Moving to Pitts: Does the Incoming WholeFoods Hurt Property Vaule (insurance, homes)

[sskink]

Originally Posted by Anne518

Thanks so much for your answers. Very informative!!! My husband will need to travel downtown for work, so it seems it will be better to take the T? I will have to travel south to Morgantown for work (3 times a week). Whether my son can find some friends soon is also a concern. He probably have limited options within this neighborhood.

Yes, the T would make plenty of sense... we haven't even touched on morning commute through the tunnels.

Honestly, before you sign up for Fieldgate, you should really consider Fox Chase/Cook School Rd area. I'm just really unimpressed with the residents on Fieldgate based on reading their comments on WF and meeting a few.

The listings here for houses on Windsor, Watterford, Watterson and Wellington seem to fit what you'd be looking at on Fieldgate. Also, the listing for Blairmont is just a little south of where you're looking, but a newer home in a more developed/older/stable neighborhood. And if you want brand new construction, there's Bedner Estates at the bottom of Cook School Rd.

As far as your son goes, I will add that if you do look in the Cook School area on streets like Scarlett and Waterford, you'll likely see basketballs, soccer balls, hockey nets and whatnot in people's yards. Not so on Fieldgate.

Being in the Cook School area would add 7-8 minutes to your husband's trip to park at the T lot in SHV, but would save you 10 minutes or more every day you had to commute to Morgantown.

[leavingmc]

My child did not start in USC schools until middle school but I do not think that one elementary is better than the other and I have heard wonderful things about Eisenhower from my friends and neighbors. I know that you seem to want "newer" construction but you may find more of a community in some of the "older" neighborhoods like Trotwood West, Trotwood Hills, etc. (although these homes are at a lower price point than you've been looking at). Deerfield is nice but it is at the south end of USC and will be a longer commute for your husband to the T and to downtown. Another neighborhood off of Cook School is Dominion which has a community pool. There is also a nice development off of Morrow (whose name is escaping me at the moment). One thing to remember about taxes is that you can't use the current owner's taxes as a guide to what you will be paying because the school district will protest your taxes and request that your home be reassessed to the purchase price. We bought a home in USC that cost almost $400,000 and our taxes are now about $12,000. Our sellers had paid much less but we lost our appeal. There are so many nice neighborhoods in USC and the schools are great. I'm sure you will love it here.

[TheYO]

I'd be careful if I were you. That area of USC has three rival gangs operating in close proximity. The Market District Maniacs currently claim the turf where the Whole Foods is being built. Right now, they are existing relatively peacefully with the Fre$h Market Freak$ and TJ's Tyrantz, but the addition of a Whole Foods could spark a turf war.

[_Buster]

Originally Posted by TheYO

I'd be careful if I were you. That area of USC has three rival gangs operating in close proximity. The Market District Maniacs currently claim the turf where the Whole Foods is being built. Right now, they are existing relatively peacefully with the Fre$h Market Freak$ and TJ's Tyrantz, but the addition of a Whole Foods to there could spark a turf war.

be careful even crossing the street. these gangs have been known to street race their Volvos at speeds sometimes reaching 35 mph ( if it's daylight with good weather and visibility ), with little regard for their own lives let alone others.

[leavingmc]

Originally Posted by sskink

Yes, the T would make plenty of sense... we haven't even touched on morning commute through the tunnels.

Honestly, before you sign up for Fieldgate, you should really consider Fox Chase/Cook School Rd area. I'm just really unimpressed with the residents on Fieldgate based on reading their comments on WF and meeting a few.

The listings here for houses on Windsor, Watterford, Watterson and Wellington seem to fit what you'd be looking at on Fieldgate. Also, the listing for Blairmont is just a little south of where you're looking, but a newer home in a more developed/older/stable neighborhood. And if you want brand new construction, there's Bedner Estates at the bottom of Cook School Rd.

As far as your son goes, I will add that if you do look in the Cook School area on streets like Scarlett and Waterford, you'll likely see basketballs, soccer balls, hockey nets and whatnot in people's yards. Not so on Fieldgate.

Being in the Cook School area would add 7-8 minutes to your husband's trip to park at the T lot in SHV, but would save you 10 minutes or more every day you had to commute to Morgantown.

I agree that Blairmont is a beautiful street in a great neighborhood! That neighborhood (Westminster) is much better than Fieldgate because you can walk to the high school, etc. Even though the house is older, it would be worth it and most of the houses on that street are at a higher price (so you can put $$ into it and not be the most expensive house on the street).

[Tinare]

Originally Posted by _Buster

be careful even crossing the street. these gangs have been known to street race their Volvos at speeds sometimes reaching 35 mph ( if it's daylight with good weather and visibility ), with little regard for their own lives let alone others.

And swing their golf clubs around in a haphazard manner.

[robrobrob]

If I were looking in the South Hills I would at the very least explore Peters. Taxes in Lebo and USC are huge especially on a 600,000 house. I thought my taxes were high at approximately 2500 per 100,000 of assessed value but USC is about 3160 and Lebo is 3280 per 100,000 assessed value.

Guessing you might save about 7000 a year if you buy in Peters.

[sskink]

Originally Posted by leavingmc

My child did not start in USC schools until middle school but I do not think that one elementary is better than the other and I have heard wonderful things about Eisenhower from my friends and neighbors. I know that you seem to want "newer" construction but you may find more of a community in some of the "older" neighborhoods like Trotwood West, Trotwood Hills, etc. (although these homes are at a lower price point than you've been looking at). Deerfield is nice but it is at the south end of USC and will be a longer commute for your husband to the T and to downtown. Another neighborhood off of Cook School is Dominion which has a community pool. There is also a nice development off of Morrow (whose name is escaping me at the moment). One thing to remember about taxes is that you can't use the current owner's taxes as a guide to what you will be paying because the school district will protest your taxes and request that your home be reassessed to the purchase price. We bought a home in USC that cost almost $400,000 and our taxes are now about $12,000. Our sellers had paid much less but we lost our appeal. There are so many nice neighborhoods in USC and the schools are great. I'm sure you will love it here.

Dominion would also be a great choice. Had no idea there was a community pool there.

Many of the Trotwood/T-streets neighborhoods also have annual block parties and other get-togethers if that's of interest. I don't think you get that with the newer developments. Heck, Myron Cope lived in Trotwood till he passed. How much more Americana can you get?

[Anne518]

You know USC better than a realtor!!! The Watterford, Watterson and Wellington house are all beautiful, but priced higher than our budget. We went to see the house on Blairmont. It was good but a bit compartmental. You are right, maybe we should check out the new constructions by Bedner Estates. Thanks again!

Originally Posted by sskink

Yes, the T would make plenty of sense... we haven't even touched on morning commute through the tunnels.

Honestly, before you sign up for Fieldgate, you should really consider Fox Chase/Cook School Rd area. I'm just really unimpressed with the residents on Fieldgate based on reading their comments on WF and meeting a few.

The listings here for houses on Windsor, Watterford, Watterson and Wellington seem to fit what you'd be looking at on Fieldgate. Also, the listing for Blairmont is just a little south of where you're looking, but a newer home in a more developed/older/stable neighborhood. And if you want brand new construction, there's Bedner Estates at the bottom of Cook School Rd.

As far as your son goes, I will add that if you do look in the Cook School area on streets like Scarlett and Waterford, you'll likely see basketballs, soccer balls, hockey nets and whatnot in people's yards. Not so on Fieldgate.

Being in the Cook School area would add 7-8 minutes to your husband's trip to park at the T lot in SHV, but would save you 10 minutes or more every day you had to commute to Morgantown.

[Anne518]

We went to see a house in Peters, and you'll definitely get lots more square footage for the same amount of money. And I heard the schools are good too.

Originally Posted by robrobrob

If I were looking in the South Hills I would at the very least explore Peters. Taxes in Lebo and USC are huge especially on a 600,000 house. I thought my taxes were high at approximately 2500 per 100,000 of assessed value but USC is about 3160 and Lebo is 3280 per 100,000 assessed value.

Guessing you might save about 7000 a year if you buy in Peters.