3.

It's still a dangerous place to live even for people who are black. You daughter deserves a safe neighborhood for growing up.

Originally Posted by Mermaid77

I don't know--I might be up to the challenge of Homewood--nothing beats the terrorists in N. Ireland.

There's a huge difference between living among Ireland terrorists and living in an impoverished American ghetto. At least in Ireland, your daughter's playmates could be positive influences even though they played in an area with a risk of danger. In the ghetto, the other children are likely to be very negative influences by getting involved in drugs at a very young age.

Originally Posted by Mermaid77

I have not noticed propert devalued to that extent!

Drover and I were posting about some Homewood properties in the "Walk on the Wild Side" thread.

Here we talk about a property that was bought for 11k and is now worth only $600:

A Walk on the Wild Side

Here's where we started talking about Homewood property values in the thread:

A Walk on the Wild Side

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by prototypepariah

I'm sure terrorists are difficult to deal with but how often is there a bombing ? There's gonna be a threat of crime here much much more often.

That's true. There's gunfire in Homewood almost nightly.

[Hopes]

I recommend Highland Park. It's a neighborhood near Homewood, but it's safer and has a more diverse population than Homewood.

[Mermaid77]

Someone asked me if I've been to America yet--yes--I've lived in Pittsburgh now for almost 5 years--I live in Dormont....my wife seems very worried about living in Homewood and says she would rather saty in Dormont--and she's black! LOL she says that you can't get food deliveries, etc.....she is from a middle class family, though so she doesn't know much about living in the ghetto....not anymore than I do....thanks everyone--we're still going to look at the house, but I doubt my wife will let us buy it....