Why you should NOT move to Pittsburgh (California, Denver: budget, debt)

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by goodgirl49

Yes, probably in that field it would be good. My son didn't find a good graphic design job, and felt that competition was great and salaries depressed. It seems that scientific and technical fields have better opportunities in Pittsburgh.

Yes, I agree about the Pittsburgh job market. I have a friend whose daughter is a graphic designer, is currently working as the manager of a Dairy Queen. This is here in CO.

[Madisonbaby]

Originally Posted by gswpa

I am writing this because I am a realist. Unfortunately, certain citizens of Pittsburgh believe that their city is great and everything is turning around. It's not. It's actually getting worse. Property taxes and crime are high. The schools are terrible. Parking fees are the highest in the country. The high paying jobs are located in outlying counties. The city is facing a financial [SIZE=2]bankruptcy within the next few years. The population numbers are dwindling. Pittsburgh is still a Rust Belt city. [/SIZE]
(We can't even get family and friends to go to Pittsburgh when they come to visit because they think it's a slum.)

Therefore, I plead with you to move to an area outside of Allegheny county. Property taxes and crime are low. It's a quick drive to shopping and work. The public and private schools are excellent. Great colleges are located in surrounding counties. Even the Catholic church has seen greener pastures and is building new schools in Butler county and closing ones in Pittsburgh. Again, I suggest a move to Westmoreland, Washington, Beaver, Armstrong, or Butler counties. Please keep the home appreciations rising in the outlying counties! Thanks!

Obviously you have never lived in Florida then!! If we sell our house and after paying off our mortgage we could buy a house cash up there! If you want to talk bad crime and property taxes you should live in Tampa. Thanks to the hurricanes you can hardly even buy or afford homeowners insurance and most companies are going bankrupt or just not selling policies from June to November. Taxes are so high people are foreclosing on their houses, the schools are horrible, traffic is so bad, soo many pedifiles here and it's getting hotter each year. you make decent money here but not enough to cover all the increases in taxes and everything else. My friends taxes just went up $600 and they had to sell their house and move. It's ridiculous!
I went to school in Downtown Pittsburgh and I love that city and resent you even posting this!!

[Seaharbour]

Maidson, check your email please...do not be afraid to move to pgh, there are jobs, they are there...find one before you come ( I will agree with the naysayers bout that one but that is true no mater where you go!), but do come back!

[MisterB1974]

Coming from a former resident but didn't grow up there but loves the town and the people I can say that Pittsburgh has a lot of potential BUT the problem is economics in terms of getting white collar and blue collar jobs. This is not only a Pittsburgh problem but the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania issue (including Philadelphia).

I believe they should diversify the neighborhoods. I'm not saying we all hold hands and sing Kum ba ya but learn to deal with each other as coming from the same Source and live accordingly. I'm not going to lie I do miss living in Pittsburgh but my difficulty in making money was the problem.

And the ones that are bigoted are the old farts that are stuck in a time warp. The younger white folks are pretty cool.

[Seaharbour]

I think the distintive neighborhoods is what makes pittsburgh work so well and what attracts people there, to force people to change that would never work, thankfully so too. I met young bigots and very tolerant old folks myself.

[Agbor]

Every city has trade-offs..it depends on what you are looking for..Pittsburgh is strange
(unique)..in terms of cultural diversity(poor)..it has not kept up with national trends in
immigration like most cities..low crime(good)..family atmosphere(good)socially conserva
tive(poor)...friendly people(good)

For example,New York City and Orlando are good for cultural diversity..but poor in terms of the quality of living..in my opinion...

[pittsburgh,pa]

pittsburgh is a great

[tyrell]

i am planning to move to pittsbugh i think pittsburgh is nice the cost of leaving is cheap i am disappointed to learn that the city of pittsburgh is bankrupt .i will never give up.thanks guylocke for lifting my morale .i will move to pittsburgh .

[EasternerInDaWest]

I'm wanting to move to/near Pittsburgh, too. I grew up in Delaware, have lived in Philly and Lancaster Pa, and then transferred to California where I've been over 10 years now. Been living in the SF Bay Area and missing my roots as far as the seasons, the food, and the eastern feel. My fiance and I have family all over the east coast, especially in Pa. Could anyone tell me what it's like in the Swissvale Ave area in Wilkinsburg? There is some property there I'm interested in. Good thing I'm already a Steeler fan for most of my life, and I've survived my share of snow storms. I'm curious about the neighborhood, the good eats, local shops, etc. Wondering what the local job market would hold, but we also have a home internet business. Any feedback welcomed :-)

p.s. Future hubby is born/bred Pa, plus I have a son about to graduate High School here in California. We're professionals in our late 30's.

[Rafterman]

Originally Posted by fragglewaggle

How about going one better? I suggest folks leave Western Pennsylvania altogether, like I did.

Let's see: I could've stayed in the Pittsburgh area and remained unemployed, or I could've moved someplace where I don't have to beg for a job. I chose the latter.

And really, as a woman, why would I stay in a region where women earn 69 cents for every dollar a man earns?

Why would I stay in an area that talks a good game about having an educated workforce, but according to the Pennsylvania Economy League, has some of the highest college tuition costs in the nation?

Why would I stay in a supposed 'high-tech' region where the educational offerings to keep myself on top of the latest in technology are nonexistent? (Does CMU offer continuing education related to technology? Nope. How about Pitt? Nope. How about any of the other four-year colleges in our region? Nope. How about our community colleges? Ha ha ha...don't make me laugh.)

If you want to have any semblance of a successful future, I urge you to leave Western Pennsylvania. You will not regret it.

Sad, but very, very, true.

My wife and I relocated to NOVA 20 years ago and don't regret it in the least.

Rural Western PA is probably a good place to retire to, big state supported meds program, but the city itself isn't for anyone at the beginning or middle of their working lives. My advice is don't move there unless you have already secured a high paying job. You'll find that housing is less then in other metro areas but everything else costs just the same as the DC area.