For those who left PGH looking for greener pastures... (Pittsburgh: rent, house)

[captainbob2]

What made you decide to leave Pittsburgh and how did it turn out? Happy with the move? Did something draw you back to the Burgh?

I've been here about 7 years and PGH started out pretty exciting since I came from a middle sized town in eastern PA, but it's starting to lose its luster. And now at almost 30 I feel the need to see what else is out there for an actual move, not just travel. Pittsburgh seems great for raising a family but that's a few years off for me. I was just curious to see what others who have actually moved think.

I know ThumbingMyWay has a similar thread but that seemed to lead into discussion about the weather .

Thanks for your wisdom!

[Hopes]

I left Pittsburgh in my early 20s and came back to raise my family. Now that I have an empty nest, I'm itching to move. I loved moving around from place to place. It's very exciting. I don't think it has anything to do with Pittsburgh lacking anything. I think it has to do with being personalities that want to experience the world first hand, living the way people live in other places instead of just visiting. We move for the excitement. We're ramblers at heart.

The only problem I'm having with finding somewhere to move is our cost of living is super low. And at our age, it's not wise to make a move to a more expensive area since we're supposed to be catching up on saving for retirement. If I can find a great place that interests me and it has a low cost of living, we're out of here. For now, we'll travel.

If you're a wanderlust at heart, my advice is to move as often as you can before you have children!

[Katarina Witt]

^^I agree with Hopes!

I left Pittsburgh to get married and never came back (to live). All the places I've lived have enriched my life. My kids are now grown. A few years ago I proposed moving back to Pittsburgh, but DH said he doesn't want to ever look for another job again. Now that our kids are getting married, and one just bought a house here in CO (today!), I think we'll stay here.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by Katiana

Now that our kids are getting married, and one just bought a house here in CO (today!), I think we'll stay here.

You've inspired me to add to my previous post. Once having children, it's important to figure out where you would like to spend the rest of your life and settle down there. All sorts of things can hider moving after raising children, such as children getting married, grandchildren, saving for retirement, health issues, etc. Move around as much as you can before you have children, but settle down where you think you'll be happy forever after you have children.

[Caladium]

If you can find a job opening in another city, why not go for it and see how it goes. It's good to try things like that before you start raising a family--otherwise when you hit your 50s you'll spend a lot of time wondering what you missed out on. It could be you'll find out you missed out on nothing and you'll want to move back. But you'll have had an adventure, and it's better to know what's out there than spend your life regretting that you never took the chance to find out.

The great thing about moving away from a reasonably inexpensive city like Pittsburgh is it's easy to come back if you wish. You might not get quite the fabulous low rent you used to have, but you'll still be able to find something fairly inexpensive.

[Joe Magarac]

I left Pittsburgh at 17 and spent the next decade going all over the place - saw all 48 contiguous states, lived in Canada and Europe along with many different parts of the USA (South, West, etc.), had more addresses than I could count. It was an absolutely great time. But I found myself mentally comparing all of the places that I lived in or visited to Pittsburgh, and I found that none of them appealed to me the way that she (can we call Pittsburgh a she?) did.

So I moved back at 27 and have never really considered leaving. Like Hopes and Caladium and others, I do think that it's good (for people and for places both) if people informally "commit" to a place and try to stick there, becoming part of the community. Monks, who take a vow of stability - they don't transfer from one monastery to the next - are some of the wisest people I know. Moving around is a good way to get a broad experience of life. Staying in one place is the only way to get a deep one.

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by Joe Magarac

I found that none of them appealed to me the way that she (can we call Pittsburgh a she?) did.

LOL, fun question for a lazy Sunday morning. I'm kinda curious to see what others would say--and why. Just philosophical enough that it could take us off topic, though, so I hope you don't mind if I start a new thread for it.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by Joe Magarac

Moving around is a good way to get a broad experience of life. Staying in one place is the only way to get a deep one.

Beautifully said.

[gg]

Originally Posted by Joe Magarac

I left Pittsburgh at 17 and spent the next decade going all over the place - saw all 48 contiguous states, lived in Canada and Europe along with many different parts of the USA (South, West, etc.), had more addresses than I could count. It was an absolutely great time. But I found myself mentally comparing all of the places that I lived in or visited to Pittsburgh, and I found that none of them appealed to me the way that she (can we call Pittsburgh a she?) did.

To be fair, if you moved around that much, you never experienced them that well. You would need to stay for 2 years at least to get a real feel and give a place a chance.

[Goinback2011]

Leaving for awhile is good, but so is coming back.

For years, my brother in law ran a head hunting firm where he took out ads in the Pittsburgh papers on holidays saying things like: Enjoying Pittsburgh for the holidays? Why not think about coming back? The ads worked wonders.