Looking for more ideas on next neighborhood... (Pittsburgh, Bellevue: sales, new construction)

[PghYinzer]

Originally Posted by Der Schwabe

Glad to hear things are moving forward. I was halfway tempted to post this house when I saw it pop up, but I figured things were moving along for you. Also not surprised to hear that it needs a lot of work. The location is too good for that kind of price these days.

Fingers crossed that everything moves forward smoothly. I think you'll be happy that you bought less than you "could" afford. I find it's nice to have the financial flexibility to do the work on the house when I want to. I think you're getting the best of both worlds by being close to various areas that have a lot to offer but also having a nice, historically intact and attractively sized house. This is increasingly hard to come by at anything resembling a sane price point. You may not be able to walk to some places you used to, but I imagine you will find new places.

I saw this the other day and had to laugh....if this sells for this price, then the market is officially of it's rocker....

Brookline Real Estate - 1416 MERRICK AV., Brookline, PA, 15226

I am bullish on Brookline in the long run, but come on....

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by PghYinzer

I saw this the other day and had to laugh....if this sells for this price, then the market is officially of it's rocker....

Brookline Real Estate - 1416 MERRICK AV., Brookline, PA, 15226

I am bullish on Brookline in the long run, but come on....

You never know! There is a shortage of single story homes with no steps to the front door.

[Der Schwabe]

Originally Posted by PghYinzer

I saw this the other day and had to laugh....if this sells for this price, then the market is officially of it's rocker....

Brookline Real Estate - 1416 MERRICK AV., Brookline, PA, 15226

I am bullish on Brookline in the long run, but come on....

Ha, I wonder when things are going to calm down. The sweet spot seems to be in the $150k-$300k max budget range. I'm curious to see where things go as these dry up in areas that are pricing out regular earners.

People coming in from out of town obviously have different standards, but some of these are just hard to believe. It's hard to have a favorite, but here are two of mine:

http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...1-04916?row=26

162 41st St, Pittsburgh, PA 15201 is For Sale - Zillow

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Der Schwabe

Ha, I wonder when things are going to calm down. The sweet spot seems to be in the $150k-$300k max budget range. I'm curious to see where things go as these dry up in areas that are pricing out regular earners.

People coming in from out of town obviously have different standards, but some of these are just hard to believe. It's hard to have a favorite, but here are two of mine:

http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...1-04916?row=26

162 41st St, Pittsburgh, PA 15201 is For Sale - Zillow

The very quick flip of Upper Lawrenceville over the last year or so is the most shocking to me. Not that long ago, I wondered if it was going to "turn." Then I became sure it would, but saw that prices there were still more reasonable. All of a sudden this year it broke the $300,000 mark, and you have homes like this, this, this, and this for sale. The first two are okay, but the third seems like it's had little if anything done, and the last looks like a very cheap/generic flip.

[Goodjules]

I'm on vacation in the Bay Area now. I guess I've become accustomed to Pittsburgh prices because I am shocked at how absolutely crazy the prices are here. Just about everyone I know bought their homes in the 80s or 90s for $150,000-$250,000. All their homes are worth over a million now. Nuts. Many plan to cash out when they retire and move somewhere cheaper.

[PghYinzer]

Originally Posted by eschaton

The very quick flip of Upper Lawrenceville over the last year or so is the most shocking to me. Not that long ago, I wondered if it was going to "turn." Then I became sure it would, but saw that prices there were still more reasonable. All of a sudden this year it broke the $300,000 mark, and you have homes like this, this, this, and this for sale. The first two are okay, but the third seems like it's had little if anything done, and the last looks like a very cheap/generic flip.

Nice open floor plan in that first one. Great rooms were all the rage in 1892 when it was built. At least they left the fireplace intact. The 4th one, on 53rd Street...for over 300k, please at least replace the busted sidewalk in the backyard.

I know it pains some to hear, but I bought cheap, and am probably already almost at doubling what I paid for my house 4 years ago. Sadly, I can’t cash out, because I won’t be able to find a house of the quality and size of mine in my, or maybe any, neighborhood for a price I can afford.

[SteelCityRising]

...But, but, but...I thought Pittsburgh's housing prices were dirt cheap?

[ebyrnes]

Depends...we just bought the cutest little 1920 stone cottage in Wilkins Township for $16k; mind you, it needs a furnace and a bit of work but there are cheap houses if you look. You are probably not going a cheap house in your dream neighborhood, but compromise usually leads to growth, lol. I never thought that I would be a suburbanite, but I'm going to give it a try.

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Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

...But, but, but...I thought Pittsburgh's housing prices were dirt cheap?

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

...But, but, but...I thought Pittsburgh's housing prices were dirt cheap?

It's still cheap compared to where people are moving to the East End from these days. For $300,000 in Boston, you can basically only buy a house in the worst ghettos possible. And not even that in NYC or DC. I don't think the local price point is that different from Philly or Baltimore any longer though.

My wife was ultimately totally unwilling to leave the East End, but if we did, we would have shaved probably $100,000 off our price. Besides South Side Flats every single neighborhood south of the Mon is still affordable (although there's a big variance in prices in Mount Washington, Duquense Heights, and South Side Slopes). The same is true for most of the north side - only Allegheny West, Central Northside, West Deutschtown, and parts of Manchester are pricey - everything else still has great deals.

The East End though is just about done. There are basically four semi-affordable neighborhoods remaining in the East End which don't have a "ghetto" reputation - Stanton Heights, Morningside, Greenfield, and Swisshelm Park. Even here the era of sub-$100,000 homes has just about drawn to a close, although most are still well under $200,000, which makes them favorably priced compared to similar houses in nearby neighborhoods. Although the house I'm buying is on the upper end of the Morningside price range, for example, it probably would have been $50,000 more if it were a few blocks over in Highland Park.

Still, the East End is only one part of the city. Just move on. I don't lament being too young to buy into Friendship or the Mexican War Streets or whatever - it just is what it is.

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by eschaton

It's still cheap compared to where people are moving to the East End from these days. For $300,000 in Boston, you can basically only buy a house in the worst ghettos possible. And not even that in NYC or DC. I don't think the local price point is that different from Philly or Baltimore any longer though.

My wife was ultimately totally unwilling to leave the East End, but if we did, we would have shaved probably $100,000 off our price. Besides South Side Flats every single neighborhood south of the Mon is still affordable (although there's a big variance in prices in Mount Washington, Duquense Heights, and South Side Slopes). The same is true for most of the north side - only Allegheny West, Central Northside, West Deutschtown, and parts of Manchester are pricey - everything else still has great deals.

The East End though is just about done. There are basically four semi-affordable neighborhoods remaining in the East End which don't have a "ghetto" reputation - Stanton Heights, Morningside, Greenfield, and Swisshelm Park. Even here the era of sub-$100,000 homes has just about drawn to a close, although most are still well under $200,000, which makes them favorably priced compared to similar houses in nearby neighborhoods. Although the house I'm buying is on the upper end of the Morningside price range, for example, it probably would have been $50,000 more if it were a few blocks over in Highland Park.

Still, the East End is only one part of the city. Just move on. I don't lament being too young to buy into Friendship or the Mexican War Streets or whatever - it just is what it is.

Excellent points. Prices are going up in Crafton, but home prices are still about half what you'd pay for a similar home in the trendier parts of the East End.