Accepted Job in Beaver (Relocating) (Pittsburgh, Aliquippa: houses, landscaping, neighborhoods)

[ocndvr]

Our family finally decided to go to Beaver... over Latrobe & Monroeville. Now comes the hard part. We don’t know too much about the areas, so we are seeking feedback.

I think we would like to live between Beaver and Pittsburgh? We have three children who will be going into elementary, so schools are important to us. We have read mixed opinions about the school districts. I think both my wife and I have a bad case of ADD… because we both like neighborhoods, but we like land too. Having 3 children we think it would be nice to live in a neighborhood so our kids can have friends, do trick or treat, see Christmas lights when we drive around, but the land would be nice for privacy. I wonder if we can have both??? Nice land and a neighborhood. Is it wrong to say that we are not really attracted to the cookie-cutter homes, but when we do searches for homes that is the majority of what we find? Our budget is around 600k for a home, which we would like to be at least 4 bedrooms and 3 baths. Pool would be a great-added benefit. We like real wood burning fireplaces and wood stoves. We have a 8 year old, who plays baseball, football & hockey.

Sorry this is long, but I want to make sure everyone knows what we would like… We have heard that Moon Township, Pine Township, Sewickley, Gibsonia, Cranberry, Wexford and Center Township are great places for us to consider? Are there any other places we should consider or not consider, and I think the drive to Beaver should not be more then 30 min. I hope that does not cut us off from a lot of options.

[bradjl2009]

Out of the places you have listed, Moon or Sewickley would be the best for your family. Sewickley has less of a cookie cutter feel than Moon probably does, both have good school districts, and both will meet your 30 minutes or less goal. The other places you have listed are nice too, but would have a longer commute more often than not.

[greg42]

Hello again, congrats on the job, or finally deciding.

It certainly is not wrong to say you are not attracted to cookie-cutter homes. A lot of people are attracted to having a newer, larger home, and many of those, to get into people's price ranges, are pretty cookie-cutter. Even your $600k range is generally not quite enough to get it out of those cookie-cutter type developments.

So, if you like the idea of having space, that may be the way to go. Certainly houses with more land tend to be less cookie-cutter. But, the houses are probably going to be old. Often they are smaller as well. But maybe you can find something. The trick might be finding it in the right school district. Pretty good chance of finding places that will work, but if you start trying to make sure it's in Quaker Valley or North Allegheny or whatever school district the search will get a touch harder. With this, you'd probably give up the neighborhood for what would be a more rural setting.

On the other hand, I think you may find a few places where you can get a larger lot that's still a neighborhood sort of. But they might be newer developments and thus more cookie cutter house.

It's a bit of a pick any 2 out of 3 situation. But that's only as a rule; there are exceptions sometimes. Keep in mind too that if the lots are too big there won't be much of a sense of neighborhood anyway. I think of where my boss lives in the Sewickley area where lots are a minimum of a few acres; can't imagine the kids are walking to neighbors. Who knows if there are even any other kids in there. And there are only 12 or 14 or something total lots anyway.

As far as place, anything with a Sewickley address should be fine; a few of those are over the border in Beaver County which you won't want because they will be in Ambridge school district. Sewickley and environs (surrounding boroughs/townships of Edgeworth, Leetsdale, Glen Osborne, Aleppo, Leet, Bell Acres, Sewickley Heights and Sewickley Hills) are Quaker Valley school district. A few things with a Sewickley address are actually in Franklin Park, which is in North Allegheny schools, also fine.

Across the river in Moon I think would also be fine. Sewickley is certainly more affluent, and I think the areas of North Allegheny schools would also be considered more affluent. Moon Area is still a solid enough school district though.

The western parts of Franklin Park and Marshall Township may turn up something you like. These are in North Allegheny schools. Some of these may have a Wexford address, some Warrendale. Some at the edges will even be Sewickley address. And to top it off, a few Marshall Township houses at the western edge actually use Baden for their postal address. (Yeah, confusing, post office doesn't care about municipal boundaries.)

Be wary of places with a Wexford address that are in Pine or McCandless. A few of these might be close enough, but most will be too far. For best chance at keeping it in distance you want to be west of I-79. No parts of either Pine or McCandless are west of I-79.

Close to everything (if not all) with a Gibsonia address (mainly Richland Township) are going to be too far. It really isn't worth spending time looking at those IMO.

You could look into some places in Cranberry, or even north of Cranberry in parts of Jackson Township or Zelienople/Harmony. All the same school district, Seneca Valley. As long as you stick to the western part of these, you should be within the 30 min. Downside is the farther north you go you haven't really gotten your home much closer to the city than Beaver itself. There's really not anything close enough on the east side of Cranberry that would keep you within 30 min of Beaver. Same thing, keep it west of 79.

Franklin Park and most of the Sewickley areas are going to keep you closer to the city than the others while still being close enough to Beaver.

Hope that helps a little.

[ocndvr]

Hi again... thanks for taking the time to write a very informative answer. This will help us out a lot, since we know nothing about the areas. We are very excited that it all worked out and that we are going to finally move down. Once again thanks.

[SammyKhalifa]

I'd look right in Beaver proper.

Have you been there yet? Take a trip and drive around. Walk down River Road. Have a coffee in the business district.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by ocndvr

I think we would like to live between Beaver and Pittsburgh? We have three children who will be going into elementary, so schools are important to us. We have read mixed opinions about the school districts. I think both my wife and I have a bad case of ADD… because we both like neighborhoods, but we like land too. Having 3 children we think it would be nice to live in a neighborhood so our kids can have friends, do trick or treat, see Christmas lights when we drive around, but the land would be nice for privacy. I wonder if we can have both??? Nice land and a neighborhood. Is it wrong to say that we are not really attracted to the cookie-cutter homes, but when we do searches for homes that is the majority of what we find? Our budget is around 600k for a home, which we would like to be at least 4 bedrooms and 3 baths. Pool would be a great-added benefit. We like real wood burning fireplaces and wood stoves. We have a 8 year old, who plays baseball, football & hockey.

When it comes to privacy, be careful. Too much land can mean isolation. My sister bought 10 acres for the very reasons you mentioned. Now she regrets it. There's only a handful of neighbors, just 5 houses within walking distance. Her children have limited options of neighborhood friends. Until a family with children bought the property next to hers, the only children in the area were the children of a farmer who lived down the road, and the social and economic differences became magified (for both families) without access to other children for daily friendship.

Most of the children's classmates live in neighborhoods 20 minutes away. My sister feels she is always in the car driving kids to playdates. She also misses interacting with neighbors herself. The other mothers walk together in the evenings, but my sister can't easily join them because they are 20 minutes away. They just step outside their front doors to be with adult friends. It's much easier to take a short adult mental health break when you don't have to drive to do it.

There are traditional neighborhoods that have large wooded properties. Sewickley Heights, Fox Chapel, Bradford Woods, and Hampton would be ideal, but only Sweickley Heights and Bradford Woods are reasonable commutes to Beaver.

Keep in mind that property size isn't necessary for privacy. Landscaping can make a big difference. There are houses in city neighborhoods, such as Squirrel Hill and Point Breeze, that are very private even though their neighbors' houses are mere feet away because they are landscaped with brick walls, shrubs, trees, etc. The same can be accomplished in any suburban neighborhood as long as there aren't HOA's dictating how you landscape.

Also think outside your 600k budget. That could prevent you from finding the perfect home. There might be an exceptional property with a very private large yard in neighborhood but you might miss finding it because it's 450k.

[greg42]

Originally Posted by SammyKhalifa

I'd look right in Beaver proper.

Have you been there yet? Take a trip and drive around. Walk down River Road. Have a coffee in the business district.

Beaver in town is a good idea I think, schools are good, old town, etc. It's just that it keeps you that far from the city, really is kind of a pain to get down there compared to some of the other spots. So maybe it's 3 out of 4 things that you can get.

[greg42]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Also think outside your 600k budget. That could prevent you from finding the perfect home. There might be an exceptional property with a very private large yard in neighborhood but you might miss finding it because it's 450k.

Never thought of noting this, but it's a good point. I don't think about having a minimum price when searching for houses, but I'm sure some may. And if you set it too high around here, you could well miss places that are acceptable but below what you would expect to have to pay. Heck there could be acceptable places in the $300k range depending upon where you're looking. It's all in what is available at the time and where it is.

Good anecdotes about being too far from other kids and adult mental health breaks. Sounds like good reasons not to consider more isolated rural spots with acreage.

[robrobrob]

With a budget that high I would look for something in the Quaker Valley School District. Sewickley, Sewickley Heights, Sewickley Hills, Edgeworth, Osbourne or Aleppo. Leet isn't the nicest part of the district. Now, Beaver is fine but if you spent anywhere near the top of your budget you would be one of the more affluent people in town. The Village of Sewickley is economically diverse and has an lot to offer. There is a nice Y there. I also really like the Edgeworth Club. It has dining, a pool, tennis, platform tennis and bowling. I am not a golfer so it is all that I would need.

I have two kids (5 and 4) and we like living in a neighborhood. Frankly, we like bumping into our neighbors while we are out walking. It is nice knowing that my kids have friends two houses down the street. Maybe when the kids are older we may want a house with more land but for now we like the lack of privacy. You might disagree.

[South Range Family]

I wouldn't rule out Brighton Township which is right above Beaver, or Chippewa which is only one more exit away.

If you have any interest in seeing the sun before noon, don't live down in the river valley. Stay on top of the hill.

One more thing I just remembered. If you can help it, live on the same side of the river that you will be working on. When they close a bridge for two years, things get real interesting with traffic. The Aliquippa bridge closure is proof of that right now.