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Old 10-30-2018, 03:46 PM
 
1 posts, read 1,202 times
Reputation: 10

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Hello everyone,
For those who are not aware, Shell oil is building a $15 billion refinery in Monaca that will produce plastics (it is public knowledge and you can google it). My husband is an engineer whose company is commissioned to build the plant--we are part of the "first generation" of people who will be moving to the North Pittsburgh area to build the plant, and many more will follow. I've seen some pists on here about job growth slowing, so perhaps you will be encouraged to know that the plant will boost the economy.
We are relocating from "the south", where we live in our states #1 school district and in a beautiful 4bd/3ba home with a half acre backyard with 6ft privacy fence. The house is gorgeous, with all the bells and whistles, and purchased for the bargain price of $360k brand new, as a spec house.

We intend to buy, not rent. My research thus far indicates that we want to aim for the North Allegheny school district, as it's #1. But, our contract is only for 2 years (could be more but not less) and my oldest is only 3.5yrs, so I don't know as I need THE best school district for pre-K and Kindergarten. I'm a stay-at-home-mom but I do need to put my toddler in preschool, so open to suggestions on that.

Further, as far as houses go, I don't see any new/almost new homes on the market. I'm due with #2 in March and we may be moving in 2 years, so I'm not interested in renovating. I really don't want to build either. I want a 4bd/2.5-3ba new(er) home with upgrades in a great neighborhood in an awesome school district. I really do not want to pay more than $450k (and that is $100k more than our current house). Is it possible to find what I'm looking for? Where do I look? TIA
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Old 10-31-2018, 09:28 AM
 
Location: Mr. Roger's Neighborhood
4,087 posts, read 2,523,393 times
Reputation: 12489
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bechtelwife View Post
Hello everyone,
For those who are not aware, Shell oil is building a $15 billion refinery in Monaca that will produce plastics (it is public knowledge and you can google it). My husband is an engineer whose company is commissioned to build the plant--we are part of the "first generation" of people who will be moving to the North Pittsburgh area to build the plant, and many more will follow. I've seen some pists on here about job growth slowing, so perhaps you will be encouraged to know that the plant will boost the economy.
We are relocating from "the south", where we live in our states #1 school district and in a beautiful 4bd/3ba home with a half acre backyard with 6ft privacy fence. The house is gorgeous, with all the bells and whistles, and purchased for the bargain price of $360k brand new, as a spec house.

We intend to buy, not rent. My research thus far indicates that we want to aim for the North Allegheny school district, as it's #1. But, our contract is only for 2 years (could be more but not less) and my oldest is only 3.5yrs, so I don't know as I need THE best school district for pre-K and Kindergarten. I'm a stay-at-home-mom but I do need to put my toddler in preschool, so open to suggestions on that.

Further, as far as houses go, I don't see any new/almost new homes on the market. I'm due with #2 in March and we may be moving in 2 years, so I'm not interested in renovating. I really don't want to build either. I want a 4bd/2.5-3ba new(er) home with upgrades in a great neighborhood in an awesome school district. I really do not want to pay more than $450k (and that is $100k more than our current house). Is it possible to find what I'm looking for? Where do I look? TIA
If you're not planning on being in the area for more than a few years, would you be willing to consider living in Moon Township, which is just down the road from Beaver? Or within the Montour School District, which has plenty of newish construction within the area it serves? Sure, neither district is stellar, but they're more than adequate, safe and have heavy parental involvement as a rule. If you're not looking to remain in the area, you don't necessarily need to be in NA. Reselling a house in any of the areas that I'm suggesting in my post should be relatively easy as well.

North Allegheny School District and the neighborhoods it serves are a bit of a haul to Monaca, to boot, as there is really no truly direct way from that district to Beaver County. I'm surprised that you couldn't find any new(er) construction homes in the district to your liking, though, as Marshall Township is chock-full of newer construction homes. Franklin Park is also very nice and full of young professionals and their families.

You might also wish to look in the Seven Fields/Cranberry/Mars area (Seneca School District) as there is much of the sort of housing that you seek with the added bonus of nearby shopping, walkable neighborhoods, low Butler County taxes (Allegheny County property taxes are going to be a shocker for you if you're coming from the south) and a rather easy commute for your husband via Freedom Road.

So in short, where you want to look are within these areas:

Marshall
Pine
Moon/Crescent
Franklin Park
Kennedy
Robinson
Cranberry
Seven Fields
Mars
Adams Township
Bradford Woods (this one might be a stretch for you in terms of both price and the sort of house that you seek, but it's worth a look)
Allison Park

*you might also wish to look in Treesdale and/or Gibsonia.

These areas all have new to newer construction within your stated price point and style of home. Good luck in your home search (and remember to mind those property taxes during your search!)

Last edited by Formerly Known As Twenty; 10-31-2018 at 09:41 AM..
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Old 10-31-2018, 09:36 AM
 
1,524 posts, read 1,294,855 times
Reputation: 1361
I would definitely think you can get this in the north hills or southern Butler county. You probably can get a nice reasonably updated "older" house (maybe 1980s) for around that price too in an established neighborhood. Consider the Greybrooke neighborhood in McCandless and Allison Park. The homes would be less updated but you'll find beautiful historic gems with some updates in the North Hills Estates in Ross and Wellington Heights in West View. At least take a look but it might not be what you want. Or you might fall in love with the architecture and overall vibe of those neighborhoods when you drive through :-)
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Old 10-31-2018, 03:00 PM
 
3,589 posts, read 3,355,646 times
Reputation: 2515
https://www.realtor.com/newhomescons...on-Township_PA
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Old 11-06-2018, 08:00 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
150 posts, read 346,874 times
Reputation: 109
Default Transfer tax

Real estate property taxes have already been mentioned, but you should also be aware of the realty transfer tax, which is basically a sales tax on real estate. There's a state portion plus county and city. It is usually divided equally between the buyer and seller, and in the city of Pittsburgh the total will soon go from 4.5% to 5%. In the suburbs you can expect a figure of more like 2%. And unlike property tax and mortgage interest, the transfer tax can't be deducted from federal income tax. What you can do with it instead is add it to the cost basis of your home, which won't help with your taxes in any likely scenario.

Last edited by AustinExPat; 11-06-2018 at 08:22 PM..
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Old 11-07-2018, 08:12 AM
 
Location: Pennsylvania/Maine
3,704 posts, read 2,640,474 times
Reputation: 6207
Why not buy in Monaca where the plastics plant will be. Low cost housing. Experience their day to day life.
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Old 11-07-2018, 08:32 AM
 
994 posts, read 896,006 times
Reputation: 923
Only a matter of time for this thread.
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Old 11-07-2018, 08:54 AM
 
Location: Pittsburgh
1,491 posts, read 1,448,416 times
Reputation: 1067
Look in Sewickley, Edgeworth, Osborne. They are all across the river but a fairly easy commute to the Shell site. Or you could look around in Center township or Beaver. Both are very close and convenient to the site. Beaver is kind of the "sewickley of Beaver County"
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Old 11-07-2018, 10:19 AM
 
5,288 posts, read 6,098,351 times
Reputation: 5456
Look at Ryan Homes communities. They were originally headquartered in Pittsburgh and there are lots of developments there. They build the kind of house that you like.


https://www.ryanhomes.com/find-your-...s/pennsylvania
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Old 11-07-2018, 02:01 PM
 
Location: Mr. Roger's Neighborhood
4,087 posts, read 2,523,393 times
Reputation: 12489
Quote:
Originally Posted by jea6321 View Post
Look in Sewickley, Edgeworth, Osborne. They are all across the river but a fairly easy commute to the Shell site. Or you could look around in Center township or Beaver. Both are very close and convenient to the site. Beaver is kind of the "sewickley of Beaver County"
It's going to be nigh onto impossible to purchase a new(er) house in Sewickley with the O.P.'s preferences and at her state price point---especially once taxes are factored into the equation. Those Quaker Valley taxes are murderously high. Ohio Township *does* have a decent bit of middle-to-high end new construction that might interest the O.P. and that's just down the road a-pace from the rarefied air of Sewickley, Edgeworth and Osbourne. ;-)

Beaver or Center might be a go.....or perhaps parts of Freedom as there are some newer houses built on scattered lots there. Choosing Freedom Township would also give the O.P. relatively close access to Cranberry's amenities, I-79 and the PA Turnpike while shortening her husband's work commute.

My former in-laws live in one the rare new(er) homes on River Road in Beaver with all of the amenities that the O.P. seems to be seeking. The school district, while okay, is definitely not even close to the level of NA or Quaker Valley, though. I wouldn't hesitate to send children there, but the O.P. specifically requests recommendations of a areas with top tier schools, which aren't something that she's going to find in Beaver County outside of perhaps the parochial schools. That being said, if walkability and an old-fashioned town where it's great to raise a family are things that she prizes, Beaver and Sewickley are tops in those categories.
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