Moving to Pittsburgh with kids. Which areas should I look for houses? (Lebanon: rental car, rental)

[Jmark123]

Originally Posted by Stijl Council

Aspinwall is the first thing that came to mind for me too. I don't know that you'll have a lot of options for a four bedroom with your budget there (or in a neighboring borough), but it's not prima facie ridiculous.

Given the parking situation in Oakland, though, that commute is going to be pretty tight. I live in Squirrel Hill and from my house to my office, it's 20 minutes on a (very) good day.

Is the parking an issue for everyone? I will have a parking garage to use about a block from where I work.

[onwardandupward]

If you're leaving before traffic is an issue in the a.m., commute time from Oakmont to Oakland is 30 min. Coming home will be more like 40 minutes due to traffic backing up on Washington Boulevard. You'll have that to get to Aspinwall as well, but your evening commute to there will be more like 30 min.

I think that Oakmont is a much nicer town than Aspinwall, and you can get more for your money, but while schools in Oakmont are decent, schools in Aspinwall are better. Personally I think that concerned parents in a district like Riverview (Oakmont) can ensure an excellent education for their kids.

And while I know there have been previous discussions about income disparities, the gap between the "haves" and the "have-nots" is much more narrow in Oakmont than in Fox Chapel (not wanting to start a debate here ). To me that's a plus.

[Jmark123]

Originally Posted by robrobrob

From your oringinal post, you want a commute home from the Oakland/Downtown border during rush hour to be about 25-30 minutes. Most of the posts have been focusing on the morning commute. Your problem there is that a lot of the neighborhoods that people have recommened take your through Oakland on the way home. A specific work address would be helpful as well as where you will park.

Washington Blvd is brutal at 5. So you have to take Negley.

I would not look in Shaler if you are spending 300,000. Hampton, Aspinwall, O'Hara and Fox Chapel if you can find somehthing in your budget. Regardless of which burb you look in, try and find a house that is as close as possible to the Highland Park Bridge to minimize commute.

You asked about Oakmont. Nice town. Average schools. Rough commute to Oakland.
Best commute to and from Oakland that is not in the city and with good schools is Aspinwall.

Thanks for all the info. I will be working at Magee-Womens Hospital. There is a parking garage on the south side of the hospital that I will use.

I am definitely more concerned about the commute home. I'll be going to the hospital before normal rush hours most days, but coming home at a bad time. I'll work nights as well, but have assumed that shouldn't be much of an issue since then it is essentially a reverse commute.

There are quite a few houses I am interested in my price range in Allison Park and it looks like that area goes to the Hampton schools. Would that be a reasonable area to look given my criteria?

Thanks again. I appreciate all of this help. It's tough trying to figure out neighborhoods, schools, and traffic for an area I am completely unfamiliar with.

[SouthHillsHappy]

I happen to agree with SS about not ruling out south hills; there are some nice homes available, and i used to commute from here to oakland near McGees in half hour with no problem at all.

[greg42]

Originally Posted by Jmark123

Is the parking an issue for everyone? I will have a parking garage to use about a block from where I work.

Oh you're good then for parking. Parking in Oakland is an issue for those who don't have such an arrangement. It's not just expensive but gets scarce (unlike downtown which is expensive but you can usually still find a spot even in the middle of the day).

[greg42]

Originally Posted by Jmark123

I am definitely more concerned about the commute home. I'll be going to the hospital before normal rush hours most days, but coming home at a bad time. I'll work nights as well, but have assumed that shouldn't be much of an issue since then it is essentially a reverse commute.

There are quite a few houses I am interested in my price range in Allison Park and it looks like that area goes to the Hampton schools. Would that be a reasonable area to look given my criteria?

Thanks again. I appreciate all of this help. It's tough trying to figure out neighborhoods, schools, and traffic for an area I am completely unfamiliar with.

Allison Park is roughly equivalent to Hampton. It's what the post office and other entities use for official addresses, but there is no actual township/borough of that name. Some places with that address are in McCandless, though. McCandless is in North Allegheny school district, very good but much, much larger than Hampton. Not sure if any Allison Park addresses leak into Richland or Shaler, which are also different school districts. (Pine-Richland is good, Shaler is middling as mentioned before.) The real estate listings should list the school district.

Magee does push you to the other side of Oakland, though, which tacks on getting through more surface streets to your commute if heading towards Hampton, etc. Hm. Definitely the homeward commute that's the problem. I'd be tempted, if you were going to Hampton, to use Blvd of the Allies, to the Veterans Bridge (I-579) to Rt 28. But, until they really complete that 28 construction, I think that ramp is going to back up royally. If you're at true evening rush times like 4:30-6pm roughly it may or may not be any faster than driving the other way through all of Oakland and other city neighborhoods.

For Magee, yeah, maybe not rule out south hills, but I think the budget will constrain that a bit? Mt Lebo is closer but probably out. Maybe USC? Can't figure how that won't take ages to drive, maybe I'm missing it.

[Jmark123]

Originally Posted by greg42

Allison Park is roughly equivalent to Hampton. It's what the post office and other entities use for official addresses, but there is no actual township/borough of that name. Some places with that address are in McCandless, though. McCandless is in North Allegheny school district, very good but much, much larger than Hampton. Not sure if any Allison Park addresses leak into Richland or Shaler, which are also different school districts. (Pine-Richland is good, Shaler is middling as mentioned before.) The real estate listings should list the school district.

I just looked into it - there are places with an Allison Park address that do go to Shaler Area schools. So that's something I would need to pay attention to for sure. Thanks for the clarification on the township/borough thing.

Magee does push you to the other side of Oakland, though, which tacks on getting through more surface streets to your commute if heading towards Hampton, etc. Hm. Definitely the homeward commute that's the problem. I'd be tempted, if you were going to Hampton, to use Blvd of the Allies, to the Veterans Bridge (I-579) to Rt 28. But, until they really complete that 28 construction, I think that ramp is going to back up royally. If you're at true evening rush times like 4:30-6pm roughly it may or may not be any faster than driving the other way through all of Oakland and other city neighborhoods.

For Magee, yeah, maybe not rule out south hills, but I think the budget will constrain that a bit? Mt Lebo is closer but probably out. Maybe USC? Can't figure how that won't take ages to drive, maybe I'm missing it.

Why do you say Mt Lebo is out? If the traffic isn't terrible to where I need to go, then it seems like a reasonable distance with good schools. There are a lot of 4 bedroom houses in our price range as well (though some of them could use more than a little updating).

USC has lots of houses with what I am looking for in my price range, but it does seem pretty far.

[gg]

Magee is way on the other end of Oakland from Fox Chapel. Mt. Lebanon could work. Not many good schools within a stone's throw of Magee.

[greg42]

Originally Posted by Jmark123

Why do you say Mt Lebo is out? If the traffic isn't terrible to where I need to go, then it seems like a reasonable distance with good schools. There are a lot of 4 bedroom houses in our price range as well (though some of them could use more than a little updating).

USC has lots of houses with what I am looking for in my price range, but it does seem pretty far.

I figured it might be generally out of your price range for 4BR. I am not always correct about this though. I don't hit up the listings and search, just go by rough ideas from past posts and very general area knowledge. Budget for the super high Mt Lebanon school taxes.

If Mt Lebanon is in your price range you should certainly consider it if it appeals to you. The drive isn't exactly cake, but it might not be too bad. I dunno, afternoon drive and you want one of those damn bridges. Liberty Bridge probably is best. That's not really fun but it's been ages since I drove that in heavy afternoon rush so I don't remember. Maybe someone knows a better route. Note: there is no school busing in Mt Lebanon.

[sskink]

Originally Posted by Jmark123

Why do you say Mt Lebo is out? If the traffic isn't terrible to where I need to go, then it seems like a reasonable distance with good schools. There are a lot of 4 bedroom houses in our price range as well (though some of them could use more than a little updating).

USC has lots of houses with what I am looking for in my price range, but it does seem pretty far.

I think you hit on why Mt. Lebo is "out". You'll find 4BR in your price range, but most likely with outdated kitchens, 1-car garages and 50s-60s style layouts. It's a great town and SD otherwise with a lot going on.

USC adds another 5 minutes to the commute, but you get more house for your buck and arguably the best SD. As I mentioned earlier, it's very possible to get to Oakland within 30 minutes if you get to the Liberty Tunnel before 7:30. After that you're gonna be late! The return commute can be a bear from 4:30-5:30, but it goes pretty quick after 6pm.