Most underrated Pittsburgh neighborhoods (Allentown, Washington: real estate, apartments, rentals)

[eschaton]

We have one, we might as well have the other.

My own feelings:

Spring Hill: Spring Hill is still priced like the ghetto, but it's not a ghetto neighborhood by any means. The lack of a business district means it will never really become a hot area, but it's certainly undervalued.

Troy Hill: Competing with Millvale right now for the "Next Lawrenceville" award. Just got a new general store.

Oakwood: The crown jewel of the Greater West End in terms of housing stock - like a little slice of Highland Park was dropped off in the wrong place. A really safe neighborhood with decent local elementary schools for Pittsburgh as well. Obviously no business district however.

[theta_sigma]

Definitely Troy Hill. I see big things. We were looking up there in our recent search but as with all the hot 'hoods, inventory is nonexistent. I really liked the vibe, though. Get in while the getting is good, folks.

I'm proud(?) to say that I guess Stanton Heights has graduated from underrated to... rated, I guess? Which is weird to me, especially because around these parts I was assured for years that its lack of walkability and small, ugly housing stock would make it forever the redheaded stepchild of the East End.

[norcider]

I agree on your first two nominations, not familiar with Oakwood other than having driven through it a couple of times. I've heard Oakwood referred to as Copland. I'd like to nominate:
Summer Hill: remote city neighborhood with more of a rural feel. Super quiet streets, within close proximity to I279 and suburban shopping areas. Minutes from town, close to 28 as well.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by theta_sigma

Definitely Troy Hill. I see big things. We were looking up there in our recent search but as with all the hot 'hoods, inventory is nonexistent. I really liked the vibe, though. Get in while the getting is good, folks.

I think Troy Hill's issue is a lot of the potentially best housing stock is either rental property or passed down through families, meaning supply is always low.

Hot hoods don't always have low supply though. Lawrenceville and South Side have had pretty damn wide arrays of housing options for years now. It's just those options are much more expensive than they used to be.

[bradjl2009]

I absolutely agree that Spring Hill and Troy Hill are underrated. I have family in Spring Hill and have never thought of it as remotely ghetto all of the times I have been there.

[Blackbeauty212]

Uptown - Huge potential to be something beside a "Via" being the direct link between the 2nd and 3rd largest CBD in the state.

Allentown - Has potential to feed off of the South Side and Mt Washington gentrification

Highland Park - Always below the radar, I feel.

[JayDiFiore]

Brighton Heights.

Especially for carnivores, thanks to Tom Friday's.

Mostly quiet. Easy commutes to just about anywhere around the city and surrounding areas.

[fts11]

In addition to Spring Hill and Troy Hill, I would also include lower Spring Garden and East Deutschtown. Though it seems East Deutschtown at least is starting to turn around.

[gladhands]

Troy Hill real estate is weird. There's very little inventory, and the houses that DO hit the market are either barely livable or wildly overpriced. Renovated units and Troy Hill are being listed for more than similar units in Lawrenceville, five years ago, and Lawrenceville was already well on its way to full-blown gentrification. There's still a chance that Troy Hill doesn't happen.


Zillow: Real Estate, Apartments, Mortgages & Home Values

I think Friendship is underrated. Housing stock is nice and its walkable to Bloomfield, Shadyside, Garfield and East Liberty.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by gladhands

Troy Hill real estate is weird. There's very little inventory, and the houses that DO hit the market are either barely livable or wildly overpriced. Renovated units and Troy Hill are being listed for more than similar units in Lawrenceville, five years ago, and Lawrenceville was already well on its way to full-blown gentrification. There's still a chance that Troy Hill doesn't happen.


Zillow: Real Estate, Apartments, Mortgages & Home Values

That house is priced due to the view. You'll see expensive houses which are technically in Allentown and Perry Hilltop for much the same reason. The standard price for houses in livable condition in Troy Hill is still between $50,000 and $100,000.

Originally Posted by gladhands

I think Friendship is underrated. Housing stock is nice and its walkable to Bloomfield, Shadyside, Garfield and East Liberty.

As I said in the other thread, Friendship's issue is over half the properties are subdivided into apartments which are rented out to students by slumlords. It will never return to its glory days as a neighborhood due to this. It's certainly a nice area, but my understanding is it's been basically in stasis over the last 20 years or so (basically once it became expensive enough normal people couldn't buy and restore the homes, and the rentals became student dominated and hence worth too much money to warrant conversion back into houses).