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No one is buying houses in Pittsburgh for a reason. That is one reason why the rents have skyrocketed and sales are not increasing.
I am leaving the city. Taxes and COL are up and I'm not blowing my money on only sub-par services and infrastructure.
From what it sounds like, you don't even live here.
My grandfather's from there. He's an old school democrat and he worked in the steel mills. I've spent enough time there to know what it's like and I've traveled to over 30 states and lived in a few different states. I've moved around enough to know the grass is always greener somewhere else and I think you have a case of it. The markets have taken a hit across the country not just Pittsburgh. These are tough times all over but Pittsburgh is not that bad in comparison. It is cheap, manageable and offers everything the OP said.
Where else would you suggest? If you think taxes in PA are bad then where do you have in mind that matches his criteria? Every other place matching his criteria either has higher taxes or less than 1% lower taxes. I'm from NY and living in Maine so you don't have it that bad. NY is a tax and fee king of the country and Maine has the worst combination of high taxes and lack of service and infrastructure I've ever seen in a state. The worst paved roads I've driven on, the worst looking schools I've seen, and bridges so poorly maintenanced they're forced to build new ones.
My grandfather's from there. He's an old school democrat and he worked in the steel mills. I've spent enough time there to know what it's like and I've traveled to over 30 states and lived in a few different states. I've moved around enough to know the grass is always greener somewhere else and I think you have a case of it. The markets have taken a hit across the country not just Pittsburgh. These are tough times all over but Pittsburgh is not that bad in comparison. It is cheap, manageable and offers everything the OP said.
Where else would you suggest? If you think taxes in PA are bad then where do you have in mind that matches his criteria? Every other place matching his criteria either has higher taxes or less than 1% lower taxes. I'm from NY and living in Maine so you don't have it that bad. NY is a tax and fee king of the country and Maine has the worst combination of high taxes and lack of service and infrastructure I've ever seen in a state. The worst paved roads I've driven on, the worst looking schools I've seen, and bridges so poorly maintenanced they're forced to build new ones.
So in other words, you don't live here currently (you are a Maine resident) and haven't in the past but you know more about Pittsburgh than I do and I am the one that resides in the city.
So in other words, you don't live here currently (you are a Maine resident) and haven't in the past but you know more about Pittsburgh than I do and I am the one that resides in the city.
I have a fair enough understanding of it. Combined I've spent over a year of my life there. What does it matter anyway? I'm giving some solid information here. You said Pittsburgh is expensive. It's not. You said Pittsburgh is heavily pro-democrat. Granted Pittsburgh did go blue that's not what the OP is looking for. Every city pretty much goes blue but the OP wants to live in the suburbs and Pittsburgh's suburbs aren't even remotely heavily pro democrat. Then you said Pittsburgh is trendy and has high taxes. That's all subjective but I don't think trendy is what Pittsburgh is and I don't mean that in a bad way. Also compared to where I'm from I'd say taxes are pretty low in PA, about even with the other states with similar cities and compared to where I'm at now I'd say you get a decent amount of it back into maintaining infrastructure and services.
You don't own or rent a house or apartment here in Pittsburgh. You don't pay PA taxes. You don't pay power bills in PA. You don't pay living expenses in PA. You are unaware of the Pittsburgh school system. You don't vote in PA. You don't drive every day in Pittsburgh. You don't socialize with other residents 24/7. You don't visit Pittsburgh establishments every day.
It does matter. It matters a lot. You sit behind a computer or on a phone in Maine and make comments about a city you don't live in but act like you do.
You don't own or rent a house or apartment here in Pittsburgh. You don't pay PA taxes. You don't pay power bills in PA. You don't pay living expenses in PA. You are unaware of the Pittsburgh school system. You don't vote in PA. You don't drive every day in Pittsburgh. You don't socialize with other residents 24/7. You don't visit Pittsburgh establishments every day.
It does matter. It matters a lot. You sit behind a computer or on a phone in Maine and make comments about a city you don't live in but act like you do.
According to the CNN COL calculator housing is about 53% cheaper in Pittsburgh than where I am, groceries are 17% cheaper, utilities are 27% cheaper and health care is 19% cheaper. PA also ranked a good deal ahead of Maine at #10 overall in the 2014 states with best schools. Relative to many areas of the country you really shouldn't be complaining. You could live where I do and pay all these expenses plus the high taxes and get much less.
Have you ever lived anywhere besides Pittsburgh? Instead of arguing with me if you don't think Pittsburgh is a good recommendation then by all means name some. You haven't named a single place and that's what this thread is about.
Last edited by joeyg2014; 11-03-2014 at 12:24 PM..
I will add another one. Manchester, NH. It has minor league teams and is an hour from Boston. It's of course cheaper than Boston but not cheaper than Pittsburgh. Housing is still 40% more expensive in Manchester than Pittsburgh and utilities are 20% more in Manchester.
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