Braddock--giving it some thought-want some input (McKeesport, North Braddock: apartment, low crime, buy)

[Catia]

Thanks MissShona,
I'm not worried about the broke people LOL
Been there, done that, & am trying to not be there again, and I teeter on that edge, because no one really knows if their job will be there for the long haul. I'm one of the lucky one's who is full time employed.
And by lucky, I mean, I work like a dog for 1/2 of what I made 20 yrs ago--but I'm thankful to have it, because I know the alternative sucks worse.

Since I don't have kids in tow, I can move wherever, but I'm trying to keep away from the gang-warfare & drug infested areas, but also want to buy cheap-I'm trying to recover from the ongoing recession.

I do still want to be 'urban'-or have fast access to some type of community-but really, I want a house on a rarely traveled or dead end street, with a good yard--somewhere safe enough to walk my pooch in the evenings & be left alone--I don't want to hear the neighbors & I don't want them hearing me , oh, & I want a 15 min or less commute to & from work.

Does anyone here have access to ANY info about where that highway was proposed to go through Braddock?
Surely they can't remove all 3 Braddock areas--I keep looking but haven't seen any maps or pics that show the proposed areas, & obviously, I'd want to keep my search away from that area.

[Catia]

I am going to look at a property for sale in North Braddock this weekend.

I want to post about it & the area & possibly link to the house once I'm done, but am unsure what exactly I am allowed to do on this site. I see people linking to things all of the time-any problem doing this with a house for sale?

[Jenspra]

Originally Posted by Catia

Arghhh.

So I was supposed to go see the house in north braddock heights tonight.
Owner called to tell me he was sorry, but wouldn't be able to show me the house because he took hand money of $1000 with a promise to close by ................................................Ma y 1st 2014 ??????

He said he could not pass it up ???? He said the deal was too good ?????

I said, "Well, I'm sorry too, because I have cash now."
I could actually hear him CHOKE, and he blurted out
"Why didn't you tell me that?! Why didn't you tell me--oh--That would've changed everything!"

I said "you never gave me the chance-1st time I talked to you was 8pm Sunday night, & today is only Tuesday morning & I had not seen the inside yet or had the chance to talk to you-that is why we were supposed to meet after I got off work today".

I said, "call me if it falls through, because if he doesn't have the $$ now, he might not have it by May 2014.
But I may not still be in the market."

He said "Well this man, he is a landlord, so I am sure he must be good for it, it's not like he's going to live here like you were, he just doesn't have the money right now..."

Like it was a judgement on me for wanting to live there ????

I said "Well, so am I, & I manage to have cash now...I was going to owner occupy to be closer to my work"

Guess this landlord is a pretty smooth talker because that "deal" is by far the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.
Somehow he managed to talk the guy into waiting 6 months-& papers were signed.

Somehow--selling to someone who is not going to owner occupy makes more sense...

I'm sure the neighbors will be elated, because they are home owners.


I'm just shocked someone can be swayed by $1000 now, & nothing for up to 6 months.
No one in their right mind would agree to that. He must truly be in a bind. Owner is an older retired & somewhat disabled man who is attempting to move south due to health issues...

Desperate times make people do really stupid things.
I am certain the house will be section 8'ed, & that's a damn shame.
It was a sweet place from the looks of the outside, great location. with a 1/4 acre lot on a slope.


I am so so so bummed out.

So it's back to the drawing board.

Catia, I believe the house you were looking at in N.Braddock belongs to my Dad. If it's a big red brick house on Ridge avenue it is the one. My husband & I tried to buy it from him last year & he changed his mind, we were pretty bummed because the house & yard are pretty amazing. I honestly doubt he'll ever sell it.

Good luck on your search!

[slavicamerican]

I know this would probably never work, but I often wonder if the following scheme could work:

A few dozen people get together, pick an area that is down on its luck, and each person agrees to buy a property. Whereas I imagine artists or an ethnic group or a group of young professionals doing this, I guess it could just as easily be done by the KKK. So putting aside the downside of something like that, it still seems like an interesting way for a group of people to get in on the very ground floor of the revitalization of an area while being the catalyst for the revitalization. I guess the big up side would be that the risk of buying a cheap property would be mitigated by the certainty that others would be investing in it, too.

Just sharing an idea.

[TheYO]

Originally Posted by slavicamerican

I know this would probably never work, but I often wonder if the following scheme could work:

A few dozen people get together, pick an area that is down on its luck, and each person agrees to buy a property. Whereas I imagine artists or an ethnic group or a group of young professionals doing this, I guess it could just as easily be done by the KKK. So putting aside the downside of something like that, it still seems like an interesting way for a group of people to get in on the very ground floor of the revitalization of an area while being the catalyst for the revitalization. I guess the big up side would be that the risk of buying a cheap property would be mitigated by the certainty that others would be investing in it, too.

Just sharing an idea.

It's been attempted before:
Free State Project - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Loving County, Texas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by slavicamerican

I know this would probably never work, but I often wonder if the following scheme could work:

A few dozen people get together, pick an area that is down on its luck, and each person agrees to buy a property. Whereas I imagine artists or an ethnic group or a group of young professionals doing this, I guess it could just as easily be done by the KKK. So putting aside the downside of something like that, it still seems like an interesting way for a group of people to get in on the very ground floor of the revitalization of an area while being the catalyst for the revitalization. I guess the big up side would be that the risk of buying a cheap property would be mitigated by the certainty that others would be investing in it, too.

Just sharing an idea.

There's a white supremacist group buying up a tiny town in North or South Dakota now. There's a British talk show clip on Youtube that shows the leader of the group getting his DNA tested and discovering he has a percentage of African DNA, Doesn't phase him.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by TheYO

It's been attempted before:
Free State Project - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Loving County, Texas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Also, in Antelope, Oregon.

Antelope, Oregon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[gortonator]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

Also, in Antelope, Oregon.

Antelope, Oregon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I've been there!!! Was a minor detour on our way down to ski at Mt Bachelor. Passed through on a detour back to see fossil beds. I don't remember there being much in town ...

[slavicamerican]

Originally Posted by TheYO

It's been attempted before:
Free State Project - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Loving County, Texas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

How interesting! These and Gudjules' example seem to be done for political or cultural reasons rather than economic.

So now I've learned that I share the creativity of Libertarians and white supremicists.

[rockthecasbah121]

Originally Posted by slavicamerican

I know this would probably never work, but I often wonder if the following scheme could work:

A few dozen people get together, pick an area that is down on its luck, and each person agrees to buy a property. Whereas I imagine artists or an ethnic group or a group of young professionals doing this, I guess it could just as easily be done by the KKK. So putting aside the downside of something like that, it still seems like an interesting way for a group of people to get in on the very ground floor of the revitalization of an area while being the catalyst for the revitalization. I guess the big up side would be that the risk of buying a cheap property would be mitigated by the certainty that others would be investing in it, too.

Just sharing an idea.

If you could get everyone to agree to pitch in free labor to fix up each other's properties, this wouldn't be too hard in Wilkinsburg. Lots of houses under $10,000. Only problem is they need over $100,000 in repairs.