Potential move from DC area back to PGH opinions (Pittsburgh: real estate, houses)

[scrapp]

Originally Posted by tmorrisn

I think it really depends on what parts of Rockville you couldn't live without. The "good" schools here aren't the same caliber as the "good" schools in Rockville or Montgomery County. That'd be a sacrifice although your kids would have a better chance of standing out.

The lifestyle is slower and the cosmopolitan areas are few and far between (Shadyside's Walnut St is spotty, South Hills Village is the same, and Ross Park which has more but isn't anything special). Ross Park Mall has some high end stores, but the Nordstrom is pitiful. It's too small. I generally use it as a place to return my online purchases. The same goes for great restaurants - there are a handful of places in the suburbs, but it is mostly chain restaurants. Our favorites are all in the city.

DC has plenty of culture but you can find it here if you take the time to look. There's a lot of great stuff going on in the city (again, in the city not in the suburbs). A bunch of OP have suggested Squirrel Hill. The area of Sq Hill north of forbes or even in Shadyside would be a good fit. You'd be further from shopping malls (although there are some great places to shop in the city), but close to the only Whole Foods and Trader Joe's.

The area as a whole is not very diverse (so stick to the city if that's important to you), but the people are nice. Things are definitely slower, while it takes some getting used to, can be very nice. I do really like it here but it took a few years.

I think that is a pretty good assessment. I would add that the city areas of PGH like Sq Hill north of Forbes (where I live) that have been suggested have a lot higher housing costs than other parts of PGH.

Even in Sq Hill or Shadyside, Pittsburgh doesn't have the diversity or energy level of Bethesda (which is where my in-laws live, so I'm down there frequently). I agree that things are "definitely slower" here.

[scrapp]

Originally Posted by Hopes

I haven't lived in the DC area, but I'm very aware of the low quality schools there.

Be careful, there's a difference between public schools in the district itself, and public schools in Montgomery County MD.

[fleetiebelle]

I agree that things are "definitely slower" here.

But another benefit of living in Pittsburgh is that we're not too far from faster-paced cities. You can easily take a weekend trip to NYC, Philly, DC, or even Cleveland or Columbus if you need more or different action.

[greg42]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Getting touchy over my wording? I'm not attacking. I simply say what I have to say.

Yeah, got touchy over your wording. Tried to edit but was too late. (See above, I mentioned that.) Sometimes ya hit post too fast, ya know, then think better of it. Sorry. I do think as I said later we get too caught up in attempting to correct others as opposed to offering additional info. I'm not excluding myself from this accusation and am endeavoring to not repeat such mistakes. Maybe others will join me, maybe they won't. That's just what I'm trying to do.

So, given that, as for the rest of that post, suffice to say "convenience" can be highly relative and personal. Driving from Franklin Park to Fox Chapel (which to make one minor point since you did actually say you were confused, was what I meant, not living in Fox Chapel) to get to SSA's middle/high schools does not seem at all convenient to me. Copanut says he gets from some part of McCandless to somewhere in Fox Chapel in 12 minutes. Now that does sound convenient, regardless of how many Wexford Wives he's running over (what a lovely public service he is performing ).

There are many Catholic schools which can be considered. Thought I would mention this: may not be typical elsewhere but typically around here "private" refers to schools like the three first mentioned whereas Catholic schools are generally referred to directly as Catholic, even though technically they would indeed be a subset of private. This is an area, as the OP may well remember in fact, where there are a large number of Catholic schools. Some other cities/areas of the country are not so saturated with them, or at least not anymore.

[gameguy56]

Originally Posted by fleetiebelle

But another benefit of living in Pittsburgh is that we're not too far from faster-paced cities. You can easily take a weekend trip to NYC, Philly, DC, or even Cleveland or Columbus if you need more or different action.

You can also take trains from Pittsburgh directly to Chicago, NYC, Philly, and DC. It's really in a great location for short trips.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by scrapp

Be careful, there's a difference between public schools in the district itself, and public schools in Montgomery County MD.

Based on the OP's comments, he's living in an area where the schools are not good.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by greg42

Yeah, got touchy over your wording. Tried to edit but was too late. (See above, I mentioned that.) Sometimes ya hit post too fast, ya know, then think better of it. Sorry.

No need to apologize. The internet makes it difficult to communicate. Just wanted you to know that there's no ill intent on my part.

Originally Posted by greg42

Copanut says he gets from some part of McCandless to somewhere in Fox Chapel in 12 minutes. Now that does sound convenient, regardless of how many Wexford Wives he's running over (what a lovely public service he is performing ).

McCandless and Hampton would be very convenient for most of the private high school options---except Sewickley. But Franklin Park is convenient to Sewickley Academy IMO. .

Originally Posted by greg42

There are many Catholic schools which can be considered. Thought I would mention this: may not be typical elsewhere but typically around here "private" refers to schools like the three first mentioned whereas Catholic schools are generally referred to directly as Catholic, even though technically they would indeed be a subset of private. This is an area, as the OP may well remember in fact, where there are a large number of Catholic schools. Some other cities/areas of the country are not so saturated with them, or at least not anymore.

Agreed. We have an abundance of Catholic schools because Pittsburgh has a large Catholic population. For K-8, there are many Catholic school options close to almost every township. I only mentioned those two because they are unique. You'd be amazed how far some children travel to go to a specific K-8 Catholic school. Not everyone choses the one closest to their home. I sent mine to a k-8 Catholic school in a different township, and there were children from near where you live attending the school. There are also non-Catholic K-8 private alternatives too. Choices are more limited for high school---probably because the tuition becomes expensive.

[oldway]

Hey just wanted to say thank you to all the people that gave their comments/opinions, I really appreciate them. I think if the opportunity does present itself to where I can move back I will. I shold know something within the next few months. Living around dc was a great experience when I was single and I wold not have traded the experience for anything, but getting older and raising 3 kids here just isn't what is cracked up to be unless you have a trust fund or are independently wealthy. This area has given me a lot of ideas for businesses I think that could be brought to pgh and be successful. Hopefully this next census will see an uptick in the # of people moving back to the burgh! Thank you all again!

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by oldway

Living around dc was a great experience when I was single and I wold not have traded the experience for anything, but getting older and raising 3 kids here just isn't what is cracked up to be unless you have a trust fund or are independently wealthy. This area has given me a lot of ideas for businesses I think that could be brought to pgh and be successful. Hopefully this next census will see an uptick in the # of people moving back to the burgh!

My guess is that your prospective story (moving from Pittsburgh while young to gain experience and get some ideas, then moving back to make use of the lower cost of living and potential business opportunities) is going to prove not at all uncommon in this period of Pittsburgh's history.

In any event, good luck!

[K-Bear]

I typed a long reply last night but it got lost. Grumble, grumble, grumble.

We moved from Pittsburgh to the DC area 7 years ago. We first lived in Bethesda for the first year, then we moved out to Rockville and have been here ever since.

I often wonder what my life would be like if we lived in Pittsburgh instead of Rockville. Granted, I know much has changed in Pittsburgh since I lived there and I lived there as a young 20-something not with a family.

And I don't know what your life is like in Rockville currently, but I do think you could recreate parts of it. When I left Pittsburgh we were house hunting (obviously decided not to buy and moved instead) and we were checking out Summerset at Frick Park - which was a very new development at the time. If I were to go back, I would consider looking at that neighborhood again. From what I read, it seems like a Pittsburgh version of King Farm/Fallsgrove/Kentlands just without the village centers.

*Side note* - We do go back to Pittsburgh every year for a couple days. Mainly go to Kennywood so I'm not as up to what Pittsburgh is really like now. Esp. for a family.

When we moved here and went to the Target at Washingtonian for the first time, that shopping center reminded me of the Waterfront in Pittsburgh. Of course, when we go to the Waterfront (during our trips to Pittsburgh, we usually stay at the Courtyard in the Waterfront) I say this is kind of like the Washingtonian Center.

Pittsburgh vs. Rockville - it seems like you would be giving up some things but adding others. If we lived in Pittsburgh, I would join the Children's Museum, Science Center, Carnegie Museums in a heartbeat. We don't really have those in Rockville - you have to go to Baltimore for the Children's Museum and Science Center. And unfortunately, I don't always feel like hopping on the metro for the 45 minute ride into DC for the Smithsonians. If I lived in Pittsburgh, I feel like it would be easier to hop into the city to take advantage of those things. Plus, going to shows at Heinz Hall/O'Reilly/etc. How many times and how convenient is it for you to go to shows at the Kennedy Center, even Strathmore? It might be easier (depending on where you live in Pittsburgh) to go into the City to take advantage of the shows than it is here.

Another thing I wish we had here - Kennywood! Face it, Six Flags sucks and it is no comparison to Kennywood. We always say we would get season passes to Kennywood in a second and I'm sure your kids would love that too!

So...when I imagine what my life would be in Pittsburgh, I do think I could recreate the parts I like about living in Rockville. At least to me, the keys would be living in the city and not the suburbs so you could easily take advante of everything Pittsburgh has to offer.