Moving to area and looking for great schools, acreage for horses and proximity to amenities! (Pittsburgh: rental, houses)

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by Hopes

I agree flat is boring. Chances are you won't have a dry basement in Pennsylvania though.

Prepare for it being extremely possible you won't find the deal you want with mineral rights included.

Since you're mostly interested in the acreage for riding trails, a significant portion of your property can have trees. That will be easier to find. It's harder to find acres and acres of cleared land unless you buy property from a farm.

I'm the one who posted about the conservative Christians my friend's children encountered. I'll send you a private message that might ease your mind.

Re: the bold, I agree. Heck, even here in Colorado we have a sump pump in the basement (after several floodings) b/c frequent rains raised the water table. Nothing to do with flat; we live on top of a hill.

Back in PA, my parents had a perpetually damp basement. My in-laws had same in Omaha, NE (hillier than you might think) and they put in a dehumidifier, something my father never considered.

[markson33]

Zelienople, Cranberry, Evans City or Mars would all work. Zelie is a nice small town in the Seneca Valley School District. Cranberry is a fast growing suburb with lots of retail and is also in Seneca Valley. Seneca Valley is a pretty big, growing, and IMO pretty decent school district.

Mars is a slightly smaller community on the outskirts of Cranberry with its own (smaller, but just as good) school district.

Prospect would be within 20 minutes of all of these and downtown Pittsburgh is within 30-45 minutes.

You might want to avoid the Butler school district.

[hinsey86]

Originally Posted by markson33

Zelienople, Cranberry, Evans City or Mars would all work. Zelie is a nice small town in the Seneca Valley School District. Cranberry is a fast growing suburb with lots of retail and is also in Seneca Valley. Seneca Valley is a pretty big, growing, and IMO pretty decent school district.

Mars is a slightly smaller community on the outskirts of Cranberry with its own (smaller, but just as good) school district.

Prospect would be within 20 minutes of all of these and downtown Pittsburgh is within 30-45 minutes.

You might want to avoid the Butler school district.

They would all easily work minusthe desired acreage and the budget.

[EveKendall]

Originally Posted by Hopes

I agree flat is boring. Chances are you won't have a dry basement in Pennsylvania though.

Really? Our basement has always been dry, even after big storms. I didn't realize I should be grateful for this.

[UKyank]

Originally Posted by Hopes

That's not true. Most property is sold without all of the mineral rights. You're missing the point that many of these mineral rights were separated 100 years ago. You'd be hard pressed to find property that has all mineral rights available to purchase with the land. The seller might not even own the rights to sell to you. Just your acknowledging the fact it was common to buy/sell separately is proof that many property owners don't own the mineral rights to sell to you anyway.

I don't disagree with this, but given the current climate they better be offering a huge discount on a property without the mineral rights, unless you want well in your back yard.

I've dealt with some clients who have had the rude awakening that leasing their property or outright selling their mineral rights have had a very adverse effect in their property value when they've attempted to resell it.

[equestrianmom3]

Originally Posted by Velvet Jones

I'm sorry, but your demands and price range are way out of whack.

If this is so, then however did these houses pop up in my searches?
http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...8-41762?row=12
http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...08-93106?row=9
http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...3-97307?row=13
http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...7-77297?row=19

I have to tell you when I was looking for help in the Columbus area I also posted on city-date forums and the people in the Columbus forums were incredibly helpful with REAL KNOWLEDGE to share (versus uneducated opinions and negative comments) about the schools (with hardcore data and firsthand knowledge) and about the areas and what each area had to offer. I have been extremely disappointed by the comments made by many people to my post. Very few have actually given me useful information. Most are just eager to spout off and sound knowledgeable while imparting little of value; honestly why go on a rant about mineral rights on my post?? I certainly hope this is not indicative of your city because if so, we are making a HUGE mistake. I thought I was getting away from this backwoods way of interacting by leaving West Virginia. Also, Velvet Jones, did you even read my original post? My husband is working in Prospect. I am most definitely NOT intending to live in Allegheny County. And obviously you are wrong about he availability of housing meeting my needs.

[equestrianmom3]

Originally Posted by markson33

Zelienople, Cranberry, Evans City or Mars would all work. Zelie is a nice small town in the Seneca Valley School District. Cranberry is a fast growing suburb with lots of retail and is also in Seneca Valley. Seneca Valley is a pretty big, growing, and IMO pretty decent school district.

Mars is a slightly smaller community on the outskirts of Cranberry with its own (smaller, but just as good) school district.

Prospect would be within 20 minutes of all of these and downtown Pittsburgh is within 30-45 minutes.

You might want to avoid the Butler school district.

markson, Thank you so much for providing such helpful information and I am so sorry that others are taking it upon themselves to argue with you. This is the first time I have experienced such a negative group of people on city data that are so quick to put others down. The information you have provided is exactly what I am looking for. With this type of direction, I can focus a search in this area and see what is available.

[equestrianmom3]

Originally Posted by EveKendall

Really? Our basement has always been dry, even after big storms. I didn't realize I should be grateful for this.

EveKendall, I agree with you. We live in WV with a topography similar to PA and our basement is ALWAYS dry and we have lived here almost 15 years. I think the people posting have no idea what it is like in a flat area such as Ohio. All you have to do is look at houses in an area and you will discover how prone to flooding the areas are. If the basements flood, the houses will likely have sump pumps and/or not be finished.

[bradjl2009]

I think finding that much acreage in this area will be rather hard. It does get rural here, but even out in rural area a lot of lots aren't that big.

[equestrianmom3]

Originally Posted by hinsey86

That's a tough if not impossible find. Eliminate being 45 minutes to Pittsburgh and your choices will increase. Finding above average schools also limits you. But you can get average schools. 20 acres is likely totally out but there may be something. For a decent house you may get 10 acres but more likely around 5 or even less. Southern Butler area (Middlesex, Penn, Forward Township area) may have some options, but again, smaller acreage. Saxonburg area is an option as well. Beaver county is doable in the price range with smaller acreage (5-10) and at least two above average school districts, but the driving distance to Prospect is likely above your limit...especially in the Winter. I live in North Sewickley in Beaver and can get to the heart of Pittsburgh, non rush hour, in about 45-50 minutes.

As far as people..I have spent a lot of time and worked in Butler County and have lived In Beaver for 18 months. I don't see either as a hotbed for any real radical thinking or drug activity. There are of course individuals who are whacked but I got that in a neighbor when I lived in Seattle. The poor neighborhoods of the city of Butler is another story but that is not an area you would be looking at anyway.

Occasionally there is an farmhouse for sale in Cranberry but all the ones we looked at were not in great shape. Areas around Zelianople might be possible too. I do think you are going to have to make some major compromises.

hinsey86, thank you so much for this information!