Renting in PGH/suburbs; commute to East Liberty (Pittsburgh, Penn Hills: apartments, rentals)

[kjm303]

We are considering a move from Seattle to the Pittsburgh area. We want to buy a house, but not until we get to know the area and have time to decide on neighborhoods and school districts. So for now, only interested in renting.

My husband is potentially accepting a job that will be located in Bakery Square/East Liberty. We have a one year old and a 25 pound corgi; I'll be staying home. We want to make sure that we will be safe and also have access to the things we need while also keeping his commute short since he'll be working a lot.

I have done some preliminary searching and it seems that if we want to be walkable (or a very short bus ride) to his office, we will be unable to take advantage of the lower rents that we have been hearing so much about. Granted, nothing compared to Seattle, but a big reason for this move is the hope of saving money.

Ideally, we would like three bedrooms (or two and a loft/den/office), reasonably updated kitchen, washer/dryer, AC, covered parking for one car, and a yard of some sort, even if very small. We would prefer more than one bathroom but that is lowest on the list. A single family home or a townhouse sounds better than an apartment, though we can make it work.

I have primarily been looking in Shadyside, Highland Park, Point Breeze/Point Breeze North, and North Squirrel Hill. Morningside sounds great but I am not having luck finding rentals. Any other suggestions?

I didn't think our wish list was unreasonable, but I'm finding that in order to get some of these things in the east end areas, we'll be spending between $1500 and $2000, and that's if we find a place that will permit our dog. I have checked out the major property management spots (Franklin West, Walnut Capital, Mozart) and many of them don't have anything under $2000 at all. Other ideas? Craigslist from afar seems dicey, though we will be booking a trip out to hopefully see a couple places and make a decision. I just don't want to walk into the situation without any knowledge of what is realistic for us.

We are not set on living in Pittsburgh proper; what areas in the north side or east of town would suit our needs and keep the commute under 30 minutes?

Thanks in advance!

[SuburbanPioneer]

Where did you hear about cheap rentals in Pittsburgh? Must be some other city.

Granted that anything is possible in the right place at the right time, the more common situation here is that good rentals are either expensive or very hard to find. Finding a good rental that allows pets gets you from a very hard to an almost impossible task.

The rent market here is pretty tight. Landlords are not motivated to update properties, deal with pets, etc. Because they know they will find a tenant anyway.

Finding a rental in eastern inner suburbs (Penn hills, Verona, Monroeville to an extent) will be much much easier. Those are not the best areas, so those who can't sell their houses are desperate for good tenants.

As far as the north goes, I think you can be as far as Gibsonia and still get to east liberty within 30 minutes via route 8.

[onwardandupward]

The East End is the hottest and highest priced area in all of Pittsburgh, which is your biggest problem. Anywhere within a short commute of Bakery Square is going to be priced accordingly. I have two suggestions:

1. For rentals, look at Stanton Heights, Millvale, Shaler, Troy Hill, West View, Blawnox and Sharpsburg. None of these places are gorgeous, but they are all safe, and will be less expensive than where you're looking, and are within a 30 minute commute.
2. Buy a house in Morningside. For under $200k you can get a house with a mortgage less than your budget. The house will appreciate in value, and even if you decide to move in a couple of years, you'll have no problem renting it (keeping in mind your own situation of finding VERY few house rentals), or selling it without taking a loss.

Personally I would vote for #2

[Geeo]

As was mentioned, the rental market is extremely tight and it will be difficult to find what you want in the East End for under $1,500. You might try the small borough of Aspinwall, which is right across the Allegheny River from Highland Park. It's quaint, walkable, and a short distance from Bakery Square. If you venture across the rivers or to inner ring suburbs, you'll still find the old cheaper Pittsburgh.

There are about 1,000 apartments either under construction or planned between Bakery Square and Shadyside, but they won't be coming online until later this year, and they will be priced even higher because of the amenities they offer (yoga rooms, pools, outdoor fire pits, bike rooms, etc).

[RonSantoRules]

Take a look at the Somerest at Frick Park rentals. They have 2BD/2BA units that are pet friendly and rent for around $2000 (Floor Plans of The Gateway at Summerset in Pittsburgh, PA). You'll get a dining room that could be used as a den/office. Fairly near to Bakery Square (10-15 minutes by car, only 4 miles away), and you're right across the river from the Waterfront shops.

The Waterfront Apartments (Pittsburgh Apartments in Waterfront Munhall) also are pet friendly and a short trip to Bakery Square. They have some 3BR/2BA units, as well as 2BD with loft/den units that are right within or at the top range of your budget.

Good luck.

[PreservationPioneer]

If you're trying to save money, check out Sharpsburg, Etna, Millvale, Verona, Penn Hills, Swissvale. These are fairly close to East Liberty, dirt cheap, and safe.

[SteelCityRising]

Pittsburgh is an incredible bargain if you're looking to buy. Even with a declining population and new apartments going up left and right, though, we still have one of the tightest rental markets in the country, which has made renting, especially in the "urban core" neighborhoods (contiguous with Downtown and/or Oakland), much more expensive than a decade ago when Pittsburgh was "cheap, cheap, cheap". Hell, in 2010 I found an awesome 1-BR loft in a neighborhood within walking distance of Downtown for $550/month. Those deals don't exist anymore, and if you DO find a rental like that these days it's either in the suburbs or a sketchy city neighborhood.

Anyone on this sub-forum who tells you it's "cheap" to rent here is comparing us unfairly to large coastal cities like NYC, Boston, San Francisco, or your own Seattle. Of course we're cheaper for rentals than the most expensive markets in the country. We're also now MORE expensive for rentals than much of the Rust Belt.

As far as neighborhoods are concerned I LOVE Troy Hill and Fineview and have decided I would love to buy my first home in one of those two neighborhoods if I can't afford my own beloved Polish Hill. Both of those neighborhoods are safe, have much cheaper rents than the East End, and are still convenient to urban amenities. The school situation? I'll defer to Steindle, who lives there.

[Merge]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Pittsburgh is an incredible bargain if you're looking to buy. Even with a declining population and new apartments going up left and right, though, we still have one of the tightest rental markets in the country, which has made renting, especially in the "urban core" neighborhoods (contiguous with Downtown and/or Oakland), much more expensive than a decade ago when Pittsburgh was "cheap, cheap, cheap". Hell, in 2010 I found an awesome 1-BR loft in a neighborhood within walking distance of Downtown for $550/month. Those deals don't exist anymore, and if you DO find a rental like that these days it's either in the suburbs or a sketchy city neighborhood.

Anyone on this sub-forum who tells you it's "cheap" to rent here is comparing us unfairly to large coastal cities like NYC, Boston, San Francisco, or your own Seattle. Of course we're cheaper for rentals than the most expensive markets in the country. We're also now MORE expensive for rentals than much of the Rust Belt.

As far as neighborhoods are concerned I LOVE Troy Hill and Fineview and have decided I would love to buy my first home in one of those two neighborhoods if I can't afford my own beloved Polish Hill. Both of those neighborhoods are safe, have much cheaper rents than the East End, and are still convenient to urban amenities. The school situation? I'll defer to Steindle, who lives there.

If you walk to any of those amenities you are talking about, you are going to stay in good shape as you get older... living in Troy Hill or Fineview. You'll be calling for the return of the funiculars!

And you picking these neighborhoods is pretty ironic considering your characterization of Millvale, Etna, and Sharpsburg as "severely depressed". I'm beginning to wonder whether or not you've actually taken the time to walk around ANY of these neighborhoods.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Merge

If you walk to any of those amenities you are talking about, you are going to stay in good shape as you get older... living in Troy Hill or Fineview. You'll be calling for the return of the funiculars!

And you picking these neighborhoods is pretty ironic considering your characterization of Millvale, Etna, and Sharpsburg as "severely depressed". I'm beginning to wonder whether or not you've actually taken the time to walk around ANY of these neighborhoods.

I get a better vibe walking around Fineview and Troy Hill than I do Sharpsburg or Etna. Sorry. That's just the way I personally perceive these areas. I don't find any of them particularly "dangerous" or anything. I just like the feel and atmosphere of the city neighborhoods better.

[Merge]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I get a better vibe walking around Fineview and Troy Hill than I do Sharpsburg or Etna. Sorry. That's just the way I personally perceive these areas. I don't find any of them particularly "dangerous" or anything. I just like the feel and atmosphere of the city neighborhoods better.

No need to apologize for your "feelings". I'm just suggesting you might want to spend a little more time walking around these communities and get some more direct experience... especially considering the actual similarities between these neighborhoods (regardless of status as a "city neighborhood", a fairly arbitrary signifier around these parts). If and when you finally get around to buying a house in the area, it's better that you weigh other factors more heavily than your "feelings" or whatever vibe you get from whatever limited experiences you actually have with these neighborhoods.