Ross Township Question (Bellevue, West View: middle-class, buying a home, neighborhoods)

[mwarch]

We are looking at buying a home in the lower part of Ross Township. I'm familar with the Northern part of Ross near McCandless which is nice. Its located below west view near 279. Its very conivient for us to get to work and town but I'm not familar with this part of Ross. I grew up in south hills but I always heard it gets seedier the closer you got to town in regard to the North Hills. I drove around and felt fine to us. I know everyone has there opinions but just looking for some advice. I know it North Hills schools but what elementary school would the "future" kids go to in the 15229 zip code?

[Hopes]

If you're from Pittsurgh, you already know that zip codes mean nothing. Call the school district and ask them which elementary schools serves the specific address of the house.

The houses are just older than the ones built out towards McCandless. Seedier is not a word I would use because it's certainly not dangerous.

[Geeo]

It's certainly not a "seedy" area. It's mostly houses built in the 1950s and 60s.

[mwarch]

You are right and I take that back! It's not dangerous at all but what I should have said was is the preception of it compared to other parts of Ross.

[Hopes]

Why are you are concerned with the perceptions of others? Seriously. If you like the house, buy it.

I have never heard anyone say anything negative about ANY part of Ross Township. I have never met anyone who perceived it as dangerous or seedy either.

If you know snobs who judge older houses built in the 50s and 60s as substandard, you might need to reconsider your friends and acquaintances.

It's not the most upscale township, but it has excellent schools. No part of Ross is considered better than others. It's all just Ross---a solid middle class township.

If you're into appearances, look elsewhere.

If you're into living in a convenient middle class township with good schools, buy the house and quit worrying about what people think.

[mwarch]

Hopes,

I live in the north side and there is parts that are good and parts that aren't. Our street we love but a couple streets up from us we hear gun shots. I'm asking people in the forum if there good parts of Ross or parts that I should avoid becasue I'm not familar with the township. I drove around and it seemed very nice but I wanted to make sure before we moved ahead. Its not the perception of others that I care about but more if we have to resell the home because it does matter to some people buying. The 50's, 60's brick home is exactly what we are looking for, trust me we aren't about appreances. I was just looking for some info on that particular area of town and not a lecture.

[Hopes]

As myself and another has already posted, there are no dangerous parts of Ross township. It's a solid middle-class township. Resale potential is the same anywhere in the township because the perception of the overall township is that it's a middle-class township. Anyone wanting a more upper middle class perception will buy in another township entirely, not Ross towards McCandless. Afterall, perception is about township and schools, not streets, when it comes to the suburbs. During the span of your homeownership, there will be a market for the 1950s and 1960s houses in Ross. The area is in high demand because it is unbelievably convenient without actually living within the city limits and the schools are fantastic. Not much has changed in Ross Township for the past 50 years, and I see no trend of anything changing within the next few decades.

[Hopes]

I realize you're talking about the part of Ross Township that is wedged between Bellevue and West View.



That area's main attractions are being very rural for being so close to the city, and the fact that it's part of the North Hill's School District.

Just be forewarned that it probably has a higher percentage of elderly population.

These aren't neighborhoods where there will be hundreds of children trick-or-treating or riding bicycles in the streets.

But any neighborhood that isn't a new housing development has similar demographics---even towards McCandless.