East Allegheny (Deutschtown) (Allentown, York, Duquesne: sale, lease, buying a home)

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Caladium

I like that little "Grandma" house on Iten. Especially the killer view. What's that neighborhood like?

That house is basically the first house (remaining) on its street, which is one of the upper streets in Spring Garden.

Iten is the borderline of East Deutschtown and Spring Garden. Lower Spring Garden and East Deutschtown are pretty similar (semi-blighted, 19th century construction, poor white neighborhoods), although Spring Garden is wood frame construction, as opposed to the brick more predominant below.

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Thanks, Julie! Thanks, also, for the helpful DM you sent to me yesterday! That most certainly is an option, although it's on the wrong side of town from where I'd like to locate myself.

I'm budgeting to receive a raise this year, I'm budgeting to be paying less on my mortgage than I currently pay in rent, I'm budgeting working my second job again (just on weekends), etc. I'm not at all concerned about not having money available for repairs and improvements. While I'm pretty financially independent I know I could always turn to a loan from my parents as a last resort if the furnace goes two days after I move in, and I'd pay them back with interest.

Right now the biggest anchors financially for me are my car and food. As I said I'd consider selling my car upon buying the house and transferring Downtown with my employer, as my partner will still have his car for weekend necessities and errands. In regards to food I just started using a site called Mint.com which helps you really keep track of your spending, and I'm admittedly spending WAY too much right now on pizza, fast food, Starbucks, non-essential groceries, and restaurant meals. I spent nearly $600 on food in December, which is asinine, and I know I'll be on a better track in that regard in the new year.

Sounds good. If you do make an offer on the house be sure to go along when you have the inspection done and ask lots of questions. Determine approximate costs of repairs and renovations and prioritize them. This will give you the info you need to budget. The drawback of buying such an inexpensive home is that it will probably need some expensive repairs. Hopefully they will be things you don't need to do all at once and that you can do yourself. My concern for you is that you don't get blinded by the thought of a very low mortgage payment. Look at the real costs of owning that home, including potential for appreciation. Looking at homes that cost double what that one costs may end up being less expensive in the long run because they are in better shape and/or are in better neighborhoods with more potential for greater appreciation. Not that the one you're interested in is a bad choice, I just worry that you're focusing too much on purchase price and not enough on the long term costs of owning that home. Consider what your ROI would be if you decide to move in five years. You may need a bigger home or tire of a neighborhood that isn't improving as quickly as you had hoped.

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I also do NOT like that there is literally ZERO yard. We don't want to be burdened with much of a yard, but just enough to let the dog do his business would have been nice. We would take frequent long walks over to the park.

I have lived in a no-yard home for almost two years now. I have two dogs. This means they have to be walked multiple times a day rain or shine, sickness or health, whether you like it or not. It also means they do have accidents on your floors when you don't get home in time to walk them. My previous house had a yard and there was a doggy door. I still walked them, but it was wonderful not to have to get up super early every single weekend, or when you have the flu, or rush home after work to let them out. No yard gets old real fast when you have a dog. The house I bought has a medium sized yard, small by suburban standards, which will be perfect for my pets and is big enough for entertaining and gardening. I didn't want to maintain a big yard so this one is ideal for me. I strongly urge you to get a place with outdoor space for your dog. You won't regret it.

[jay5835]

Paul, I had a dream I moved to this house you're talking about here. Only instead of being on an urban prairie, it was on a real prairie, on a hill with alotalotalotalot of land, overlooking a river (the Bluff near Duquesne U?). I liked it because it had lots of room and no neighbors, so I could listen to my record collection on my new turntable, which some guy on Forbes Avenue in Squirrel Hill gave me (hey, it's a dream, it's not necessarily logical).

However, when I got home, there were a bunch of lesbians on the first floor, having some kind of meeting (AA?). Eventually they left, and I wanted to play records. I couldn't, because I had to order a cartridge for the turntable online. I had to wait for it to come in the mail.

Then there were the neighbors at the end of the driveway who were having a cookout. Not a proper BBQ, just cooking hamburgers on a grill. You were in the dream now instead of me. I didn't live there anymore.

You were afraid the neighbors were Hell's Angels or something, so you stayed in the house, trying to become invisible: if they couldn't see you, they couldn't hurt you. Finally, you went down to the river, and that's when I woke up.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by juliegt

I have lived in a no-yard home for almost two years now. .

The Blossom property does have space for yard. The lot is 622 sq feet, the house takes up 480 square feet- definitely room enough for a small yard.

My own L'ville house is similar, no grass in the back, but definitely room for a little bit of planting and a small patio. All the OP would need to do is build a small wall to keep poochie in. My back door has a "doggy door".

[eschaton]

Street view showing the "yard."

Big enough to let a dog (SCR has a small one) do their business, and set up a grill and have a few flowerpots.

[Kippy]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Street view showing the "yard."

Big enough to let a dog (SCR has a small one) do their business, and set up a grill and have a few flowerpots.

If you put a grill out there, would you ever see it again? Julie has some sound advice, be sure to consider the true cost of things. Would you rather pay more in a monthly mortgage for an updated place or do you have the ability to save up 5k in cash for a bathroom and 15k in cash for a kitchen? Keep in mind mortgage rates are insanely low, and you can always make extra principal payments, which has the dual effect of paying off the loan faster and significantly reducing the total amount of interest paid.

The neighborhood is bound to be full of old timers, parking chairs, snowy sidewalks, and litter; all of which are things that bother you. It is cool to be frugal, but it seems like you might be selling yourself a bit short.

[PreservationPioneer]

This is a cool house in a great location. If it was in Lawrenceville or Bloomfield, it would probably be priced in the 90s. That said, I think the price is a bit over market value. I remember when this house was on the market before and sold for 10k. Deals like that are still out there, so it seems a bit risky to spend 40k on it unless it's in really good shape. I would probably make a lowball offer and negotiate from there.

This house reminds me of mine. It looks to be about the same size, except mine has a bathroom addition off the back. It's good for a single person, but might be a little tight for two. Storage is the main problem, but there is probably a basement for that. I tend to collect a lot of stuff. It got so bad that my 2nd bedroom became my storage room, and was full of antiques, until my parents came down and helped me clear it out with their truck. lol.

Pros and cons about owning a 2 bedroom row-house in a poor white neighborhood:

- Eventually, I want to own something more elegant, with a real formal dining room, entry foyer and staircase, and more room to roam.

- The lack of yard in my case has never bothered me.

- Neighbors can be problematic. You can hear them through the walls, and you have to be aware of drug issues on your block. I have a neighbor now who screams at her boyfriend all day long.

- Be aware of the condition of the other homes in your row. If they are vacant or abandoned, the city will probably tear them down, and this can create structural issues in your house (because they are attached) and just look like hell.

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by Kippy

If you put a grill out there, would you ever see it again? Julie has some sound advice, be sure to consider the true cost of things. Would you rather pay more in a monthly mortgage for an updated place or do you have the ability to save up 5k in cash for a bathroom and 15k in cash for a kitchen? Keep in mind mortgage rates are insanely low, and you can always make extra principal payments, which has the dual effect of paying off the loan faster and significantly reducing the total amount of interest paid.

The neighborhood is bound to be full of old timers, parking chairs, snowy sidewalks, and litter; all of which are things that bother you. It is cool to be frugal, but it seems like you might be selling yourself a bit short.

If it has the potential to be another Lawrenceville in less than 10 years, go for it. But think hard about living in such a small place that may not appreciate much even after you make improvements. Kippy makes some good points about the costs of kitchens and baths. That same money spent on a house in a nicer area would bring you a better ROI. An earlier poster (sorry, don't remember who it was) brought up concerns about the potential for eminent domain, etc. You want to be in a place that has the potential to become a nice safe neighborhood with owner occupied housing. You don't want to be one of a few homes in an otherwise commercial or industrial area. Or, you could move in, make basic improvements and flip it and be able to afford a better neighborhood in the next house. Of course flipping can be risky especially if the house needs more than cosmetic improvements.

[sparrowmint]

Originally Posted by juliegt

I have lived in a no-yard home for almost two years now. I have two dogs. This means they have to be walked multiple times a day rain or shine, sickness or health, whether you like it or not. It also means they do have accidents on your floors when you don't get home in time to walk them. My previous house had a yard and there was a doggy door. I still walked them, but it was wonderful not to have to get up super early every single weekend, or when you have the flu, or rush home after work to let them out. No yard gets old real fast when you have a dog. The house I bought has a medium sized yard, small by suburban standards, which will be perfect for my pets and is big enough for entertaining and gardening. I didn't want to maintain a big yard so this one is ideal for me. I strongly urge you to get a place with outdoor space for your dog. You won't regret it.

Well, that greatly depends on the dog. I never, ever, ever leave my dogs outside unattended (so they aren't outside when we're away from home), and it's never been an issue. I wouldn't recommend someone leaving a small dog outside unattended in a so-so neighbourhood, unless they want to find the dog stolen.

But a yard is obviously a wonderful thing to have for quick bathroom trips without having to actually walk late at night, during storms, and stuff like that.