My realtor advised me to always stay west in a city when buying a home - is Pittsburgh the exception? (Mount Lebanon: school districts, living in)

[JoeLeaphorn]

If all things were equal, it may have been the case, but I rather doubt it.

First, in Pittsburgh industry was located close to the principle means of transportation and raw materials which meant the rivers. These run right through the middle of town. There used to be a fat rendering plant and a refinery on Neville Island, which is to the West of the city and they were two of the smelliest places I had ever experienced.

Second, the choice of where to located factories, etc., was more likely (after the above), determined by the price of real estate, not whether you were upwind or downwind from someplace else.

It may be the case, today, that with modern land use and zoning regulations, the location of potentially noxious plants may be limited, but you aren't seeing too many of these being built in the US, especially in this economy.

[Katarina Witt]

OK, I'm old enough to remember some of this stuff almost first-hand. In my home town of Beaver Falls, the mills were first located on the flat area of land between the Beaver River and the hills. So the desirable places to live were on the hilltops, away somewhat from the smoke and soot. In the case of BF, the hills are to the west of the city. There is however, a large mill, still standing, on some flat land in the College Hill section of town.

[JoeLeaphorn]

Originally Posted by Katiana

OK, I'm old enough to remember some of this stuff almost first-hand. In my home town of Beaver Falls, the mills were first located on the flat area of land between the Beaver River and the hills. So the desirable places to live were on the hilltops, away somewhat from the smoke and soot. In the case of BF, the hills are to the west of the city. There is however, a large mill, still standing, on some flat land in the College Hill section of town.

And Mt. Washington, which is now one of the most expensive places to live, was once relatively inexpensive because the roads were so steep that you couldn't get up or down them in the wintertime. When I was a kid, Beaver Falls (and Aliquippa and other small towns), actually had thriving downtowns with department stores, restaurants, banks and theatres.

No more, alas.

[Katarina Witt]

Yes, I remember downtown Beaver Falls fondly. Aliquippa was the other town in the Beaver Valley with a thriving downtown, as you mentioned. Beaver still has one, but it seems to be mostly restaurants.

[sr1234]

Rule of thumb for Pittsburgh...if you want your housing value to appreciate, then move outside the Allegheny County line.

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by sr1234

Rule of thumb for Pittsburgh...if you want your housing value to appreciate, then move outside the Allegheny County line.

Painting with a broad brush. I can show you sales in Butler county that are tanking, in Treesdale.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by COPANUT

Painting with a broad brush. I can show you sales in Butler county that are tanking, in Treesdale.

True. My parents' home in Beaver County didn't appreciate all that much in 40 years. (Not as much as I would have thought, anyway.)

[robrobrob]

I don't think that it fair to say that only homes outside of Allegheny County are increasing in value. Certainly, property values in some of the poorer areas in Allegheny County are declining or are stagnant. For example, I don't think property in Penn Hills has increased that much in value recently. There are though many upper middle class areas that are increasing in value. Take Pine and Richland for example. And in the city it costs a lot more to live in Shadyside or Regent Square than it did 10 years ago. If you want to make a general statement, I would agree that property values in the better school districts increase at a greater rate than property values in awful school districts regardless of what county they are in.

[easybay]

So, the areas you list - Pine, Richland, Shadyside and Regent have better school districts?

[JoeLeaphorn]

Originally Posted by robrobrob

If you want to make a general statement, I would agree that property values in the better school districts increase at a greater rate than property values in awful school districts regardless of what county they are in.

That is likely because the school boards in these districts serve a more affluent population who can better afford the additional taxes. One of the downsides of Allegheny County is the large number of school districts and the inequities between rich and poor. The state is only required to make up the difference between the revenues raised by property taxes and the mythical $$$$ per pupil which is required. This leaves the richer districts better able to spend in excess of the state mandated expenditure. There has been some adjustment for schools in need, but it is still far from what is equitable.