North-west Pittsburg Areas - Beaver Falls? (Pittsburgh, Erie: cheap home, buying, school district)

[Timmars]

I will be moving to the Pittsburgh area in the next few weeks and I will be buying my first home. I live in a semi-rural area outside of Raleigh NC and I am a little nervous about the whole city thing. Are there any nice areas with decent home prices (under 100K) in the northern or western parts of Allegheny county that would be fairly "low-speed". I've found some great homes in a town called Beaver Falls, but I know nothing about the area.
Schools will be an issue, I have an elementary school aged son. The reason I am interested in the north western section is the mine subsidence issue in the south eastern and central parts of the county. Anybody know how serious that really is? The articles about it on-line kind of freaked me out.
Thanks for any help!

[summergal]

Hi Timmars - Beaver Falls is probably not the best place to move to especially with a small boy. It was kinda rough when I lived in the area and has really gotten worse from what I've been hearing (still have friends there). There are some very cheap homes there, especially downtown just for this reason. Btw it's in Beaver Co. You can find tons of rural or semi-rural places to live around this area, but if you want to be in a small town I would suggest Beaver. There are really alot of nice places up there, Darlington, Chippewa, even Patterson... just up the hill from Beaver Falls. Basically things are more spread out with very small towns and lots of great homes with very large yards/or acres sprinkled all over the countryside inbetween.

[Timmars]

Thanks so much for the heads-up about Beaver Falls! I'll check into the areas you suggested instead. Do you know anything about the Ellwood city area? There are some nice houses there too.
I found an awesome place in Sharon, but it looks pretty far out. Know anything about that neck of the woods?
Thanks again!!!!!

[fmoreau]

Summergal

it seems that you know a lot about beaver county. I found a townhome in Aliquippa ( beaver county )in PA and a house in Center town (Beaver County). I am trying to decide exactly where to settle. I now know not to go anywhere near Beaver Falls, but I don't know anything about Center town and Aliquippa. I would greatly appreciate if you could send me any info about Aliquippa or Center Town.

thanks

[Timmars]

I actually posted this question on another site and was told that Beaver Fallls is not so bad. It's all relative, I guess. Based on the advise of some former locals - "If you are not into Abercrombie and Starbucks, you might do OK there". Depends on what you are looking for....

[goldiemeridith]

Both areas, Beaver Falls and Aliquippa are poor, run down, unkempt towns. I don't know about the school systems, but I would not think they would be very good. I never lived there, but lived near there. I have also been in both towns. I would not want to relocate to either one. One thing that you can do is search the newspapers in those areas, to get an idea what the stories about the towns have to say. I really do wish you the best. I agree with the areas that were suggested to you. Beaver is very nice.

Sharon is in the opposite direction. Probably closer to Erie, PA. I was only there once or twice, but wasn't impressed. Beaver did impress me though.

[summergal]

Yes what goldie is saying is true. Beaver Falls and 'Quippa (as we called it) are not nice areas at all. When I was a kid, I changed busses at the BF High school, having to wait for an hour there and back then (20 years ago or so) there were fights every week in front of the school... even between school girls holding their babies in their arms, drugs dealt right there in front of us and it was common to see guys carrying knives in their socks or on their belts... can't imagine it's gotten much better. From what I've heard, the drug problem is bad in that area today for the young kids coming up.

As far as Aliquippa, pretty much the same type atmoshere from that town is what I remember. When either BF or Quipp football teams came to my high school, there were police onhand and always alot of trouble, fights, vandalism and the parents participated in the chaos as well... I know this sounds kinda silly, speaking of high school 20 years ago, but things up there don't change much... it's like a time capsule, so alot of the old is probly still about the same today. Understand this is a place where generations live there and never ever leave the town of their birth lol. I can't see either of these towns turning around. They both have a larger black population and a "seedy" element to them. Not being racist, just honest. Please don't take that the wrong way. There are just too many other, better places to live up there to bother with these areas.

Now, Beaver is a great place to live and raise kids! Very nice town and good school. Quiet and safe. I read it's being considered for registration as a historic place (home fo Fort MacIntosh). Be sure to check this town out!

[summergal]

Here's the link for the Beaver County Times newspaper online.


www.timesonline.com

[summergal]

Originally Posted by Timmars

Thanks so much for the heads-up about Beaver Falls! I'll check into the areas you suggested instead. Do you know anything about the Ellwood city area? There are some nice houses there too.
I found an awesome place in Sharon, but it looks pretty far out. Know anything about that neck of the woods?
Thanks again!!!!!

Don't know much about Ellwood today, used to be kinda nothin town... just a plain town in the middle of nowhere. May be more built up today with the easy access to Pitt? Don't know. Now Sharon is getting way out too far to work around Pittsburgh I think. That's a looooooooong drive with 2 feet of snow on the roads! lol

[Dee2e]

Originally Posted by Timmars

I will be moving to the Pittsburgh area in the next few weeks and I will be buying my first home. I live in a semi-rural area outside of Raleigh NC and I am a little nervous about the whole city thing. Are there any nice areas with decent home prices (under 100K) in the northern or western parts of Allegheny county that would be fairly "low-speed". I've found some great homes in a town called Beaver Falls, but I know nothing about the area.
Schools will be an issue, I have an elementary school aged son. The reason I am interested in the north western section is the mine subsidence issue in the south eastern and central parts of the county. Anybody know how serious that really is? The articles about it on-line kind of freaked me out.
Thanks for any help!

I grew up visiting Beaver County every summer and loved it there. Blackhawk schools are very good. Look to buy in that school district.

Go Steelers!