California-Kirkbride: Trending Upwards or Continuing to Decline? (Pittsburgh, Chester: loans, cheap house)

[CaptainPittsburgh]

Hey SteelCity, I'm way late to the party on this one.

It looks like there's tons of advice in here already, so I'm going to be more general. I think Cal-Kirk and Brightwood-M-S would be totally liveable, and are decent options for people with less money (like you and me haha), since you want to own a home and not flip one in two years.

There's some crime, obviously, but nothing overwhelming, and I think the location and low prices would probably make it more than worth it. I would have bought in either, and after a year and a half of living in the Northside and riding my bike through both neighborhoods all the time (as well as the rest of the NS) that opinion is unchanged.

Keep saving, bro, and keep making appointments to see places. Now that you are expanding your territory, I know you'll be able to find the right place when the time comes. As a years long East Ender, I wasn't sold on the Northside when I bought my house here, but I love it now.

Also, closing costs suuuuuuuuuuck in Allegheny County.

[norcider]

PB&J, FYI, that coffee shop at the Pittsburgh Project, AKA old Annunciation (my gradeschool) is now closed. Not sure what happened and it sucks. The Pgh Project has a farmers market in the lot catty corner to Linwood though. Cali-Kirkbride is one of those rapidly disappearing neighborhoods, so much has been torn down. I'd find a house in Brightwood/Woods Run before I was willing to live in C/K and the reason would be the drug/gang activity isn't as high. Be careful with Kennedy, last time I was through there (between Perrysville and Marshall) it looked like Beirut. The part of Kennedy which dead-ends by Village in the Park used to be in better shape, not sure nowadays. There's a house for sale on Danbury, that little slice of Pittsburgh is isolated and still in decent shape though Danbury is heavily traveled by people taking the shortcut to N. Charles. Good lucK!

[PB&J O'Rourke]

I forgot about the farmer's market, oops. As for the Cafe, they're only open during the summer and special events now apparently.

The Pittsburgh Project - Charles Street Cafe

[norcider]

Oh, good, I was hoping it wasn't closed for good! thanks!

[PittsburghLlama]

Hey, SCR, I just wanted to say good luck on your search. Being in a lower income bracket means that you will probably look at 30 billion places before you set your heart on one, but these areas of the North Side are great for that sort of mindset (I would know). I only moved to the N.S. about 1.5 years ago, and I'm a huge fan. I work downtown, and have traveled, via bike, through all of the discussed areas in question on a nearly daily basis. My adoration for that area only grows each day. It seems like every day I find another cool aspect, so I never really find myself pining for the East End like I thought I might after moving initially.

I feel that, even if some areas stay as they are, as long as you're looking for a place to call home (and not a place to transform and make money on), you'll probably find yourself quite content with the area. I'm currently in the Brighton Heights area, but nearly settled on a place in Marshall Shadeland before obtaining the house I reside in currently (it didn't have any parking, but was a fantastic house with really nice neighbors). I really wouldn't rule out Marshall Shadeland if you're interested in the area, as others have said already.

Anyway, good luck. House hunting is equal parts frustrating-beyond-all-reason and rewarding, haha. Be warned.

[PB&J O'Rourke]

I only looked at two before I found the house I bought, counting the house I bought.

[PittsburghLlama]

Originally Posted by PB&J O'Rourke

I only looked at two before I found the house I bought, counting the house I bought.

I stand corrected, haha.

[ML North]

Originally Posted by PittsburghLlama

Hey, SCR, I just wanted to say good luck on your search. Being in a lower income bracket means that you will probably look at 30 billion places before you set your heart on one

This is me, too. I generally find a house, crunch some numbers, go look at the house, correct the numbers, and then decide to continue renting. This cycle has dragged on for about 3 years, though I only look at a few homes each year.

So to SCR, I join the others in reminding you to remain positive. One benefit of buying on the North Side is that there are a lot of community gardens for your potatoes and jagger bushes (edit: tomatoes and sunflowers).

[PB&J O'Rourke]

Yeah, the community gardens rule.

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by PB&J O'Rourke

I only looked at two before I found the house I bought, counting the house I bought.

I saw the house online that I eventually bought. I came to Pittsburgh to look at it and figured I'd better look at a bunch of other houses to be sure there wasn't something I liked better. I found lots of houses that I liked, but I ended up choosing the first one. I'll know very soon if it was the right decision.