Moving to Pittsburgh, 4 teens, big dog (Bethel Park, Lebanon: transplants, insurance, mortgage)

[LAMBSN]

Originally Posted by Luv4ThePaws

We seem to really like Oakmont from what we have seen, so thanks! We'll see it in person Monday!

We were hoping to avoid all that painting, de-wallpapering (is that a word?!) and general nonsense that goes into updating since we have been doing that for three long years! We are glad we have done what we have so far since it will only increase the value of our home and make it more marketable since many people don't like updating. With every home, you change it to suit your individual tastes and preferences, but we were just hoping not to have a 1950's pink bathroom and 1950's oven. Seriously- some of the appliances you guys have up there are insane!! How much are you energy bills running fridges from 1970?!

I don't get to Oakmont much but I do agree with the earlier poster - they have the best bakery in Pgh!!!!

Must best friend in Mt. Lebanon has one of those 1950's oven and a 1950's bathroom (except it's yellow and cranberry instead of pink!) They bought the house 10 years ago for charm and didn't have the money to change it. In the past year their oven broke twice (once on Christmas while cooking dinner for 20+ people) and now they are finding out that all the remodeling is going to cost a lot. hope you can find what you are looking for! If you have the patience and time, I'm sure you will!

[Luv4ThePaws]

Originally Posted by LAMBSN

I don't get to Oakmont much but I do agree with the earlier poster - they have the best bakery in Pgh!!!!

Must best friend in Mt. Lebanon has one of those 1950's oven and a 1950's bathroom (except it's yellow and cranberry instead of pink!) They bought the house 10 years ago for charm and didn't have the money to change it. In the past year their oven broke twice (once on Christmas while cooking dinner for 20+ people) and now they are finding out that all the remodeling is going to cost a lot. hope you can find what you are looking for! If you have the patience and time, I'm sure you will!

A broken oven during the holidays is never a good thing! Especially with 20+ people! Yes, we have heard (especially in those charming vintage homes) that remodels can be very pricey as it costs more to keep up with the look of the house and do it the right way. That's why I would have no problem buying a fixer-upper (structurally sound though) if my dad was still alive, as he was a contractor and did a lot of work on our house here for just the price of the materials. But, to move to a strange city and basically open a phone book and hope you find someone reputable, not to mention the cost of such a project.... That doesn't sound great to me! It would be nice to find something a little more modern and up-to-date!! Thanks for sharing- your posts are always so nice and helpful!

P.S. Can't wait to try out the bakery!! We already wrote the address down to check out!

[Luv4ThePaws]

Oh, and how about areas in the city? I mean, are there any safe areas in the city with good schools, decent (as in not 5 feet between houses!) lots and walkable ammenities, such as shops and libraries? I would not mind living in the city at all, and aren't the taxes actually a little lower? With us checking it out Monday and Tuesday, we want to make sure not to miss anything. How is the Observatory Hill area? We read a post where someone recommended it, but we have also heard mixed feedback.

We are not looking for an edgy, hip neighborhood with bars, nightclubs and tons of restaurants. Just a family-friendly area with a village feel. Perhaps there aren't any and that's why people move to places like Oakmont and Mt. Lebanon?

[Hopes]

There are houses in Squirrel Hill and Regent Square that have slightly larger yards. You might have a difficult time finding a house within your price range though. There are people who love Edgewood. Since you don't have children yet, Edgewood is a consideration. Remember I mentioned that Charter school at Frick Park. That's K-8. By the time your children enter high school, you could move to another area or put them into private school. Actually, it's likely there will be more charter schools within the next 10 years too. Charters are gaining momentum throughout Pennsylvania.

[Hopes]

Here's the West View borough website:

http://www.westviewborough.com/



Here's a picture of West View's main street:

[Luv4ThePaws]

Thanks Hopes!! We checked out all areas you recommended and yes, Squirrel Hill and Regent Square are nice, but too pricey for us. Edgewood and West View both have some very pretty, affordable houses! Some actually have a little bit of a yard- shocking! We will be checking them out for sure. So, as it stands, we officially really like Edgewood, West View & Oakmont. Mt. Lebanon is up there as well, because you can get a nice lot with a usable yard- unfortunately, some of the taxes are just so high and the homes we can afford tend to be much smaller.

How will we be able to find the different boroughs when we get there? Will our hotel have a map or should we write down addresses and plug them into our GPS and try and navigate around a small area?

[LAMBSN]

What hotel are you staying at or what part of town? Maybe we can give you guidance as to what order you should see them in since we know what will be located closest to your hotel.

Although I do believe your hotel will be happy to give you assistance. The people of Pittsburgh are very friendly and helpful. I think you'll find that anybody along your way will be willing to help you.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by Hopes

There are houses in Squirrel Hill and Regent Square that have slightly larger yards. You might have a difficult time finding a house within your price range though. There are people who love Edgewood. Since you don't have children yet, Edgewood is a consideration. Remember I mentioned that Charter school at Frick Park. That's K-8. By the time your children enter high school, you could move to another area or put them into private school. Actually, it's likely there will be more charter schools within the next 10 years too. Charters are gaining momentum throughout Pennsylvania.

I have no idea why someone changed my above post. There was a paragraph on West View and another paragraph on Ligonier. I mentioned that West View is served by North Hills School District which ranks in the top 100. Also, if you want a villiage type atmosphere, there are some great towns in the surrounding counties where people commute to Pittsburgh. Ligonier is in Westmoreland County and it's an adorable town with lots of character that's nestled in the mountains.

[LAMBSN]

Hopes your post was there this morning - i saw it when I logged on earlier! Not sure why it was changed.

[Luv4ThePaws]

I never saw the rest of your post last night Hopes!! Thanks for reposting it, as it wasn't there! We were wondering how the school district was in West View, so thanks for letting us know it's a top 100! We will look up Ligonier right now!

We booked a room at the Crowne Plaza Pittsburgh South as it is dog-friendly and got good reviews! Somebody at the front desk told us it was by Mt. Lebanon when we called- and yes, they were extremely nice on the phone! We have to drop our lab and shepherd off at boarding, so by the time they open and we get them checked in, we should be leaving by 8:30. That will put us in the Pittsburgh region around 3:30 with stops and everything. If any of the areas can be checked out in the late afternoon/early evening without too much rush-hour headache, we would love to start exploring right away!!

And, sincerely, to both of you- THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! You have been a tremendous help to me and everybody else reading this!!!