Moving from Chicago to Pitsburgh (crazy/excited!) need advice! (house, live)

[doo dah]

Originally Posted by KrisBD

Thanks everyone!
We are looking for housing with a budget between 200-the low 300's

I love and prefer old houses but don't want a fixer upper after such a big move! (we just rehabbed a 115 year old farm house in the city-- selling it will fund the move--if all goes well

My husband is the beer and spirits buyer for Whole Foods (but we know there are some odd restrictions in Pittsburgh-correct?) and I am an artist and director of education for the National Veterans Art Museum (we are hoping to open a branch in Pittsburgh!)

I don't know if Whole Foods is selling beer here yet at this time, but definitely not spirits (nor wine). Would that be your transfer reason?

[theta_sigma]

All of Pennsylvania has liquor control laws that keep alcoholic beverages out of grocery stores (most of the time--every now and then someone wins permission to be an exception, but it's rare and often short-lived). All wine and spirits are sold through the state Liquor Control Board which run their own stores. Beer is sold through beer distributors or by the brewries themselves (of which Pittsburgh has several of the small craft brewer variety).

$200k won't get you much in Squirrel Hill, but closer to $300k will get you a nice, modest home that might need some updating at some point in the future but won't be a gut-job by any means.

[doo dah]

Originally Posted by theta_sigma

All of Pennsylvania has liquor control laws that keep alcoholic beverages out of grocery stores (most of the time--every now and then someone wins permission to be an exception, but it's rare and often short-lived). All wine and spirits are sold through the state Liquor Control Board which run their own stores. Beer is sold through beer distributors or by the brewries themselves (of which Pittsburgh has several of the small craft brewer variety).

$200k won't get you much in Squirrel Hill, but closer to $300k will get you a nice, modest home that might need some updating at some point in the future but won't be a gut-job by any means.

Some of the Giant Eagle Market District stores sell beer now, as does the IGA in Oakland, and apparently the "Campus Bookstore" (NOT the Pitt Bookstore!) on Fifth, between Atwood & Meyran. I haven't been to Whole Foods in a long time, but I know they have a dining area, and that is required for beer sales in a grocery now.
Sales are through a separate cash register.

[robrobrob]

Sort of a weird price point. The East End is sort of weird in that I think you really want to spend in the 300,000 to get a place that you like in a decent location.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by KrisBD

Thanks everyone!
We are looking for housing with a budget between 200-the low 300's

I love and prefer old houses but don't want a fixer upper after such a big move! (we just rehabbed a 115 year old farm house in the city-- selling it will fund the move--if all goes well

Here's some examples of housing in that price range in Squirrel Hill.

One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six

Bottom line is you can swing a house at that price range in Squirrel Hill which is move-in ready. However, due to the price premium for the neighborhood, the house is going to be on the small side.

You can get more for your money virtually anywhere else (except Shadyside), but you don't get the top neighborhood elementary school in the city.

[Geeo]

A co-worker told me that the Whole Foods in Wexford does indeed sell beer, and the new one they are building in Upper St. Clair will, as well. The East Liberty store does not.

[ferraris]

Yeah that's an in-betweener budget for sure. OP could get a non-fixer entry level home in a place like Squirrel Hill or top of the line in a place like Brookline. It comes down to if you'd rather be a big fish in a little pond or a little fish in a big pond so to speak.

While Squirrel Hill is going to have the most attractions as a neighborhood, it's also likely that a house in the 200's would be in a less walkable part of the neighborhood (but by no means "unwalkable").

[theta_sigma]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Here's some examples of housing in that price range in Squirrel Hill.

One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six

Bottom line is you can swing a house at that price range in Squirrel Hill which is move-in ready. However, due to the price premium for the neighborhood, the house is going to be on the small side.

You can get more for your money virtually anywhere else (except Shadyside), but you don't get the top neighborhood elementary school in the city.

Number 6 is the clear winner there. It's actually kind of making me wonder what secret thing is wrong with the place.

[charisb]

Originally Posted by theta_sigma

Number 6 is the clear winner there. It's actually kind of making me wonder what secret thing is wrong with the place.

Agreed. It has been on the market for 18 months!
I am incredibly validated to see that #1 is very similar to my house, but we paid $150,000 less because we live 2 miles southwest in (gasp!) Greenfield.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by ferraris

While Squirrel Hill is going to have the most attractions as a neighborhood, it's also likely that a house in the 200's would be in a less walkable part of the neighborhood (but by no means "unwalkable").

There's basically two semi-affordable areas in Squirrel Hill. One is the nexus of rowhouses north of Forbes towards Homewood cemetery. That's where the first two houses I linked to are. Otherwise, the further south you go, the cheaper it gets. Still, this is more a function of the housing further south in Squirrel Hill being smaller than anything I think. Murdoch Farms isn't very walkable, but it's hella expensive, while sometimes you can find beat up rowhouses a block off Murray (or even on it) for under $200,000.