Cost of a one bedroom apt in 50 US cities- Pittsburgh in top 10! (McKeesport: sales, rentals)

[gg]

Originally Posted by Goinback2011

I'm looking on Craigslist at 1 BR apartments in Squirrel Hill. Most are less than $1K/mo. None are anywhere near $1800/mo.

That list is wrong.

https://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/se...+squirrel+hill

That list is comical for sure. Not even close to accurate. Wonder what the agenda is regarding the false article? What are they trying to achieve by writing something so far off the mark?

[bluecarebear]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I've been saying for years now that median 1-BR rental rates here in the city are rising more rapidly than the prevailing local wages, but the regulars on here disagree with me. Nice to see some validation.

I have rented all across the US and didn't grow up in Pittsburgh so I have a different viewpoint than the natives. It's very difficult to go from the all the bells and whistles new complexes in the South to these older units. And if people think the rents aren't still on the rise, then they haven't been looking at apartments lately. If you want new with all the perks, then the cost is at least $1200. From what I and my other friends who rent have been seeing, $1800 isn't hard to imagine.

I kept saying that many co-workers and friends were leaving Pittsburgh and the posters were calling me a troll. I can see in my daily life that there is an exodus occurring. I was validated by the census numbers. This isn't 2006 or even 2010. The middle class is being priced out of the city.

[gladhands]

Originally Posted by bluecarebear

I have rented all across the US and didn't grow up in Pittsburgh so I have a different viewpoint than the natives. It's very difficult to go from the all the bells and whistles new complexes in the South to these older units. And if people think the rents aren't still on the rise, then they haven't been looking at apartments lately. If you want new with all the perks, then the cost is at least $1200.

I can't agree with this more. Not just by southern standards, either. There's an overabundance of nasty carpets, 70s kitchens and wood-panelled or textured walls. No amount of decorating can make them look good. My WORST NYC tenament apartments had hardwood floors and smooth walls.

[Paul2421]

Originally Posted by gladhands

It's called a correction. Rent was FAR too cheap in 2009. Pittsburgh was undervalued and now it's being correctly valued. A lot of posters on the sport seem to believe the Pittsburgh should have a boom town economy while maintaining its 90s Rust Belt cost-of-living, and that's just not feasible.

Pittsburgh rents are cheap. Home prices are cheap. If you're in the middle class, you can afford to rent or buy here. Now, if you want to talk about the difficulties of entering the middle-class in Pittsburgh, we can talk about that.

when and where did you buy your house in pittsburgh?

[DaisyDaisy]

I typically look at survey methodology before deciding how applicable info may be. Also take most with a grain of salt but still interesting to compare. In this case, it's hard to determine how they determined some of the criteria:

"GOBankingRates conducted a study of what the average one-bedroom apartment costs in 50 major U.S. cities. This study looked at various factors, including the median rent for a one-bedroom apartment, the average square footage, the cost of basic monthly utilities and each city's walkability score, which is based on a scale from 0 to 100.

In order to provide the most comprehensive apartment guide to cities across the country, GOBankingRates also identified the percentage of apartments for rent in each city that have the following amenities: dishwashers, washer-dryers, a pool, fitness center access, pet-friendly units and parking."


I'm going to guess that they likely used apartment buildings and complex info, rather than including info on individual homes that may be cut into apartments. I also don't know if Pittsburgh tends to have more individual apartments vs. complexes than other cities. In reviewing sites of some newer complexes - Waterfront, Blue, some downtown options - the prices are definitely on the higher side.

[gladhands]

Originally Posted by Paul2421

when and where did you buy your house in pittsburgh?

2012, Shadyside

[Paul2421]

Originally Posted by gladhands

2012, Shadyside

so at the low-point of the market for the area. makes sense that you would think the housing is cheap still

[gladhands]

Originally Posted by Paul2421

so at the low-point of the market for the area. makes sense that you would think the housing is cheap still

I monitor home pretty closely

[PghYinzer]

You can get a solid house in a very safe neighborhood with amenities and public transportation for less than 100k. Not sure what price people expect to pay for a house these days.

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

So as a poorer working-class white person I'm somehow complicit in my own impending gentrification-related demise for not being socioeconomically advantaged as other whites? Is that honestly what you're trying to say here? As a working-class white person I'm automatically more socioeconomically advantaged than an upper-middle-class black household?

You've mentioned that when you first moved here people were surprised at the rent you were paying in Polish Hill and said it was a high amount for that area. So in some small way, yes, you were involved in the gentrification of your neighborhood. You placed some amount of upward pressure on rents there.

Wanting to live in someplace long term is one of the best reasons for buying instead of renting. And yes, I realize that "just buy" is not very useful advice since it's easier said than done, but I think it's interesting that you may find yourself a victim of a gentrification that you, unintentionally, helped to start.