To New Castle or not to New Castle, that is the question?!! (Pittsburgh: mortgage)

[fleetiebelle]

It means the heating (and air conditioning) system uses vents and ductwork to blow air from the furnace, which is usually in the basement.

I wouldn't consider downtown Pittsburgh to be dangerous at all. Outside the cultural district there isn't much going on at night, and there are groups of teenagers who hang around some street corners, but as long as you're cautious and aware, it's safe.

[suzeeq521]

I think the term you are looking for is jay-walking. And it depends. I have seen people given tickets for it and I've seen cops ignore it. It may have to do with how much you disrupt traffic or endanger yourself or others (and it is more than just crossing before the green - it is a general term for ignoring any of the pedestrian laws.)

In downtown Pittsburgh, the fine is usually around $95 for jaywalking. However, the fine for a moving violation that endangers pedestrians (ignoring pedestrian walk-ways, etc.) is over $300.

Forced hot air heat is where the furnace creates hot air which is "forced" (blown by a fan) through a series of ductwork. The rooms with have duct openings that will let the heat into that room. By radiators, I assume you mean steam or hot water heat, as it is sometimes called around here. Some places do have it too.

The use of ma'am would probably depend on the woman. As a young (30) single woman, I would find it offensive. However, some women may like it. I don't know too many, except my grandmother's friends are impressed when I use it.

Honestly, I'm pretty comfortable in downtown Pittsburgh. I travel through it on foot twice a day and I've not had any issues, save the annoyance of the panhandlers sometimes.

But everyone has a different comfort level. You might not feel that comfortable. However, I would hope you would at least give it a visit once in awhile - downtown Pittsburgh is where many of the great cultural gems of Western PA are.

[irish8]

[quote=suzeeq521;2734064]I think the term you are looking for is jay-walking. And it depends. I have seen people given tickets for it and I've seen cops ignore it. It may have to do with how much you disrupt traffic or endanger yourself or others (and it is more than just crossing before the green - it is a general term for ignoring any of the pedestrian laws.)

In downtown Pittsburgh, the fine is usually around $95 for jaywalking. However, the fine for a moving violation that endangers pedestrians (ignoring pedestrian walk-ways, etc.) is over $300.

Forced hot air heat is where the furnace creates hot air which is "forced" (blown by a fan) through a series of ductwork. The rooms with have duct openings that will let the heat into that room. By radiators, I assume you mean steam or hot water heat, as it is sometimes called around here. Some places do have it too.

The use of ma'am would probably depend on the woman. As a young (30) single woman, I would find it offensive. However, some women may like it. I don't know too many, except my grandmother's friends are impressed when I use it.


Honestly, I'm pretty comfortable in downtown Pittsbur

Don't know what happened the reply I posted?

[irish8]

[quote=irish8;2734303]

Originally Posted by suzeeq521

I think the term you are looking for is jay-walking. And it depends. I have seen people given tickets for it and I've seen cops ignore it. It may have to do with how much you disrupt traffic or endanger yourself or others (and it is more than just crossing before the green - it is a general term for ignoring any of the pedestrian laws.)

In downtown Pittsburgh, the fine is usually around $95 for jaywalking. However, the fine for a moving violation that endangers pedestrians (ignoring pedestrian walk-ways, etc.) is over $300.

Forced hot air heat is where the furnace creates hot air which is "forced" (blown by a fan) through a series of ductwork. The rooms with have duct openings that will let the heat into that room. By radiators, I assume you mean steam or hot water heat, as it is sometimes called around here. Some places do have it too.

The use of ma'am would probably depend on the woman. As a young (30) single woman, I would find it offensive. However, some women may like it. I don't know too many, except my grandmother's friends are impressed when I use it.


Honestly, I'm pretty comfortable in downtown Pittsbur

Don't know what happened the reply I posted? Sorry, think I must have edited part of you r reply by accident.....I'm after the dentist and a bit groggy! We don't have that type of heating system (forced air) here...god, it must be rather expensive to run? Here we have radiators which are heated by gas, I guess ye call it hot water heat, that's what we have, it's common here...we have a gas thing but we don't call it a furnace..."furnace" sounds like a huge monster of a thing! Is it kinda complicated to use a furnace?

And the furnace is in the basement, I guess? We don't have basements, never seen or been in a basement!!! But wouldn't you get rats etc living in the basement? I guess the basement has lights? It must have. Sorry, silly question.

By the way does anyone have any experience of dealing with a US bank called First Commonwealth, will have to open a bank account (primarily just to pay the utilities...it's great that we can be in Ireland and pay our US gas, water and light online! Great. Not that there will be much to pay, mainly just the service fee)

[fleetiebelle]

Is it kinda complicated to use a furnace?

It shouldn't, if the furnace is in good working order. Change the filter regularly, get it maintained once a year, and that's about it. As far as operating it goes, you set the thermostat for whatever you want the temperature to be, and it does the rest.

Are you coming to visit the States before you sink any money in real estate? Like others have said, it would be worth it to rent a place for a few months while you do some on the ground research. It would be terrible to get here and be stuck in a situation that you hate.

[irish8]

And what are prices like in the States? Very sorry for these off topic questions just trying to find out as much info as possible!

For eample here a pack of Marlboro is about $11.30
A beer in a pub, $6
Cable Tv, $37 p.m
Internet, $37 p.m
A litre of milk, $2.20
A dvd rental, $7
A bottle of vodka in a store, $30-$40
A large pizza (delivered), $30
A chicken in a supermarket, $7 (minimum)
A 4 mile taxi ride, $14.50

Is home insurance expensive?

[irish8]

Originally Posted by fleetiebelle

It shouldn't, if the furnace is in good working order. Change the filter regularly, get it maintained once a year, and that's about it. As far as operating it goes, you set the thermostat for whatever you want the temperature to be, and it does the rest.

Are you coming to visit the States before you sink any money in real estate? Like others have said, it would be worth it to rent a place for a few months while you do some on the ground research. It would be terrible to get here and be stuck in a situation that you hate.

Yes, I plan to go to the US this week or next, it's a hell of a journey...gotta fly Dublin - Chicago - Newark, Greyhound to Pittsburgh and bus to New Castle, coming back its JFK - London - Dublin.......oh my god, I am breaking out in a sweat just thinking about it! Imagine that, I have to fly to Chicago to get to Newark......dear god!

Won't be putting an offer in until I have seen the place, and the town and the neighbourhood. But the price is so low I could cry. But if it looks to good to be true then it probably is..........badabing badaboom!

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by irish8

And what are prices like in the States? Very sorry for these off topic questions just trying to find out as much info as possible!

For eample here a pack of Marlboro is about $11.30
A beer in a pub, $6
Cable Tv, $37 p.m
Internet, $37 p.m
A litre of milk, $2.20
A dvd rental, $7
A bottle of vodka in a store, $30-$40
A large pizza (delivered), $30
A chicken in a supermarket, $7 (minimum)
A 4 mile taxi ride, $14.50

Is home insurance expensive?

The last time I saw a price of ciggys it was 6 bucks a pack.
A beer at a bar is around 3-5 dollars. (Ah -- I fondly remember the 50 cent drafts at the Silver...)
I have Dishnet satellite -- the "everything package" which doesn't include the premium channels like HBO, Showtime, but includes local channels and 2 recievers... 62.99.
Internet varies widely -- I pay 59.95 for DSL. By far not the cheapest, but it's a business write off and after I saw what friends have gone through, the reliablility is WAY worth it.
We don't do liters, but a gallon of milk (close to 2 liters) is 3.45
In Pennsylvania, you can't buy liquor or beer in a store. You have to go to state store for wine and spirits, and a beer distributor for beer. I don't know what they charge anymore. Out here in California, you can get vodka 10-12 bucks a bottle....
We get a large combo pizza delievered for less than 20 dollars. We add a tip of 4 bucks.
Whole uncooked chicken on sale -- 99 cents a pound
Don't know anything about taxis

Home insurance isn't too bad... I live in a not good area of old houses and my insurance for full replacement is 2K a year....

[PeterRabbit]

Pittsburgh prices:

Marlboro is $30.00 a carton if you order online, $4.50 per pack at store.

A beer in a pub, $1.25, $6.00 for takeout 12-pack, $9.00 up for a case at beer distributor.

Cable TV, cable Internet, unlimited phone - typical package is $99 a month.

A litre of milk $1.80

A bottle of vodka in a store - $13.00 up for 1.75 Litre bottle.

A large pizza (delivered), $15 and up

A chicken in a supermarket, 6 pound chicken $7.25

$1.50 per mile for taxi when and if you can get one.

I pay around $215 per year per $100,000 home insurance.

[irish8]

The States is a hell of a lot cheaper compared to Ireland! Think I should phone some insurance companies and find out how much insurance might cost on the house we're looking at. I wonder if they would charge more if it wasn't usually occupied? Guess they might, perhaps a higher risk factor.