Last Minute Questions (Pittsburgh, Lebanon, Dormont: countertops, cheap house, safe area)

[jinxd_13]

Ya'll, I am really iffy about this house. It seems to be in that bad part of Highland Park and I would have to send my kids to private school but it is breathtaking. So tell me about the neighborhood. Could my kids play on our steet without getting offered crack or snatched up by the candyman?

Large Victorian-wood floors-fenced backyard

[subdivisions]

Originally Posted by jinxd_13

Ya'll, I am really iffy about this house. It seems to be in that bad part of Highland Park and I would have to send my kids to private school but it is breathtaking. So tell me about the neighborhood. Could my kids play on our steet without getting offered crack or snatched up by the candyman?

Large Victorian-wood floors-fenced backyard

Yeah...I think I'd call that East Liberty, not Highland Park. Sounds like the landlord is trying to stretch the border of Highland Park just a little farther than it really can go - looks like a gorgeous place, tho!

Others may have more info about that specific street/block.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by jinxd_13

Ya'll, I am really iffy about this house. It seems to be in that bad part of Highland Park and I would have to send my kids to private school but it is breathtaking. So tell me about the neighborhood. Could my kids play on our steet without getting offered crack or snatched up by the candyman?

Large Victorian-wood floors-fenced backyard

That address is definitely not in Highland Park--in fact I believe Black Street is the border between East Liberty and Garfield, with Stanton (three blocks away) being the border between East Liberty and Highland Park. I hesitate to say anything about that area since I don't know it well, but I would definitely not assume that whatever people have said about Highland Park applies.

Nice house, though ... that is a classic Pittsburgh variation on the American Foursquare (which is actually a Craftsman style, not a Victorian style, but that is just being technical). We currently live in a Foursquare ourselves, and we love it (we are only moving because the new house is even nicer!).

Unfortunately, for good or ill there are many such very nice houses in not-so-nice neighborhoods in Pittsburgh. Since you are visiting, at a minimum I would drive around the area first before deciding to move there.

[BrianTH]

By the way, that price is also kinda suspiciously low. My sense is houses like that in the nicer East End neighborhoods rent for closer to $2000/month, maybe more in the nicest neighborhoods. In fact they are ideal for sharing between something like 4-6 grad students, which adds up to a substantial amount of rent that can be paid.

[jinxd_13]

All of what you guys said is exactly what I thought but the hubby saw it and about had a cow. He hasn't done as much research as me to realize how low the price seems. That's okay though. I have seen alot of similar houses in our price range when we buy. We'll just have to settle a little when we rent

S'alright!

[PeterRabbit]

Using Stanton Avenue as the dividing line between Highland Park and East Liberty. Traveling on N. Negley Avenue toward Shadyside, Black Street is one block from Stanton on the East Liberty side, next light after Stanton. One block from Highland Park.

It's on the high side of Negley and I don't know if it would be considered East Liberty as it seems closer to Garfield. I always thought it was a nice looking tree-lined street, probably mixed race. This pic is from Google - the view across the street from your property.



As others said it's a great looking place. I wouldn't call it a bad area, maybe "iffy." The police at number 5 station would probably tell you what it's like there if you called them. I'd check it out in the daytime, knock on some neighbors doors and ask them, and then go back at night. The nearest private school might be St. Josephines in nearby Morningside. At Stanton and Negley is a busy bus stop. There's a pharmacy or coffee shop there too. There's nothing else commercial in the area unless they put something in the storefront at the end of Black Street on Negley.

[Bong477]

You can find worse areas in Pittsburgh, but you can find a lot of better ones too. I'd keep looking.

[Humanoid]

Thats a nice car parked on the lawn.... That picture reminds me how ugly a lot of Pittsburgh is.

[pghcleak]

I have to agree...the car on the lawn makes it look kinda trashy. I wish people didn't do that.

[jinxd_13]

Its funny. The minute I saw the car I was like "nope". As I said, even if it was a decent area, I would rather be in a schools system that is good. The last thing I wanna do after moving a kazillion miles is deal with more hassel. When we buy, we will be more settled and can contemplate private schools or magnets if we find the perfect house in, say, Friendship. At this point, I am sticking to Squirrel Hill (and the surrounding areas taht feed into Minadeo and Allderdice), Dormont, Mt Lebanon and, on the back end, Brookline.

I'll be honest ya'll, we are heading out in the morning to go to my mom's for a couple nights and then off to Pgh and I think I night faint from excitement. I have no idea how I will sleep