Moving to Pittsburgh - Update!!!! (Washington, Franklin: sales, apartments, rent) - City-Data Forum

jazz06 · 02-28-2010, 10:40 AM

I'm glad to report that after visiting Pittsburgh this weekend, my friend and I have decided that it would be the best place for us to live! (I already knew that, but she needed a little convincing!

)

We will be making a trip back in about 2 weeks so that we can shop around for apartments. We are looking at Shadyside and the sky-rises located downtown. Does anyone know anything about Heinz lofts and Shadyside Commons? Has anyone ever used or know anyone who has rented from Franklin West? They have a lot of apartments that they rent out as well as townhouses. Is Shadyside safe?

What are some recommendations for those 2 areas? Activities to do? Does anyone know anything about PYP (Pittsburgh Young Professionals)?

Also, what about utilities and such....what are the deposits usually? How much is sewage, trash pick-up, etc.? Cable or satellite? All the good stuff. Phone lines as well....

Thanks to everyone that had given all of the advice on places to visit while we were in town! We didn't get to SouthSide this time because there simply was not enough time to do all of that along with looking at schools and such.

Also, the exam went well....at least I think I did well!

jazz06 · 02-28-2010, 10:48 AM

Something else....a lot of the complaints that I've read on here did not seem to materialize for me. Which I'm happy about! The views and everything were just breathtaking and something that you can only get the true significant beauty from when you see it in person!

Renaldo5000 · 02-28-2010, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazz06

I'm glad to report that after visiting Pittsburgh this weekend, my friend and I have decided that it would be the best place for us to live! (I already knew that, but she needed a little convincing!

)

Good for you! Welcome to the city. This is the first positive comment I have ever made in this forum.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazz06

and the sky-rises located downtown.

I should note that there are more lively neighborhoods than downtown. Although the redevelopment people are trying to change that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazz06

Is Shadyside safe?

Yes, it is safe. I have never felt uncomfortable there. It is more upscale and expensive though. Also, it is a very transient neighborhood. It is full of graduate students and young professionals who live there for a few years and then move. Because of this there isn't a lot of neighborhood and community cohesion. Burglaries and thefts are higher than normal because the thieves like to come in and rob from the well-off people. Just keep your apartment and car locked and you'll be fine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazz06

Also, what about utilities and such....what are the deposits usually? How much is sewage, trash pick-up, etc.? Cable or satellite? All the good stuff. Phone lines as well....

Security deposits are usually one month's rent. Most of the landlords around here pay for sewage, garbage, and water. Cable all depends on what package you get. I am running $145 a month, but I have a pimp package with high-speed internet and all that jazz. As to the phone line I couldn't tell you. I have only a cell-phone.

Yinz better get ready for football season.

jazz06 · 02-28-2010, 12:20 PM

I'm so ready for football season! When do tickets usually become available?

bradjl2009 · 02-28-2010, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazz06

I'm so ready for football season! When do tickets usually become available?

Not sure but definitely get them as soon as you know you can for the up coming season. The Steelers have sold out their tickets for every game since the 70's.

BrianTH · 02-28-2010, 02:04 PM

I'm glad you had a good visit, and welcome!

My wife rented a place in Shadyside from Franklin West when she was single. They have nice apartments, but they aren't cheap, and they were very strict on move-out. Overall I think they are a fine choice if you are trying to apartment hunt from a distance and you aren't on the strictest budget.

greg42 · 02-28-2010, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bradjl2009

Not sure but definitely get them as soon as you know you can for the up coming season. The Steelers have sold out their tickets for every game since the 70's.

They do hold back a few thousand seats for single game sales (limit 2 tix), which is usually in May. Used to be it was all done by mail, but starting a couple years ago it's now done electronically on TicketMaster. Either way the chance of getting tix is minimal, but it's certainly worth a shot.

Of course it's easy enough to get seats at a premium on StubHub, etc. But apart from the single game sales the only other way to get seats at face value is to know someone who is not using them and who will let you buy them at face.

Tiger Beer · 02-28-2010, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazz06

The views and everything were just breathtaking and something that you can only get the true significant beauty from when you see it in person!

I can relate to that. I felt the same way in Pittsburgh, but just simply couldn't capture it by camera.

That being said, there are great photos of Pittsburgh's skyline, but being in Pittsburgh, it's amazing that great views are commonplace throughout the city of all kinds of different views.

Mongohateswinter · 02-28-2010, 07:19 PM

Think again about moving to Pittsburgh - unless you like potholes, Democrats, icy snow covered streets all winter, long dark cold dreary days ( and that's just summer ) only having sunny days a handful of times a year, overcrowded & outdated roads, rivers that will be flooding any day now, a baseball team that set the record for losing, non-profit ( ?? ) hospitals that are taking over the region & holding everyone hostage & the politicians that cater to them, a transit authority that is full of incompetent overpaid idiots that couldn't manage a one car funeral without screwing it up, schools that lower the testing standards instead of teaching the students, & on & on......But it does have the Steelers, the Penguins & a nice view from Mt. Washington.....

Tiger Beer · 02-28-2010, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mongohateswinter

Think again about moving to Pittsburgh - unless you like potholes, Democrats, icy snow covered streets all winter, long dark cold dreary days ( and that's just summer ) only having sunny days a handful of times a year, overcrowded & outdated roads, rivers that will be flooding any day now, a baseball team that set the record for losing, non-profit ( ?? ) hospitals that are taking over the region & holding everyone hostage & the politicians that cater to them, a transit authority that is full of incompetent overpaid idiots that couldn't manage a one car funeral without screwing it up, schools that lower the testing standards instead of teaching the students, & on & on......But it does have the Steelers, the Penguins & a nice view from Mt. Washington.....

Your criticisms of the local government are pretty much shared by every citizen of every city in the world in regards to their own respective local governments.