West End Village (Crafton, McKees Rocks: for sale, rent to own, mortgage)

[Rodeno]

What are some of your thoughts on the West End Village?

[I_Like_Spam]

It has a very low population, and its dominated by highways. Not a whole lot down there nowadays, and there hasn't been for 30 years or more.

Used to have a lot more, several churches and bars, a five and ten, liquor store, Kroger at S. Main and Sanctus, a school, lots more homes. But so many of the buildings have gradually been burned or fallen into disrepair and razed over the decades.

I can't see the attraction of moving there or building down there under the current situation.

[Rodeno]

Thanks! From things I have read recently certain people want to make it out to be a revitalized area, up and coming neighborhood.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by Rodeno

Thanks! From things I have read recently certain people want to make it out to be a revitalized area, up and coming neighborhood.

I'm sure the people who own property down there would love to do exactly that.

But considering on how few standing buildings and homes in good shape are in the West End, it would take a decent amount of new construction to build up the area to revitalize. The valley is very narrow, anyone moving down there would be building in the middle of a congo line of traffic that appear every morning.

That would require the developer to really step out in faith.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Rodeno

Thanks! From things I have read recently certain people want to make it out to be a revitalized area, up and coming neighborhood.

I think it has potential, but it has failed to realize it several times. It has so many missing teeth now it could possibly be past the point of no return.

[selltheburgh]

Artifacts is awesome to go and walk around in. The stuff they have is kind of mind blowing.

There is a good kitchen and bath designer there.

There's also a great ceramic tile shop.

It works great for those types of businesses. It could have been a great place to build up into something more, but in my opinion, the 51 off ramp with carson etc and removing the circle kind of isolated it in a way that it could never be connected to the bridge or any potential development west of station square along the Mon.

[PreservationPioneer]

I agree that Artifacts is a great place (it's a big, upscale antique store). Also, check out the West End Tavern and Trattoria. Great food! There is a neat little residential section of the West End near the Old Stone Tavern.

[SteelCityRising]

Since I'm considering spontaneously (is that a contradiction? LOL!) purchasing my first home on Steuben Street I'd be very interested to see this thread flourish into a discussion of West End Village and surrounding neighborhoods.

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/apa/3103310342.html

[PreservationPioneer]

I can tell you whatever you want to know about all of the West End neighborhoods. I know them all extremely well now. That house is in Elliott. It's sort of a working-class style, rather run-down, but generally safe neighborhood. It kind of reminds me of Polish Hill, without the hipsters or gentrifiers. There is no business district really, and you have to go to Crafton, McKees Rocks, South Side, or Robinson for shopping, restaurants, groceries, etc. You could walk to the Overlook, though.

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Since I'm considering spontaneously (is that a contradiction? LOL!) purchasing my first home on Steuben Street I'd be very interested to see this thread flourish into a discussion of West End Village and surrounding neighborhoods.

Home For Sale With Cheap Financing

SCR, I saw that you mentioned rent to own in another thread. Have you looked into getting a mortgage for that property? Since that craigslist ad specifies making $2,000 a month I would think you'd meet the income requirements for an FHA loan. Even if there are a few things wrong with it that don't let it pass the FHA inspection, you could get a conventional loan (nowadays just 5% down on a single-family), or an FHA 203K loan -- which lets you finance the costs of repair in addition to the mortgage.

$550 a month isn't expensive, but it's still probably 3 times the amount you'd pay in a mortgage, even after considering taxes.