Best neighborhood for low budget (Pittsburgh, Bellevue: real estate, buying a home, neighborhoods)

[libbyjanesmommy]

If you were moving to Pittsburgh but had a relatively low budget to buy a home, which neighborhood would you move to and why? Bonus points if public transportation is easily available.

[Goodjules]

Can you be more exact about your budget? What is a low budget to one person may be an exorbitant budget to another. What size home? City, suburbs, rural? Public transit to where - downtown, universities, airport, other?

[libbyjanesmommy]

Definitely under 80k. Would love to go quite a bit lower if possible. We're okay with a fixer upper, but not a complete gut job. Not picky on size, only need 2 bedrooms. Mainly public transportation within the town- library, parks, local shops, grocery store, (if available). We will have one car with us, so mainly just looking for the public transportation to get around the neighborhood or near by areas.

[Knepper3]

My wife is a Realtor (if you need help let me know) and gets these kind of questions often. Its such a subjective thing and really what is important to you? Schools, parks, city, rural, land, etc. Under 80k is easy, but there are so many other things to consider. If you are seriously considering buying a home, get qualified and talk to a Realtor. That is their job and that is why they get a commission. My wife wishes everyone would call her and tell her they want this house and done.

If you want a city, Bellevue is where my mother lives. Nice working class area, you can walk to most everything if you wanted and there is public transportation. If you want a little higher rated school then you can go a couple miles west to Avalon or even emsworth and you might be able to find something under 80k just not as walkable (more residential with less businesses) but still public transportation.

[jea6321]

Do you want to live IN the city? there are still a lot of areas that you can find a 2 bedroom for around 80k or less, but it depends on what exactly you want in a neighborhood.

beechview, millvale, troy hill, observatory hill, marshall shadeland, brighton heights, mt washington, allentown, west view, bellevue, reserve...... there are lots more depending how far from the city you want to go. some areas are better than others.

[gg]

Etna and Sharpsburg. I would lean towards the north end of sharpsburg right now. That area is going to be a good investment IMHO. Talk about dirt cheap with access to everything, including a river development that is going to change that area. I think the bike/running trail is going to go though at some point. There is just too much money that is coming that way to stop it.

[RogersParkTransplant]

Millvale, if you ask me. We are very happy on the North side, but living in the actual city with close access to downtown was a priority for us, and we were looking to spend a bit more. Do look around Troy Hill, Spring Garden, Spring Hill, Brighton Heights etc, but $80k may be tricky - in our area it would mean either a serious fixer-upper or else something truly tiny. It's worth looking around, but the area is going up in price fast, especially on the nicer streets.

Millvale is cheaper as far as I can tell, but has reasonably good access to bus lines, and the town itself is poised to take off. Right on the cusp of the city, but easy access to suburban amenities too. This is in line with the Etna and Sharpsburg recommendation - same general direction - but Millvale has more exciting architecture and easy access to Lawrenceville and the Strip district, which are wonderful places.

In another direction, in the city of Pittsburgh: this may be a good time to buy in Greenfield. Look up the Greenfield Bridge - it will be rebuilt in 2016-?, which will be a pain in the neck for residents, but which may make real estate a little cheaper, especially if you are looking for a smaller fixer-upper. Greenfield has a lot of modest homes that have not been updated, and it's a quiet place located close to classic Pittsburgh neighborhoods via Squirrel Hill.

[SlurmsMcKenzie]

I'd check options in Ingram. Not a city neighborhood ( directly adjacent) but offers affordable housing and great access to the city via the west busway.

[jea6321]

Originally Posted by RogersParkTransplant

In another direction, in the city of Pittsburgh: this may be a good time to buy in Greenfield. Look up the Greenfield Bridge - it will be rebuilt in 2016-?, which will be a pain in the neck for residents, but which may make real estate a little cheaper, especially if you are looking for a smaller fixer-upper. Greenfield has a lot of modest homes that have not been updated, and it's a quiet place located close to classic Pittsburgh neighborhoods via Squirrel Hill.

sub 80k in Greenfield is going to be very tough. Hazelwood, which is right next to Greenfield would be easy, and its also about to see some major new development which will change the neighborhood for the better. Right now its a rough area.

[guy2073]

Originally Posted by jea6321

sub 80k in Greenfield is going to be very tough. Hazelwood, which is right next to Greenfield would be easy, and its also about to see some major new development which will change the neighborhood for the better. Right now its a rough area.

The new development will have no effect on Hazelwood, it will have less impact than the waterfront has had on the town of homestead.