Western Pioneers in the Burgh (Pittsburgh, Washington: sales, rent, condo)

[Fiddlehead]

Originally Posted by SewickleyPA

Well, let me tell you from someone living here right now... it was 67 and sunny today and the forecast is more of the same for the next several days, and it is already mid November. We have had only one bad week of cold/rainy/cloudy so far this fall which was back in mid-October.

Winter has never started in November from what I can remember in the past. November is like the fall version of March, you can get pretty much anything in those two months... though probably due to global warming winters have been much shorter and milder then they were 30 years ago.

If you want to know the what I would consider the cutoff for the very cold/cloudiness period of winter, I would say it's from the first week of December to about the first week of March. December is fun due to the holiday season and nobody is tired of the cold/snow yet. Jan/Febuary starts to become a drag to people who hate cold/snow with every fiber of their being. Don't let yourself become one of those people and you will be fine. I actually take advantage of it and enjoy skiing and other winter sports. Though even those 3 winter months are nothing like they used to be anymore, like they were back in the mid-90's. We don't get much snow anymore and there always seems to be a yearly January heat wave that brings in a day or so of 60s-70s.

Great post Sewickley,

The distinction to you make is actually pretty important to me. Here in S. Oregon, I would also consider November and March transition months. Some bad days, but no big deal. If the true winter is only three months and some change, that is perfect. I enjoy winter stuff, and in March, I always need to decide if I want to do some winter stuff in the mountains or start working in the garden. We get snowstorms into April, here and there too, I suppose, but that's just spring, right?

Also, good response to NYCAnalCyst (couldn't resist) on the "electronic nightlife" thread. Pittsburgh is SO lame compared to clubbin in NYC! Wow, I'm so glad I read that, never would have figured it out. Oh, I've heard the Gay Scene is SO much better in San Francisco too... not that there's anything wrong with that...LOL!

[creepsinc]

Originally Posted by Fiddlehead

Great post Sewickley,

The distinction to you make is actually pretty important to me. Here in S. Oregon, I would also consider November and March transition months. Some bad days, but no big deal. If the true winter is only three months and some change, that is perfect. I enjoy winter stuff, and in March, I always need to decide if I want to do some winter stuff in the mountains or start working in the garden. We get snowstorms into April, here and there too, I suppose, but that's just spring, right?

Also, good response to NYCAnalCyst (couldn't resist) on the "electronic nightlife" thread. Pittsburgh is SO lame compared to clubbin in NYC! Wow, I'm so glad I read that, never would have figured it out. Oh, I'v heard the Gay Scene is SO much better in San Francisco too... not that there's anything wrong with that...LOL!

If we're crossing threads now, I'd like to point out how lame Pittsburgh's Dixieland scene is compared to New Orleans, another dying city.

[Hopes]

Pittsburgh has a Dixieland scene?

[Heit]

Originally Posted by Fiddlehead

Well, to get back on the Burgh, I gather the winters there are not very pleasant. Certainly not brutal, but long enough (Nov-March) that you would notice. That doesn't bother me, because as a research scientist, I like to analyze my data and write papers in the winter, so I have plenty to do on cold winter nights. Also, I love snow, winter clothes, and the like for a few months of the year.

If warmth is the thing, I see your interest in Sacramento and Vegas, and Las Cruces. Have you checked out Tucson? It seems a bit nicer than Phoenix, at least, but I don't know about housing costs there. Phoenix, Vegas, and Sac. were all overbuilt, so I am sure bargains can be had. But not sure I would like to live in a hastily built subdivision. I gather that much of the recent construction was very shoddy. Illegal alien workers with low experience and pay, exploited in the housing bubble greedfest. I would imagine Sac. would have the best architecture,with many older and historic neighborhoods, and IMO the best climate, flood concerns aside. You do not have to go far from Sac. to seem some fabulous country, including redwood forest, alpine areas,etc. My 2 cents. Not that you asked!

Lived in Tucson for 2yrs. Remember, "it's a DRY heat"!!! Let me say this, HOT is HOT dry or not! I longed for an overcast day or a "rain event" to break up the BLAZING sun. Too much of anything is not good and that goes for blue, cloudless, sun-baked skies.

The one's who have it made are the snow-birds.(if you don't like snow/winter) I was in Phoenix on business at the time, met a fellow from NY. He was thinking about buying a couple homes for investment. Told me he was going to go for a walk at 10pm and it was still 102. I said in response, "it's a dry heat", his comeback............"so are ovens"! Kind of sums up Tucson/Phoenix.

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by Heit

Lived in Tucson for 2yrs. Remember, "it's a DRY heat"!!! Let me say this, HOT is HOT dry or not! I longed for an overcast day or a "rain event" to break up the BLAZING sun. Too much of anything is not good and that goes for blue, cloudless, sun-baked skies.

The one's who have it made are the snow-birds.(if you don't like snow/winter) I was in Phoenix on business at the time, met a fellow from NY. He was thinking about buying a couple homes for investment. Told me he was going to go for a walk at 10pm and it was still 102. I said in response, "it's a dry heat", his comeback............"so are ovens"! Kind of sums up Tucson/Phoenix.

It gets hot here, too, in the summer (not that hot, though). That sums up my feeling about dry heat. You are just baking instead of boiling.

[creepsinc]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Pittsburgh has a Dixieland scene?

No.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by creepsinc

No.

I get the sarcasm now. I missed fiddlehead's post.

[Fiddlehead]

To try to wrestle this thread back to the original purpose, I will open it up a bit. Why should someone used to the open spaces, majestic vistas, poor schools, and inflated real estate of the West want to head east to Pittsburgh? I don't care if you have lived out west, just your thoughtful take on the trade offs. Now, we all know Pittsburgh does not have the clubbin' of NYC, the tall mts. of Denver or Seattle, the flawless climate of San Diego, so a thoughtful take on the pros and cons is what I'm seeking.

[Fiddlehead]

Originally Posted by Heit

Lived in Tucson for 2yrs. Remember, "it's a DRY heat"!!! Let me say this, HOT is HOT dry or not! I longed for an overcast day or a "rain event" to break up the BLAZING sun. Too much of anything is not good and that goes for blue, cloudless, sun-baked skies.

Very good point! When I lived in the S. San Joaquin Valley of California, I could not sit in my car with short without burning my legs on the seat until late October. Now, I can deal with hot weather, but six months of it was a bit much. Likewise, when I lived in Sweden, the cold started in late September and lasted until May. I did not mind the cold so much as the super long winter. And you will laugh, but when I lived in S. California on the coast, the perfect sunny weather was monotonous. I really like to gauge time by the march of seasons, and I agree that too much of anything is not desirable. For me anyway.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by Fiddlehead

To try to wrestle this thread back to the original purpose, I will open it up a bit. Why should someone used to the open spaces, majestic vistas, poor schools, and inflated real estate of the West want to head east to Pittsburgh? I don't care if you have lived out west, just your thoughtful take on the trade offs. Now, we all know Pittsburgh does not have the clubbin' of NYC, the tall mts. of Denver or Seattle, the flawless climate of San Diego, so a thoughtful take on the pros and cons is what I'm seeking.

Walkable, pedestrian-friendly, condensed, wooded, hilly, scenic, cool downtown, cool buildings, amazing architecture! Etc.

Everytime I view Pittsburgh, and I seem to like the South Side area - the cool looking housing and such.

A bit off my original thought, but I remember Mr. Rogers when I was a kid, and I remember those odd shaped houses he had on his train track. Now I see those are Pittsburgh houses! They only exist in pittsburgh! Something is so cool about those tallish strange shaped houses sitting up on hills overlooking the scenery and such...!!