Can we afford to relocate to pittsburgh? (Lebanon, Indiana: home builders, new construction)

[Burghgirl17]

Originally Posted by hinsey86

Actually it could be a bit more. ( depending on taxes and insurance and mortgage rate)... And again I will say that it really is not tight. One can expect to bring home "around" 5000 a month. ( depending on deductions ). If you can't live on 3 thousand a month for all other bills then I guess it could be tight.

Eh, guess I'm a more conservative spender/more aggressive saver than others may be. Savings, 401K/retirement (especially if only 1 spouse works), healthcare, utilities, food, utilities, clothing, gifts, child-related expenses etc. add up.

[hinsey86]

Originally Posted by Burghgirl17

Eh, guess I'm a more conservative spender/more aggressive saver than others may be. Savings, 401K/retirement (especially if only 1 spouse works), healthcare, utilities, food, utilities, clothing, gifts, child-related expenses etc. add up.

Well I did mentione deductions before that take home pay ..which include healthcare and generous Retirement payments ...you can still save quite a lot. And if your "add up's" are more than 3000 a month someone has spending issues.

[sealie]

Once you're making six figures you have the means to come up with 20% down on a 300k house, or at least you do if you've been saving like you were supposed to when you were younger.

[captainmidnight]

OP, input your numbers on this calculator to get a range of what house you can afford on your salary: Affordable Home Calculator from CNNMoney

A big factor in determining how much you can pay per month in a mortgage payment is how much debt you have. If you have none with a $100K salary, you could afford a good bit. But like other have said, a $300K pretty new house in a top school district with good sized land might be tough to come by. How 'new" are you talking and what size house?A decent sized 'new-new' house in a subdivision neighborhood in a top school district are usually built by the high volume home builders. I'm pretty sure they are more than $300K and are usually on a 1/3 acre lot.

[robrobrob]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Her budget is 300k. Of course, housing choices are limited in Hampton because it's a small township It being a small township is exactly why it's a desirable area. Many people want top quality small schools as opposed to the larger school districts. As a result, fewer houses go on the market and they sell quickly when they do. If she can find what she wants there, it won't be a mistake. If she wants new, new, new, she should go to Pine where it's filled with new construction and the school district can't keep up with the growth to the point the quality of the education is deteriorating. See the other threads about Pine Richland to learn that it's not a wise choice for people who wanting top schools. It doesn't qualify for that designation anymore.

Hopes, I am not knocking Hampton. I am just saying that it isn't as affordable as some people are making it out to be. Finding a newer home with an open floor plan, that is updated, with a nice yard and in a subdivision and that costs less than 300,000 is not something that is a given in Hampton. 5 years ago my friend was shopping in Hampton with basically the same budget. He ended up buying a 50 year old house that needed a fair amount of updating for 260,000. He made a sacrifice to live in Hampton. A sacrifice that a lot of people are willing to make. However, if the OP isn't willing to give on his or her desire for a "newish" and updated houses then he or she will have a tough time buying in Hampton or other top districts.


I watch a lot of HGTV and in other areas, such as Atlanta, you get a lot more home for your money than in Pittsburgh. Our houses are affordable but they aren't what most people are expecting if they are coming from a newer city.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by robrobrob

I watch a lot of HGTV and in other areas, such as Atlanta, you get a lot more home for your money than in Pittsburgh. Our houses are affordable but they aren't what most people are expecting if they are coming from a newer city.

Agreed. New and affordable doesn't exist in any top school district here.

OP, you need to heed robrobrob's warning. You can afford to live comfortable in Pittsburgh for 100k but only if you adjust your housing expectations.

Pittsburgh's lower cost of living pertains ONLY to low housing prices. If you buy a house here for the same mortgage you have where you currently live, you will NOT be able to enjoy Pittsburgh's lower cost of living. The exact opposite will happen----you will be in a higher cost of living situation. Our food and utilities are higher than many other areas of the country newcomers come from. The biggest mistake I see is when newcomers overbuy their houses.

Some people come here from areas where a small 2 bedroom house was worth near a million dollars. They see what you can get here for a million dollars and think they can afford a million dollar home here. So they buy a monster house when they used to live in a small house. What they didn't realize is that our property taxes are higher, as well as our food and utilities, plus it costs more in gas to heat a bigger house.

Although you're not that extreme, you are coming here on a lower salary so it's vitally important that you lower your housing budget accordingly. If you come from a region where new construction was the norm due to building booms, you need to accept that's not Pittsburgh. You're not going to find a newer house in the low 100s here. We're not Texas with constant cheap new construction.

You can live here on 100k comfortably, but you really need to assess your priorities and accept that something has to give. If you don't, you'll quickly find yourself going back to work instead of enjoying the SAHM lifestyle.

I have no idea where you currently live. It might be a good idea to share that with us so we can help you compare.

[Tsunade318]

Yes the house is too dated for my taste.

Originally Posted by OniNoKen

Here's an example of something in your price range, that mostly meets your criteria. It's not very far from the elementary school at all. There are kids all over that neighborhood. The house will probably feel dated to you. The ceilings will probably also feel low. The yards in that plan are large for the area of town.

417 Wimer Dr, Pittsburgh, PA 15237 - Zillow

[Tsunade318]

No I'm not looking for a specific flavor lol....I actually grew up in Murrysville where its mostly white and I was harassed with racist remarks in school (I'm asian) and I'm definitely not moving back there again.

Originally Posted by jay5835

Are you looking for a specific flavor of diversity? Eastern or southern Asian, for example? Or maybe Hispanic?

I don't live in the suburbs, so I don't know from personal experience, but I imagine one suburb might have a large Chinese population, or be home to a number of Vietnamese, or Indian, etc. I know I've heard of apartment communities that have lots of Indian people. And somewhere in the Eastern suburbs, I think there are a number of Korean residents. Maybe if we knew a little more, we could help you more specifically.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by Tsunade318

Yes the house is too dated for my taste.

Your taste might have to change if you want to live in Pittsburgh on 100k.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Tsunade318

Yes the house is too dated for my taste.

You can get other styles in the top suburbs too at affordable prices. If you like 1940s styles, something like this or this. Or hell, the occasional near Victorian too.