Neighborhood Suggestions for House in 60-80K Range

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by robrobrob

A big yard means different things to different people. Our lot is a little more than a quarter or an acre, I think. And we have what I would consider a big yard. Most houses in the city, for example, really don't have big yards. My inlaws live in the city (in a part that looks like a burb) and their lot is .10 of an acre and they have what I would consider a small yard. IMO a lot of walkable areas don't have big yards.

Perhaps. Keep in mind though that the OP has been living abroad, and is from Philly. Therefore the way I interpreted big yard was basically "not a rowhouse."

[ParkerG]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Perhaps. Keep in mind though that the OP has been living abroad, and is from Philly. Therefore the way I interpreted big yard was basically "not a rowhouse."

You were right! I live in a condo right now and I do have a small cement yard, but I also live about a ten minute walk from the mountains, so I'm a bit spoiled right now. That's one of the reasons why I decided to move to Pittsburgh -- it's a big city with lots of parks and close to the mountains.

So yeah, I want a yard that the dogs can run around and play in, but it doesn't have to be anywhere near a half acre. I probably should have specified that! Also, I'll be making use of dog parks.

I had originally been looking for duplexes in the 120-170 range, so I think my initial neighborhood estimates were a little off. But I decided that with my dogs, I don't really want to share a back yard or have to deal with tenants next door. So now I'm looking at lower priced units that will let me save a lot more.

I know I saw some nice places in the Brookline area on realtor.com, and I like that it's close to the T. However, the northside might be more my speed. I'll know more once I get into the city and start looking, but all of the advice in this thread has been much appreciated, and I'll have a much better idea of the areas I want to buy in.

[norcider]

Woods Run valley. Homes are available in that range and you have access to Riverview park that the neighborhood borders.

[RogersParkTransplant]

Originally Posted by norcider

Woods Run valley. Homes are available in that range and you have access to Riverview park that the neighborhood borders.

Yes! That's a lovely location...I never know what to call it. Marshall-Shadeland, or Brighton Heights, or just its own thing? But there are definitely cute homes back there, and it's well-positioned within the Northside as a whole.

[PghYinzer]

Originally Posted by eschaton

PGHYinzer could say more I'm sure, but my impression is the prices in Brighton Heights and Brookline are pretty similar. You can't buy the nicest houses in either neighborhood at that price, but you can afford plenty of houses which are either smaller or need some remodeling. I actually think the upper price range in Brighton Heights is a bit higher than Brookline, if only because Brookline doesn't have too many of giant old foursquares with intact woodwork and stained glass, while Brighton Heights of course has a fair share.

Agreed. The Brookline housing market is very strange right now. I am a casual observer, since I already own in the neighborhood, but the houses that go up for sale seem to be all over the place. It is either nice ones that have been maintained very well (however updated to stereotypical grandma standards) or ones that need a lot of work. I haven't seen a lot of the intact, larger, and older homes in Brookline going on the market lately, but more the smaller beat up ones. They are going for cheap and with a little work can definitely return a nice profit. However, that being said a lot of the renovations that are happening are stripping out the character that does remain to sterilize the houses for modern "tastes." I landed a once in a lifetime house, with all original detail intact and maintained, but with updated plumbing and wiring a little over 5 years ago for under 90k. That doesn't happen anymore in Brookline.

Outside of the housing market, the walkability of the streets closest to the Blvd can't be beat. Although the mix of businesses on the Blvd is lacking in my opinion, but hopefully slowly turning a corner, you can't beat the vibrancy of the business district and the marked difference in the outward appearance of a lot of the people you see in the neighborhood. More strollers and quality tattoos with less sweatpants and bad tattoos.

[ferraris]

If Brookline has more homes in this price range than I realized then I stand corrected. It would easily be one of the most walkable neighborhoods in that price range. The downside is that it's somewhat isolated due to the terrain and it's less well served by transit...but if you have more in the neighborhood itself then transit and getting to other neighborhoods matters less.

[PghYinzer]

Originally Posted by ferraris

If Brookline has more homes in this price range than I realized then I stand corrected. It would easily be one of the most walkable neighborhoods in that price range. The downside is that it's somewhat isolated due to the terrain and it's less well served by transit...but if you have more in the neighborhood itself then transit and getting to other neighborhoods matters less.

Well, I probably should have looked at the number of houses on the market....Brookline has 17 houses under 80k on the market, and Brighton Heights has 30. The houses in that range in Brookline tend to be on the perimeter of the neighborhood, so I don't really think it is perhaps that great in that price range, however with a little bit of a walk you do have access to more amenities on the Blvd.

Brookline's transit, at least the bus, is only really good for those who work downtown at a 9-5 job. For that it cant be beat with direct service to and from the neighborhood every 10 mins during rush hours. As for whats on the Blvd, it has everything you really need for day to day living (no major grocery though) and more, but I am dying for a great brunch spot and a more foodie type bar/restaurant, but my tastes skew towards that of a food snob so not sure everyone would say it is necessary.

[lprmesia]

You mentioned Mt. Washington in your original post, which does have a dog park, lots of overall park space, is close to everything, multiple transit options (40, 43, the T, and the inclines), has a successful mini-business district with a nice mix of dives and higher end stuff, a full grocery store, and is extremely walkable.

The challenge is most of the properties up there are in the $100K-$200K range. You CAN find some homes in the $60K-$80K range, but the homes themselves might require a bit of TLC (mostly just outdated is all). The closer you can get to Shiloh St or Virginia Ave, the better off you'll be.

It's a fantastic neighborhood and seems to have a lot of what you're looking for.