Moving from DC and need info/advice on PGH/area apartments (Pittsburgh: apartment complex, foreclosed)

[nextnoel]

[SIZE=3]I am a woman planning to retire to the PGH area in November, and am trying to find an apt. on-line from out of state, with little ability to visit in person beforehand, and would appreciate any info/comments you could give me about the following apt. complexes: [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]BIRNAM WOOD, FOX HILL, and LA VALE in Monroeville, [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]LindenbrookE in South Park, [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]BRIARIDGE in Turtle Creek, [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]BRYN MAWR in PGH (the Forest Hills area?), [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]ALCOMA ON THE GREEN in Penn Hills, [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]VIRGINIA MANOR in Greenock, [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]PARK MANOR in Greensburg, [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]LELAND POINT in Baldwin, [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]SHARON HILL in Moon, [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]PACIFIC HIGHLANDS in Natrona Heights, [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]GREENTREE VILLAGE in PGH, [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]VILLAGE OF LAURELWOOD in Cranberry, and [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]MAPLE RIDGE in Lower Burrell.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]My constraints are being on a fixed income and having 2 cats, my freedom is that I don’t have much of a location limitation – every place in the area seems to have ready access to the usual necessary stores; suburbs are fine. I want an area/complex that is fairly low in crime (but I’m from the Washington, DC area, so I don’t expect “Mayberry”), reasonably well-built and well maintained, with adequate parking.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Anything you could tell me would help to narrow down the field, and I would appreciate it greatly. Thanks in advance for any wisdom you could impart to me![/SIZE]

[Mugatu]

Lindenbrooke in South Park is pretty nice. I used to live nearby, and someone I work with lived there and liked it for the most part. It's in a nice wooded setting right on the Montour Trail.

Scratch Leland Point off your list IMMEDIATELY. It's straight ghetto and the police are collecting rent now because the building management has not kept the complex up to livable standards.

The others I'm not familiar with. Try looking for reviews on those at apartmentratings.com.

[Honest Bob]

My suggestion would be to spend the money and come and take a look and keep in mind that not all places are going to accept pets - so you might have to get rid of your cats!

Nobody is going to be able to pick out a place for you to live except you.

Being from DC - it shouldn't be hard for you to decide if it is your cup of tea or not.

[javajive711]

Welcome to Pgh! Five years ago, I did the reverse--moving from Pgh to DC (and now I'm back to Pgh). Have you tried looking at apartmentratings.com? It's really helpful to get an idea of what different complexes are like, as you can read reviews by people who lived there. If you can, I would really come up one weekend and try to look at places--there's no substitute for seeing a place.

The places you've listed are really all over the area--from more urban neighborhoods very close to the city (Greentree), to very suburban places (Cranberry and South Park), to places that are more rural and farther from the city (Lower Burrell). Are you familiar with Pittsburgh? You can find safe, affordable neighborhoods close to major shopping centers in most places here--particularly suburban Allegheny County. Do you have an idea of where you want to be? Neighborhoods here tend to have their own unique characteristics...it isn't like living in NoVA where everything is the same everywhere. While less so now, many places here can still be at least stereotyped by ethnicity and religion...you'll see many towns have a ton of churches, in most cases because the Poles, Slovaks, Croats, Irish, Germans and Italians all wanted their own 100+ years ago (and that's just the Catholics!). Even though the ethnic neighborhoods are becoming less distinct, people still tend to stick to their side of the river.

Agree with PP on Leland Point--they were just in the news for being on the verge of being condemned and foreclosed upon (Judge appoints receiver for beleaguered Leland Point).

[apiscean]

There is a nice apartment complex in Monroeville - Walnut Crossings. Its two high rise buildings with elevators. The rent is 720 for a two bedroom apt. There are many senior citizens who live here. They also provide free rides to shopping areas.
The only problem is that there is not much information online. When I was researching when relocating from out of state I never got information about this facility online
Do a google search for Walnut crossings Monroeville pa 15146 and you will get the phone number of the leasing office. They will send a brochure to you

[Tinare]

I have not been in an apartment in Briaridge or Bryn Mawr in more than 20 years, but I grew up in that area, so I can say both are in fairly quiet, suburban neighborhoods. Briaridge has a Turtle Creek mailing address but is actually in Wilkins Township. There is a grocery store very close to the apartment complex and it's not far off of the Churchill exit of the Parkway. One of my mother's elderly friends lives there and likes it. I know that they allow cats.

Bryn Mawr is super close to the Parkway as well. I remember those apartments being nice, but that was in 1982 or 1983 when they were probably new. But Forest Hills is a nice quiet community especially the part where those apartments are located. And there is plenty of shopping nearby on Route 30 as well.

[nextnoel]

Thanks to everyone who has replied so far - many good suggestions there. I plan to narrow things down as best I can from afar, then make a couple of blitz trips to settle on a specific place, so your comments are very helpful in drilling down to reasonable areas.

(But as for getting rid of the cats, they've been in the family and have been my responsibility for 12 years or so, and they aren't disposable!)

[onwardandupward]

Take a serious look at Oakmont. It actually is a bit like Mayberry, with sidewalks, local stores and other amenities in the community. Check out Oakmont Realty. They're a locally owned company with strong roots in the area, and they have a lot of apartments in Oakmont.

[lde]

Chestnut Ridge in Robinson accepts pets. Lots of dogs here.