Young Couple with Big Dog Moving to Pittsburgh in the Fall (Wilkinsburg: apartments, rent)

[johnniecoltrane]

So, we're planning our escape now. My fiancee and I are both in school-he's earning his mechanic's ASE certification and I'm finishing my Bachelors in English. We're getting married in October and then we're packing up and moving to Pittsburgh (Our honeymoon will be apartment hunting).

We've been together several years and have accumulated a lot of stuff (band equipment, comic books, 100's of dvds). This also includes a tiny cat and a very large dog.

We're looking for a more progressive area with good public transportation, BUT we're also looking for space, privacy and, if possible, a garage!

We're coming from Jacksonville Florida where we rent a small two bedroom home with a garage and tiny yard for 800. That's not a terrible amount, however we are entering Pittsburgh with no employment and we're hoping (financial anxiety) to pay less. Is this possible ?

We have a friend in Mt Washington, also I seem to be drawn to the Bloomfield/Friendship/East Liberty areas that I've researched. What neighborhoods would seem to match our financial capabilities and our personalities ?

Thank you !

[Renaldo5000]

Originally Posted by johnniecoltrane

So, we're planning our escape now. My fiancee and I are both in school-he's earning his mechanic's ASE certification and I'm finishing my Bachelors in English. We're getting married in October and then we're packing up and moving to Pittsburgh (Our honeymoon will be apartment hunting).

We've been together several years and have accumulated a lot of stuff (band equipment, comic books, 100's of dvds). This also includes a tiny cat and a very large dog.

We're looking for a more progressive area with good public transportation, BUT we're also looking for space, privacy and, if possible, a garage!

We're coming from Jacksonville Florida where we rent a small two bedroom home with a garage and tiny yard for 800. That's not a terrible amount, however we are entering Pittsburgh with no employment and we're hoping (financial anxiety) to pay less. Is this possible ?

We have a friend in Mt Washington, also I seem to be drawn to the Bloomfield/Friendship/East Liberty areas that I've researched. What neighborhoods would seem to match our financial capabilities and our personalities ?

Thank you !

You will probably not find a real home in a decent neighborhood for $800 a month in rent within the city limits methinks. However, look at craigslist...you never know. In the towns outside of Pittsburgh, you could totally find what you are seeking though.

There is no space in Bloomfield. All of the houses are right up on each other and very few of them have yards (ironically I rented a duplex for a year that has the best yard in Bloomfield). Friendship is nothing but old Victorian homes that have been turned into multiple apartments on each floor. East Liberty is the 'hood. Don't let the new Home Depot/Trader Jack's fool you. I advise looking into Greenfield. You might be able to find something there.

Have jobs lined up before you come. Rent, food, utility bills, pet food, car insurance, etc... all add up if you have no job. Good luck getting a job here with an English degree. I know a girl with an English Lit. degree who is happy she is making $7.50 an hour.

[Renaldo5000]

Also, landlords here routinely lie. They will advertise a duplex or a large apartment as a "house" just to get people to show up. Be cognizant of how a home is constructed as well. If it is an old brick home with ancient doors and windows your gas bill is going to be over $500 a month in the middle of the winter.

[Hopes]

How much of the urban starving artists are you willing to be?

Are you daring enough to live in an utterly depressed area that has probably the coolest mayor trying to revive the town by attracting artists from across the country?

This isn't for the faint of heart. The housing is dirt cheap. If you're into taking up a cause, Braddock needs passionate young people with a vision.

Read google news artilces on Mayor John Fetterman and Braddock Pennsylvania.

mayor john fetterman - Google News Archive Search

braddock pa - Google News Archive Search

Yeah, your friend in Mt. Washington will probably think you're crazy. I won't lie to you. This is urban pioneer type stuff.

[Renaldo5000]

Originally Posted by Hopes

How much of the urban starving artists are you willing to be?

Are you daring enough to live in an utterly depressed area that has probably the coolest mayor trying to revive the town by attracting artists from across the country?

This isn't for the faint of heart. The housing is dirt cheap. If you're into taking up a cause, Braddock needs passionate young people with a vision.

Read google news artilces on Mayor John Fetterman and Braddock Pennsylvania.

mayor john fetterman - Google News Archive Search

braddock pa - Google News Archive Search

Yeah, your friend in Mt. Washington will probably think you're crazy. I won't lie to you. This is urban pioneer type stuff.

Dear Christ, Hopes. I apologize for how I am troll-like at times toward you (I am unemployed, often drunk, and bored...so you can't blame me too much), but there is no way in hell that she would want to live in Braddock. While I totally admire what Fetterman is doing, the reality is that Braddock is one of the worst neighborhoods in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. Take a depressed old steel town and then set off a nuclear bomb in the middle of it and that's what Braddock looks like. It is a wasteland full of despair, decay, and crime. Nobody in their right mind would move there.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by iwonderwhy2124

Dear Christ, Hopes. I apologize for how I am troll-like at times toward you (I am unemployed, often drunk, and bored...so you can't blame me too much),

At least you're honest. Seriously, you're a little overboard on the fear the dangerous neighborhoods.

Granted, some neighborhoods deserve it (like Braddock) but you give every neighborhood with a little grit a bad rap.

Originally Posted by iwonderwhy2124

but there is no way in hell that she would want to live in Braddock. While I totally admire what Fetterman is doing, the reality is that Braddock is one of the worst neighborhoods in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. Take a depressed old steel town and then set off a nuclear bomb in the middle of it and that's what Braddock looks like. It is a wasteland full of despair, decay, and crime. Nobody in their right mind would move there.

I won't argue with you. I was completely honest with the OP. It's for her to decide after she does some research. Perhaps she might want to visit Braddock while she's in town---meet the Mayor. Maybe you're not aware, but artists truly have moved there from other areas of the country. Small business owners too. They're working and living there. And they are still alive. Amazing but true. Your fear factor is well deserved when it comes to Braddock. I didn't lie. I even posted a link to ALL newspaper articles about the town. It's the OP's decision, not mine or yours.

The reality is that the OP needs cheap housing---quite large housing too. She's only going to find that in neighborhoods that are less than perfect.

My other suggestion is Millvale. Perhaps the fear factor of Braddock will make you admit that Millvale is a decent suggestion.

Millvale is not pretty, but it's certainly affordable. It's very safe, and it has a music scene.

[Renaldo5000]

Yeah, Millvale and Etna aren't bad if our OP is willing to be outside of the city limits (but still very near the city).

[BrianTH]

I agree it would help if you have a little of the urban pioneer mindset given your budget and desire for at least some space, but I wouldn't say you need to go as far in that direction as Braddock. Bloomfield does tend to be tight on space and Friendship may be getting out of your budget (although you should look), but I'd think about looking in parts of East Liberty, North Point Breeze, parts of Wilkinsburg, and parts of Swissvale, all of which might have some decent-sized spaces for reasonable amounts, and all with good access to the East Busway.

[Hopes]

Here's a two bedroom house in Etna for $695/month.

Mod cut - please do not link specific houses

If you check the street view on google maps, there's a detached garage.

[Hopes]

Here's a three bedroom in Brighton Heights for $790/month.

Mod cut - please do not link specific houses

There's a garage. Dogs and cats okay.