Signs of life in PGH? (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: sales, rent, house)

[loudpainting]

Long story short, I may or may not be heading to Philadelphia.

I've been in PGH for two years, and while there's a lot going for it, I've also been largely unemployed.

Over the next three years or so I'll be pursuing a technical degree. So I have time in either city to ride out the recession and hope things become better.

Is Pittsburgh poised for a turnaround, or will the next ten years be like the last ten? The most optimistic point probably is CMU and how Google and MS are building campuses here...

thoughts?

Also, costs at either city, for me, will largely be the same. Philly is more expensive in general, but Temple has lower tuition.

[highway29south]

I don't know anything about Philly, but things here are slow to change and I can't see anything major going on in the next few years. If there is a sign of life in Pittsburgh, I sure am unaware of it

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by highway29south

I don't know anything about Philly, but things here are slow to change and I can't see anything major going on in the next few years. If there is a sign of life in Pittsburgh, I sure am unaware of it

Why don't you just leave?

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by loudpainting

Also, costs at either city, for me, will largely be the same.

I think you're underestimating the importance of a low cost of living while underemployed during a recession. I would ride out a recession in Pittsburgh over almost anywhere else. There are other areas of the country where there are 200 applicants for even a fast food job. Pittsburgh's economy is not bad by comparison.

Originally Posted by loudpainting

Philly is more expensive in general, but Temple has lower tuition.

Compared to which Pittsburgh university? A couple thousand per year in tution savings won't really offset a higher cost of living.

[loudpainting]

actually, rent is largely the same. One place I'm considering in Fishtown for instance is sharing a rowhouse with living room, kitchen, whirlpool etc for $550+100 utilities.

A similar house in the pittsburgh area a similar distance away might be like $300-$400/mo. So savings of maybe 1-2k in housing. Food I'm thinking would likely be largely the same.

[Hopes]

Check out these unemployment statistics for metropolitian areas:

Unemployment Rates for Metropolitan Areas

Pittsburgh is doing better than Philadelphia.

[highway29south]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Why don't you just leave?

I would love to! But I think that people asking these types of questions need more than the native Pittsburghers usual cheerleading about how great the city is. Most people here have little experience with living anywhere else and that leads to quite a narrow point of view. Plus, people here are very defensive about this place and a balanced point of view is hard to get.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by loudpainting

actually, rent is largely the same. One place I'm considering in Fishtown for instance is sharing a rowhouse with living room, kitchen, whirlpool etc for $550+100 utilities.

A similar house in the pittsburgh area a similar distance away might be like $300-$400/mo. So savings of maybe 1-2k in housing. Food I'm thinking would likely be largely the same.

I have actually been surprised to see how high rents are in Pittsburgh, relative to housing prices. Many people have posted about paying $600-$700 for a 2 BR apt, which is the going rate in Denver, where housing to buy is considerably more expensive.

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by Katiana

I have actually been surprised to see how high rents are in Pittsburgh, relative to housing prices. Many people have posted about paying $600-$700 for a 2 BR apt, which is the going rate in Denver, where housing to buy is considerably more expensive.

I noticed that too when I visited back in 2006. Rents were lower than here in the SF Bay Area, but not nearly as big a difference as the sales prices of homes.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by highway29south

I would love to!

Seriously, why can't you leave? I don't understand what's holding you back.