Seeking moving advice (Pittsburgh, Sharpsburg, Aspinwall: apartment, neighborhood, living in)

[RxNinja]

Hello all,
I'll be moving to Pittsburgh in May and I'm looking for opinions on what area I should focus my apartment search in. I am single, no kids, no pets (though I'm kicking around the idea of getting a small dog). I will be commuting to work in Aspinwall (UPMC St. Margaret). I don't really have any significant requirements, though I would like to live some place reasonably safe with dedicated parking. If possible, I'd like to try to limit my work commute time to 30 minutes. As far as cost goes, if I can find a nice, spacious, apartment in the $700 range, that would be fantastic! I don't need to be within walking distance of anything, I'm happy to drive as long as I can park! So suburbs are just fine. I guess the major thing is just trying to have the least stressful commute to and from work.

My head has been spinning trying to read through the posts and try to fit descriptions to my own needs, so any help would be greatly appreciated!

[BrianTH]

Well, you could start with Aspinwall! Can't beat that for a commute, and it is a nice neighborhood too.

[Lobick]

This may seem really obvious, but why not live in Aspinwall? You should be able to meet your requirements without any real difficulty and Aspinwall is a great little area. I found this after a very brief craigslist search:

Big 1 BR and parking

Also, since it appears your major concern is your commute, it may be important to note that Route 28, which will be the main artery in and out of Aspinwall will be all kinds of torn up for the next couple of years while they widen it and perform long overdue upgrades. Living where you work would help you to avoid all of that.

Just a thought, good luck.

[BornSteeler]

Another option you could add to the list is Highland Park. It's in the East End and just over the bridge from Aspinwall. It would be an easy commute and would be a few minutes closer to all of the "action" of Pittsburgh.

I'm living in Highland Park, and during my apartment hunt had a similar priority on finding a place with dedicated parking or a garage. With it's slightly suburban feel, I found that there were a number of places around here that come with a garage spot. Also, being near the park is great if you decide to get that dog.

Good luck with the search and the move!

[Blackbeauty212]

Yep Highland Park, Aspinwall, Sharpsburg, Morningside would be my 4 starters.

[RxNinja]

Thanks for all the great advice! I'll look into these areas!