What Pittsburgh can teach the rest of the country (Reading: mortgage, house)

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by Copanut

A good college buddie of mine lives in Worchester, MA. His home is a typical Maronda pos. Around here, even in Soulless Cranberry, he would get 300-350K. He sold his 2 years ago for 750K.

This area is a bargain.

I know Boston is an expensive metro, but Worcester? Damn.

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by HeavenWood

I know Boston is an expensive metro, but Worcester? Damn.

Oops, I meant Beverly.


Brain cramp.

[bradjl2009]

Originally Posted by Copanut

A good college buddie of mine lives in Worchester, MA. His home is a typical Maronda pos. Around here, even in Soulless Cranberry, he would get 300-350K. He sold his 2 years ago for 750K.

This area is a bargain.

Did you mean Worcester? If you meant there I'm shocked because I know someone that lives in the city of Worcester itself and cant wait to get out there next summer. It's not a good place to live from what I know.

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by Copanut

Oops, I meant Beverly.


Brain cramp.

Ok, that makes a lot more sense, haha.

And yeah, housing is still pretty affordable in PGH. Any home in PGH would cost almost double in an equivalent part of Philly, which, while on the high COL side, is still leaps and bounds away from the rest of the major BosWash metros (save for Baltimore) and the West Coast.

[Sealtite]

1. Housing Affordability: Not the cheapest anymore, and prices have risen in recent years. Still obviously not as expensive. Renting on the other hand is on par with most other cities.

2. World Class Hospitals: Of course. There's a lot of sick people here and the population is very aged. It's a goldmine for the health care industry.

3. Whip Smart & Cultured: If only they'd stay after they graduated.

4. Sports: "Waving those Terrible Towels might actually have some health benefits, too. "Sports fans are quite active physically, politically and socially," Daniel L. Wann, Murray State University psychology professor and author of Sports Fans: The Psychology And Social Impact Of Spectators, told CNN. "-This is the dumbest hypothesis I've ever read. Any health benefit Steelers fans may magically incur from screaming and waving a towel is negated by the alcohol and bad food they jam down their throats while doing so. Furthermore, any psychological euphoria attained by a Steelers win is countered two-fold by a Steelers loss. There are many fist-sized holes in the drywall of many Pittsburgh homes thanks to disappointing performances by Ben & Co.

5. Best To Retire: Sand vs. Snow when I'm 80......Hmmmmm.

6. Green Spaces: Sure, five months out of the year it's very "green" here.

7. Country's Most Secure: Our crime stats would say otherwise.

8. Reading Capital: Yes, thankfully Pittsburgh is literate.

9. Happy Employees: If thy surveys sayeth it so, whoeth am I to judge?

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by Sealtite

1. Housing Affordability: Not the cheapest anymore, and prices have risen in recent years. Still obviously not as expensive. Renting on the other hand is on par with most other cities.

2. World Class Hospitals: Of course. There's a lot of sick people here and the population is very aged. It's a goldmine for the health care industry.

3. Whip Smart & Cultured: If only they'd stay after they graduated.

4. Sports: "Waving those Terrible Towels might actually have some health benefits, too. "Sports fans are quite active physically, politically and socially," Daniel L. Wann, Murray State University psychology professor and author of Sports Fans: The Psychology And Social Impact Of Spectators, told CNN. "-This is the dumbest hypothesis I've ever read. Any health benefit Steelers fans may magically incur from screaming and waving a towel is negated by the alcohol and bad food they jam down their throats while doing so. Furthermore, any psychological euphoria attained by a Steelers win is countered two-fold by a Steelers loss. There are many fist-sized holes in the drywall of many Pittsburgh homes thanks to disappointing performances by Ben & Co.

5. Best To Retire: Sand vs. Snow when I'm 80......Hmmmmm.

6. Green Spaces: Sure, five months out of the year it's very "green" here.

7. Country's Most Secure: Our crime stats would say otherwise.

8. Reading Capital: Yes, thankfully Pittsburgh is literate.

9. Happy Employees: If thy surveys sayeth it so, whoeth am I to judge?

1. Rents are higher than before, but still on the lower side.

2. Are there really more sick people here than elsewhere? The population skews older, no doubt.

3. There's plenty in the East End and affluent suburbs.

4. I'm not into sports myself, but the people who are never really bothered me. We all have our passions, 'n at.

5. I'd snow-bird it--PGH summers are much better than Florida or Arizona summers.

6. ...

7. Crime isn't that bad. It could be better; it could also be a lot worse. The lack of natural disasters, etc. is nice.

8. Indeed.

[LexusNexus]

Some of the most racist and uncultured people I know were born in and still live in Pittsburgh. One comment to this article says that the place is quite racist, and I tend to agree with this. This trumps everything else. A city can have great medical care, great schools, cheap housing, supportive sports fans, and so forth, but if it is among the most racist and segregated cities in the country, it's nothing but a problem. Funny how these articles always assume that racism is not a topic worthy of consideration.

A great city is one where those who are members of groups who have been historically discriminated against, can thrive once they qualify themselves. Pittsburgh falls well short here. For instance, it's not a city where educated black people can thrive in. In my book, the lesson that Pittsburgh can teach the rest of the country, is not one that I care to respect, since pretending racism doesn't exist while practicing it, is never good.

Nice list of positive attributes of this city from the perspective of someone who is not a member of a group that is discriminated against, targeted for people who are same.

[gortonator]

Originally Posted by LexusNexus

One comment to this article says that the place is quite racist, and I tend to agree with this.

I missed that comment - can you point me to it? thx ...

[EveKendall]

Originally Posted by gortonator

I missed that comment - can you point me to it? thx ...

One of the comments on the article, from a no doubt learned man called 'David D', heard someone here use the 'N' word. That means the city is incredibly racist in addition to having no affordable housing, terrible weather 8 months out of the year, and a constant exodus of all the young, educated people.
Did I miss anything?

[gortonator]

Originally Posted by EveKendall

One of the comments of the article, from a 'David D', heard someone here use the 'N' word. That means the city is incredibly racist in addition to having no affordable housing, terrible weather 8 months out of the year, and a constant exodus of all the young, educated people.
Did I miss anything?

I think your estimate of 8 months is a little on the low side. I'm with pghdude28, it's at least 13 .... . And why don't we just plant evergreen trees everywhere and get rid of those darn natives that shed leaves in our extensive parklands and state parks. We could have a mass tree-chop-a-thon so we have year round greenery, because April to November is simply not enough for any self-respecting city. Imagine if that happened in a world class city like New York or Boston

Comments on news article/videos are the sewer of the Interwebs. Not like these highly respectable forums we collectively contribute to with our erudite, informed commentary.

Time to get the bus to downtown, and fight off the hoards of racist old poor dumb people who hang out at Market Square. It's hell out there, folks. Hell ... I tell ya!