Why are people moving out from Pittsburgh? (Lower Burrell, California: foreclosures, homes)

[ExPit]

Originally Posted by hildi200

So..I was one of the ones that did not want to buy an old house because I didn't want to deal with repairs later. We ended up buying a new house in the city (Squirrell Hill)... and even though it is considered expensive for Pittsburgh we can afford it (our salary would be nothing in Caifornia). A house like this in any city of California (where I moved from) would be millions! So even the expensive houses here are worth what they are worth.... I am 10 minutes from downtown, major shopping and Oakland (where we work...)...

Good for you, sounds great. The value and convenience you get in Pittsburgh is hard to beat. I'm a transplant, living in L.A., and as you know, even with the recent downturn in the R.E. market you can't touch anything half-way decent for under 7 or 8 hundred grand, and that's just for a little, 3 BR house in any neighborhood that's not gang infested. I check online sometimes to see, looking for an escape valve I guess, and for that same money in Pittsburgh you could get a near mansion in Virginia Manor.

I used to have alotta fun in Oakland when I was a younger, and anytime I'm back I make a point of spending at least one night there. Squirrel Hill's nice and Forbes and Murray Avenues are great; if you like pizza you gotta get a pie from Mineo's, a Pittsburgh institution...and you'll get some good Jewish Deli there too; Squirrel Hill that is, not Mineo's.

Good luck, sounds like you're off to a good start... Sweltering in L.A.

[subdivisions]

Originally Posted by Humanoid

This just proves my point. You bought an old home that needed updating, this is exactly my point. Pittsburgh is filled with old homes that need updating, unlike many other areas that are not.

Unfortunately, no, it doesn't, because your point wasn't that many old homes in Pittsburgh need updating (which is a true statement).

Instead, your point was that anything under $200K in Pittsburgh is "a complete piece of junk" (exact quote, and nothing but excessively negative hyperbole). Nothing about the description of my sub-$100K house would indicate anything approximating "a complete piece of junk".

And I haven't said anything in this thread yet about other areas or the price or quality of their housing stock. Although if you want my opinion, I am thrilled that I am even able to afford any home here, and even more thrilled that I was able to buy something with character and charm. Buying any home at all wasn't even an option for us in Colorado, and if we had been able to afford something there, it would have been something I wouldn't want to live in (i.e., boring, bland, and lost somewhere in the vast urban sprawl wasteland east of the Springs). So I'll happily live in my "complete piece of junk" with its lovely oak floors, crown molding, and wavy glass windows, thanks.

Your predictions about the certain failure of my home's plumbing system are duly noted. If you have additional psychic insight into exactly when and where that will happen, please do let me know so I can make sure that all of my valuables are safely out of the way.

[subdivisions]

Originally Posted by bboy36win

Any escape might help to smooth the unattractive truth
But the suburbs have no charms to soothe the restless dreams of youth.

Congrats - you're the first person in the entire year and a half that I've been posting on City-Data Forum to "get it".

[creepsinc]

Originally Posted by subdivisions

Congrats - you're the first person in the entire year and a half that I've been posting on City-Data Forum to "get it".

Ahem....I think, chronologically, I was the first to "get it", even if it was just a couple hours earlier.

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by Humanoid

Secondly, I never found a house in Pittsburgh for under 100k that wasn't a complete piece of junk. In the city anything decent will run you at least 200k (And this is still an older house that hasn't been updated much).

I really have to disagree with that statement. There are a ton of homes under 100K that are in good condition and in good areas in the city proper. If by Pittsburgh you mean the surrounding suburbs, there are even more. It's possible you had a lousy agent showing you properties they wanted to unload. I won't argue that a lot of lower priced homes are run down, but I can also show you 400K homes that have at least 60 thousand dollars of deferred maintenance, I'm speaking from experience.

Just for the sake of argument there are currently 10 homes listed in Mt. Lebanon, probably the area's best school district and best suburb, for under 100K, and 83 from 100K to 200K. Most are older homes to be sure, but a piece of junk? I don't think so.

The only homes that won't require updating is obviously new construction, and that window only lasts 8 years, then it's time for new carpeting and a water heater, if you're lucky.

Homes that sell for under 100K are not necessarily a piece of junk.

[guylocke]

anything under $200K in Pittsburgh is "a complete piece of junk"

My parent's have a 3-bedroom, 2-full bath, absolutely stunning house in Lower Burrell (a more than perfectly fine town) that is appraised at 165k.

It has amazing, re-stored original hardwood floors, a beautiful sun-room, spiral staircase, spacious living and dining rooms, centrally located kitchen, and a top-notch landscaped yard.

I'm not sure how you can find much better. I have expensive taste and I told my parents that when they sell that house I'll buy even if I'm not even living in Pittsburgh. It NEVER needs or needed work and the only reason the floors were re-done is because the person who owned it before my parents had ugly carpeting installed for years.

This is one of probably a quarter million examples of perfectly beautiful homes under 200k.

Moronic.

[Copanut]

Lower Burrell is a great little area as are the surrounding areas like Allegheny Township. A good buddy of mine bought a 2200 sf multi-level with 3 acres of land for just a little over 200K. Low taxes, well and septic,(no municipal charges) and the furnace can be fired by oil or a wood burner. Great house.

[guylocke]

Lower Burrell is a great little area as are the surrounding areas like Allegheny Township. A good buddy of mine bought a 2200 sf multi-level with 3 acres of land for just a little over 200K. Low taxes, well and septic,(no municipal charges) and the furnace can be fired by oil or a wood burner. Great house.

Awesome!! I know downtown has a horrible rep (for good reason) and I wouldn't want to put kids through their school district, but even large parts of New Kensington have similar homes that are VERY well-kept and are similar to what I described as my parent's home. Especially the further you get form the river and the closer you get to Lower Burrell.

[globalburgh]

Originally Posted by Humanoid

This is a much of nonsense. 1% chance of a price decline.... Possibly if you ignore absolute everything that is going on in the economy. Regardless, even if Pittsburgh declines it won't be as bad as the bubble markets, obviously because Pittsburgh never had rapid appreciation.

There are a number of real estate markets that never had rapid appreciation being labeled as high risk. But to dismiss out of hand the report is the real nonsense. "Ignore absolutely everything"? You really take grinding an ax to a new level. You might consider the source of the assessment before shooting off at the mouth. A mortgage insurance company (based in California, mind you) depends on these assessments of risk in order to sustain itself.

To say that they are ignoring the economy is insipid.

[bboy36win]

Originally Posted by creepsinc

Ahem....I think, chronologically, I was the first to "get it", even if it was just a couple hours earlier.

No argument here ... creepsinc was first ... (your reference to Red Barchetta was outstanding).