Moving to Pittdburgh !!!!!!!Need Experts Help (Pittsburgh, Lebanon: best city, real estate, apartment complex)

[pmjain]

Hi

I am IT professional and I am moving to Pittsburgh . I will be working in Downtown ( Zip Code 15222) . I have 2 kids .I will be new to this area so need guidance /help from some experience people .

I am looking for 2 bedroom apartment which is not very from my office ( I am fine within 15 Miles) and most important thing is I need good school for my kid .

If any one can suggest good apartment complex with 2/3 Bedroom would greatly appreciated .

[gameguy56]

Look somewhere in Squirrel Hill or Mt. Lebanon. Both are close to downtown with Good schools.

[guylocke]

Squirrel Hill has good schools? Where exactly do kids from Squirrel Hill go to school out of curiosity if the parents don't send them to one of the several private schools around that area?

[gameguy56]

Originally Posted by guylocke

Squirrel Hill has good schools? Where exactly do kids from Squirrel Hill go to school out of curiosity if the parents don't send them to one of the several private schools around that area?

Allderdice?

[By~Tor]

I'm moving there too, and with most cities, unfortunately, the farther out from the city center you are, generally the better the schools are, public OR private.

Fortunately though, the "good" areas are only about 15-20 mins from the downtown area, so you won't have to look far!!!

[guylocke]

Allderdice?

Right, it's a city-school. I wasn't sure I ever heard someone boast about the great quality of Pittsburgh city-schools before (in the same sentence with such a district as Mt. Lebanon).

Maybe you're right! I don't know very much about Pittsburgh inner-city schools.

[pmjain]

Do you have any idea about Payne Hills Apartments? It is in Jefferson Hills and come it comes under Jefferson Elementory School .

I have done some research and found that it has 9 Rating in GreatSchools.net website .
Any idea about Jefferson Hills Area ? and will commutation till Downtown will be a problem ?

[gameguy56]

Originally Posted by guylocke

Right, it's a city-school. I wasn't sure I ever heard someone boast about the great quality of Pittsburgh city-schools before (in the same sentence with such a district as Mt. Lebanon).

Maybe you're right! I don't know very much about Pittsburgh inner-city schools.

Most of the schools aren't very good, but Allderdice is the gem of the city publics. Many of Squirrel Hill's families still send their kids there. It's listed in the top 1000 public schools in the nation from USNEWS (I think?)

[BrianTH]

The whole lineup of public schools in Squirrel Hill (K-12) is quite good by Pittsburgh School District standards--arguably the best. Of course, it is also true that for various reasons it is tough for even the best city schools to compete with the best suburb schools. In fact, one of those reasons is the many good private schools in the East End, some of which can be quite affordable (particularly if you qualify for a scholarship).

By the way, to the OP: many of your better potential options will probably not be in large apartment complexes, but rather will be in smaller buildings and converted houses. That does make it difficult for people from out of town, but it turns out that a lot of real estate agents will help you find an apartment without charging much, if anything. So I would suggest that once you get a feel for which neighborhoods might be suitable, you try giving some agents a call and see what they can do for you.

[velcro21]

You might want to think in terms of commute time instead of mileage when you decide where you want to live. Pittsburgh is very unique in its topography--rivers and hills all over the place.
This means you have to cross a bridge from most directions, and from the West and South, you may also deal with a tunnel. 15 miles away can be a nice, easy commute or it could make you want to pull your hair out.
Typically, you will find a better price and better schools if you get out in the suburbs. As said above, there are some great city neighborhoods/schools but you will often pay more for the nicer city areas. Wage and school taxes tend to be higher in the city, too.
Jefferson Hills is a fine area but you could be looking at a pretty long commute from that far south. You would be better served looking a bit farther north--West Mifflin, Baldwin/Whitehall, Brentwood, Mt. Lebanon, Scott Township, Greentree, Dormont, Beechview, etc...
There are also nice areas in the North Hills, out west toward Robinson or Moon.
As others have suggested, look for homes that have been converted to apartments. You will find a lot of these listings on Craigslist. There are tons of them in the Pittsburgh area.
Feel free to ask questions about specific areas. There are people from all over the city on these boards who can give you specifics once you find an area.