low cost of living in Pittsburgh suburbs? (New Castle, Washington: how much, cheap home)

[blueice6102]

Any nice towns/areas outside of Pittsburgh with a low cost of living and decent jobs/economy? Schools are not a concern. We were looking at Waynesburg...

[safak]

pittsburghs 'cost of living' reputation is more due to the fact you can get decent houses, in decent neighborhoods in the urban city areas IMO.

The 'suburbs' are, at least in my experience, no better than anywhere else. tampa, phoenix, anywhere in texas or the carolinas..all but a few really upscale places.

there are some older , past their prime, towns with not so great school districts that are safe enough and really cheap (jeannette comes to mind). IMO the best 'big town' around pittsburgh is greensburg with a fair ammount to do, colleges, theater, eateries, bars, etc.

i don't know much about waynesburg but i can only guess that its job oppurtunities aren't exactly booming.

[eccotecc]

I recently visited a niece who lives in Scott Twp. I wasn't impressed with the housing stock at the price point homes are selling for. I think there is better value in the city, but that's only my opinion. Please feel free to disagree. It was short visit but a first impression.

[track2514]

Waynesburg is about 60 miles away from Pittsburgh and hardly a suburb. If you are looking for a nice, small town about an hour from Pittsburgh Waynesburg would be fine as would Grove City, Slippery Rock, New Castle, Indiana, etc.

[lifepgh2op]

Originally Posted by eccotecc

I recently visited a niece who lives in Scott Twp. I wasn't impressed with the housing stock at the price point homes are selling for. I think there is better value in the city, but that's only my opinion. Please feel free to disagree. It was short visit but a first impression.

I agree with you. Housing in the suburbs is no deal, especially when you factor in the high taxes of the better school districts. If you want newer construction, it seems those houses start at the high 200s.

[track2514]

Originally Posted by lifepgh2op

I agree with you. Housing in the suburbs is no deal, especially when you factor in the high taxes of the better school districts. If you want newer construction, it seems those houses start at the high 200s.

Depends on which suburbs and if you don't mind moving every 10 years or so. For instance, if you moved to Washington county at the start of the mass exodus from Allegheny county and then moved in about 10 years, or after the taxes were increased due to better schools and infrastructure, to the next suburb or exurb with lower taxes you could live the dream. I am actually anti-suburban myself and I have always lived in the urban center of each city that I have called home, but I don't fault people for wanting to live in the suburbs. What bothers me though is when the suburbs share city resources and don't pay their fair share in taxes. For example, many of the areas surrounding Allegheny county initially relied on the police, fire, snow removal, etc. services from Allegheny county prior to building their own facilities and hiring workers.

[h_curtis]

Buy a super cheap home in Millvale or Etna. As cheap as possible. Renovate the inside of the home and leave the outside looking like no one lives there. I mean, fix the inside like it can be in a NY magazine. Just not the outside. Never mow the lawn and put some boards up in the windows instead of blinds, so it really looks like a dump. Throw some garbage around the yard to make it really look as bad as it can look. If you drive a nice car, make sure it is in the garage, so they are not in the know. This is the way to live smart in our region with our wildly high taxes due to the teacher's unions.

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by lifepgh2op

I agree with you. Housing in the suburbs is no deal, especially when you factor in the high taxes of the better school districts. If you want newer construction, it seems those houses start at the high 200s.

I could find you a house in the North Allegheny SD for under 100K.

[eccotecc]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

Buy a super cheap home in Millvale or Etna. As cheap as possible. Renovate the inside of the home and leave the outside looking like no one lives there. I mean, fix the inside like it can be in a NY magazine. Just not the outside. Never mow the lawn and put some boards up in the windows instead of blinds, so it really looks like a dump. Throw some garbage around the yard to make it really look as bad as it can look. If you drive a nice car, make sure it is in the garage, so they are not in the know. This is the way to live smart in our region with our wildly high taxes due to the teacher's unions.

h_curtis,

You're forever attacking teachers.

As I said yesterday after your rant... Would you be able to participate in this forum if it wasn't for teachers?

I know your obsessive compulsive about the issue but teachers do plenty for children that they are not compensated for. Continuing education at the graduate level isn't compensated or reimbursed. Many school supplies are paid for out of teachers' pockets without reimbursement. Teachers work many hours past their designated hours without compensation.

Teachers as a group are a large target to complain about, but teachers only see a very small percentage of the money that is spent at the local, state, or national level on education.

The next time you see a teacher tell them how much you appreciate their service to our country.

And remember, you wouldn't have been able to read this if it wasn't for a teacher.

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by eccotecc

The next time you see a teacher tell them how much you appreciate their service to our country.

And remember, you wouldn't have been able to read this if it wasn't for a teacher.

Could not agree more.

But we gotta do something about their pensions n'at.