How much house can you get for $50k? (Pittsburgh: apartments, neighborhood)

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by Paul2421

are we looking at the same house? even the pictures shown aren't good so i can't imagine what the rest looks like. and it doesn't show the kitchen so it might be absent....that house needs 50k of work easy to make it livable. who knows about the deck and pool...could be another 25k to salvage the pool.

Yes.

[Salmonburgher]

Originally Posted by norcider

This house is a stone's throw from I279, 28, and town. It's on a well traveled road though. Alas, it is in the North Side which is the boogey man to many looking for a first time home purchase.

Yes. That's a shame.

Our family house is in the East Allegheny part of the North Side, just north of East Ohio Street and west of 279.

I lived with my Grandmother there when I was going to law school and then after my Grandma left, my wife and I lived there as I finished school and started working. We were there for almost seven years and we LOVED it.

In my opinion, the location cannot be beat. I could and did often walk to downtown for meetings and work. Getting to Oakland was easy. The Strip was close. The stadium (back then only Three Rivers) was close. Easy access to 279 and 28.

Actually, my wife and I both loved living there. Our boy is there now, as he just finished up at Pitt.

We left there in the mid 90s so that I could take a job over in Asia. But, we are looking to return to Pittsburgh as I want to retire soon, and the North Side is one area that we would definitely consider.

[alastad]

https://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/re...275094048.html IDK if this is real, sounds too good to be true but if it is, woooowww.

[RogersParkTransplant]

Originally Posted by alastad

https://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/re...275094048.html IDK if this is real, sounds too good to be true but if it is, woooowww.

That's amazing, but kind of hard to believe, no? Like maybe a typo in the price? I'm looking at a map and it seems like a really neat location for someone looking out that way. What am I missing?

[RogersParkTransplant]

My dream would be to convince my parents to downsize to something like this and fix it up a bit (if only they would leave California...)

3324 Spring Garden Rd, Reserve Township, PA 15212 - realtor.com®

[RogersParkTransplant]

Originally Posted by Salmonburgher

Our family house is in the East Allegheny part of the North Side, just north of East Ohio Street and west of 279.

That's a fabulous location, actually, and it's gentrifying fast. If your family still owns it that's a heck of an investment right now.

[Salmonburgher]

Originally Posted by RogersParkTransplant

That's a fabulous location, actually, and it's gentrifying fast. If your family still owns it that's a heck of an investment right now.

It is a great location, and we have watched the area change quite a bit over the years. We still own the place, and my son is living there, now, until he gets on with his life's work!

[guy2073]

Originally Posted by alastad

https://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/re...275094048.html IDK if this is real, sounds too good to be true but if it is, woooowww.

Yeah they forgot a zero

[RogersParkTransplant]

Originally Posted by Salmonburgher

It is a great location, and we have watched the area change quite a bit over the years. We still own the place, and my son is living there, now, until he gets on with his life's work!

Oh, got it -- when I first read your comment I thought your son was simply living in the same area, but now I realize you meant in the same house! That's really very cool

[sky329]

Originally Posted by ferraris

Most people who can save up a down payment probably feel that they can afford more than a $50K house. Or they aren't interested in home projects. Or they wouldn't feel comfortable/satisfied living in that sort of neighborhood.



When I said I'm leaving Pittsburgh, I meant the whole metro, not just moving outside of city limits. There are personal, family, and career reasons that I won't dive into here. But the cost of housing definitely was a big factor. I can no longer envision myself living in the sorts of neighborhoods that made me love Pittsburgh in the first place. They are just too expensive now.

Staying in Brighton Heights has become a lot less appealing. It's an acceptable place to live for us, but it's just not going to turn into what I had hoped. Neighbors seem to be more interested in getting a gas station than a restaurant or nice bar, more houses instead of a new park or mixed-use area. People were angry that a Family Dollar opened up in Woods Run. There's too much NIMBYism with things like bus stops, the Davis Ave Bridge, & parks. There's very little support for Morrow. There's too much "turn the other cheek" style tolerance for crime and vandalism. I have a lot of nuisance drug dealer activity on my street, and it used to bother me less because of my optimism for the neighborhood, but now it's just cementing my views that it's time for us to leave.

Heck, just yesterday the Metro PCS store was robbed at gun point in broad daylight, right next door to the coffee shop we go to. And earlier this year the SWAT team raided a home on my block -- which remember, is now an expensive block for some weird reason. It's a place that could work for us, but as you pointed out, we can afford better, so why should I be putting my family through all of this if I don't see it changing how I'd like it to in the future.

EDIT: To keep this on topic, I imagine a lot of $50K homes are in neighborhoods that have issues like this. Which explains why they don't appeal to a lot of people.

not to bash anyone.. but the north side of Pittsburgh has always been rough as heck.. I am a lifetime Pittsburgh native.. literally on sunday I parked my car on a PUBLIC side street to walk to the steelers game.. A guy had a whole bunch of chairs blocking the street so he can CHARGE people to park on a public street.. Of course I didn't know this so as soon as I got out my vehicle he ran up to me in my face screaming that the spot was saved and his.. I nudged the guy outta my face before I had to do something.. it was just redicolous.. North side has a long way to go never heard one good thing except for ccac and north shore