Mt Leb maybe not the right choice? (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: property taxes, salary)

[zip95]

Originally Posted by Mr. Mon

Sorry to see that Mt. Lebo is not what you thought. Problem is that you wanted a multi-cultural place with decent schools, open minded people, walkable neighborhoods, parks, etc..., and outside of urban areas there are very few places in the Eastern US that has this AND open space in the price range you're looking for. Vermont

I think you can find that in lots and lots of places in the Eastern US. It may be a little harder in Pittsburgh, but even here it exists.

Indiana, Plum, Murraysville, Monroeville, Sewickley...also Fox Chapel (but it's expensive).

Many Pittsburgh natives have a hard time understanding that the Pittsburgh version of what is "the-best-town-ever" may not appeal to everyone. When you come the this board, no matter what your criteria are, you will hear a chorus of voices screaming Mt. Lebo, Upper Saint Clair, Cranberry, and to a lesser extent Wexford.

[Hemingway]

Originally Posted by springinvermont

Help! After so much reseach, my husband after looking at houses in Mt. Leb today was depressed. We come from Vermont and have views and a back yard and a big house. On one of my last threads everyone recommended Mt. Leb because they thought that was where we seemed like we'd fit in best. Let me start again. Neighborhood and schools and safetly definitely at the tops of the list but while we are excited at the prospect of being so close to a large city we are still Vermonters at heart. We don't want to be living in cramped quarters. We like space! We are hoping to find a house for about 260k and don't want taxes higher thank 5800. We are cool people who like to entertain but kids always come first hence the neighborhood. We also want to feel like we are part of a community. We are 40ish and I am into holistic health and hubby is an executive. P.S. We don't want to send our kids to private schools. Thanks in advance!

I moved from Northern NJ 3.5 yrs ago, at the very top of the state. It was some of the most beautiful rolling hills and farms. I found the area that you are talking about to be way too closed in also. I understand your disappointment with that area. I think you are a bit TOO close to the city there. Think of it like rings around the city. You probably need to just go out one more ring to find what you are looking for. I am in Plum in the eastern suburbs, and it matches your description, so does Murrysville. Maybe someone here can help you with towns to the west, south and north. Get your map out and make concentric circles. Do you have any MUST haves such as easy access to the airport or work? That would help narrow down which direction from the city to search. HTH

[globalburgh]

I'd recommend something near Cranberry. Zelienople has a lot of the small Vermont town charm. I have no idea what the schools are like there, but keep in mind that Westinghouse will be moving literally thousands of highly educated people into a Cranberry campus. Those employees will have a decidedly international flavor and all the schools in that region will see an improvement thanks to the demographic becoming decidely more educated.

I understand the concern about the schools (I have children of my own), but I think too much is made of reputation. The high school I went to in Vermont wasn't considered one of the better ones in the Burlington area, but it really didn't make that much of a difference. When it comes to education, the most important factor are the parents. So, you might look for a school that is "good enough" but allows you to maximize your other quality of life concerns.

[5stones]

I too say look in Peter's. You can find older homes on 1/2-1 acre lots with woods etc... The new house are on smaller lots. Within the township you still have horse farms etc...
The schools are TOP notch.
Within minutes you can be out in the country with Dairy farms etc...

Another place would be North Stabane Township. CannonMac school distric. it is good. yOu will more home for your money and more land in North Stabane. People are more diverse than Peters again it it a mix of residental and AG. so while you may have a house and 1/2 acre your neighbor may have a house and 10 acres with horses.

The country side in Wash county is beautiful green rolling hills, woods speckled with Dairy farms and horse propertys.

Stay away from Ringold school dist. Stay away from the town of Cannonsburg and the city of Washington.

We lived in Peter's for 9 years. If I was to move back I would really look hard at North Stabane... not as much competition in the HS school level. (more laid back)

[wordzgirl]

Please DON'T think USC. Check out the N Allegheny vs USC thread for backup. Also, their taxes are insane. I'd vote for Peters or North Strabane as well. Lower taxes and more land.

[guylocke]

Please DON'T think USC.

That's not really fair to say. USC, no matter what anybody says, is a really beautiful area. I don't care how snotty or snobby they think they are or their students at school think they are. I'm not going to discourage a perfectly respectable school district and some beautiful property based upon the fact some some of the locals are "snobs." Maybe the OP wouldn't mind that, or is looking for that! You just don't know, and you won't know if it's a good fit unless you check it out.

The tax thing is undeniable, though. :P But I imagine if you were looking into Mt. Lebo first the tax thing doesn't bother you or affect you too much.

[Hemingway]

Originally Posted by wordzgirl

Please DON'T think USC. Check out the N Allegheny vs USC thread for backup. Also, their taxes are insane. I'd vote for Peters or North Strabane as well. Lower taxes and more land.

I'm no expert, but could the taxes be that different than any other suburban Allegheny County town? We are all feeling the pinch, but overall, we are still paying much less than other areas of the country. Take for just one example, New Jersey---We would have been paying around 9000.00 a year for taxes, (had we stayed) so to us, this is much more reasonable. Ask people in New York state, or California or Florida what they pay...they will tell you it is INSANE. So, to someone coming from other areas of the country...isn't it all relative to what the WERE paying??

[jhprentiss]

I've just moved from Boston, and before that Los Angeles. And in both of those places I paid substantially less taxes than I do here. We had two acres in Boston and paid about $4,000 a year in taxes.

And that was "taxachusetts!"

[wordzgirl]

Allegheny County has some of the highest property taxes in the US. If you go just a bit further out into the outlying counties, i.e., Butler, Washington, you pay substantially less. Plus, some of the schools are on par with schools in Allegheny County. So if I were to be relocating here, I would seriously consider some of the outer counties. They're still an easy commute to downtown Pittsburgh, if need be, but they're surrounded by farmland as well.

[Hemingway]

Originally Posted by jhprentiss

I've just moved from Boston, and before that Los Angeles. And in both of those places I paid substantially less taxes than I do here. We had two acres in Boston and paid about $4,000 a year in taxes.

And that was "taxachusetts!"

That is actually helpful info to me, since that state is one that we may eventually be transferred to! I know that we will be *very* hard pressed to find housing as affordable as it is here when my husband is inevitably transferred elsewhere. I think you must look at the whole package, though. Our type of house here in our neighborhood generally sells for 175,00(basic) to 250,000(every upgrade imaginable). In other parts of the country, it would be from 300,000 to over 1 million (Maryland!)So isn't the fact that housing is SO affordable in comparison also a deciding factor?