Is this Pittsburgh propaganda? Is this too good to be true? (Butler: student loan, lawyers)

[Knepper3]

Originally Posted by gladhands

I moved here from Boston, having grown up in NYC and previously lived in Chicago. Pittsburgh is a gem of a city. It’s beautiful and has great amenities for its cost of living. I will say, however, that Pittsburgh does not do suburbs very well. Unless you are coming from the most expensive markets, you won’t find our suburbs especially cheap, and most of them like charm, development and amenities. I don’t see why one would choose to live in the Pittsburgh suburbs over say, the Chicago or Atlanta suburbs.

See I disagree, I love the Pittsburgh suburbs and find them very affordable. It depends on where but we live in the Ben Avon area and you can still find a nice large home for 200-300k though many larger/fancier go for 400k+. It is a quiet area with a very little business area but most of the homes have great character, decent yards, and schools are sought after. I dont think you could find that in an suburb 15min outside the city of Chicago or NYC. There are others that might be more like Sewickley or Mt Lebo but there are also some less then Ben Avon too.

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by gladhands

I moved here from Boston, having grown up in NYC and previously lived in Chicago. Pittsburgh is a gem of a city. It’s beautiful and has great amenities for its cost of living. I will say, however, that Pittsburgh does not do suburbs very well. Unless you are coming from the most expensive markets, you won’t find our suburbs especially cheap, and most of them like charm, development and amenities. I don’t see why one would choose to live in the Pittsburgh suburbs over say, the Chicago or Atlanta suburbs.

Much like every area, friends and family keep a lot of people where they live. Personally, I couldn’t be paid to live in the city, but I have friends and family that wouldn’t ever leave the city for the suburbs.

I feel extremely fortunate to be able to get away from Pittsburgh winter weather for 5-6 months/year. If it weren’t for friends and family we’d only come back to the area to visit.

[Knepper3]

Originally Posted by erieguy

Much like every area, friends and family keep a lot of people where they live. Personally, I couldn’t be paid to live in the city, but I have friends and family that wouldn’t ever leave the city for the suburbs.

I feel extremely fortunate to be able to get away from Pittsburgh winter weather for 5-6 months/year. If it weren’t for friends and family we’d only come back to the area to visit.

Many like you, we have friends that just bought a home down in FL so they can do the same. I suspect if their older son didnt have a job here they would likely move FT to FL after their younger graduated from college.

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by Knepper3

Many like you, we have friends that just bought a home down in FL so they can do the same. I suspect if their older son didnt have a job here they would likely move FT to FL after their younger graduated from college.

Bingo

The Pittsburgh area has much too little sunshine and much too long of winter weather to ever consider moving here or to a similar area like it...but since we were born here and have friends and family here, being able to be snowbirds is the best of both worlds.

[gladhands]

Originally Posted by Knepper3

See I disagree, I love the Pittsburgh suburbs and find them very affordable. It depends on where but we live in the Ben Avon area and you can still find a nice large home for 200-300k though many larger/fancier go for 400k+. It is a quiet area with a very little business area but most of the homes have great character, decent yards, and schools are sought after. I dont think you could find that in an suburb 15min outside the city of Chicago or NYC. There are others that might be more like Sewickley or Mt Lebo but there are also some less then Ben Avon too.

While not my favorite housing stock, you can find incredibly affordable housing, with good schools and fantastic amenities, 20 miles from the Loop.


https://www.redfin.com/IL/Mt-Prospec...m_content=link

https://www.redfin.com/IL/Des-Plaine...m_content=link

https://www.redfin.com/IL/Des-Plaine...m_content=link

Once you move up to the Wexford price range, you’re looking at McMansions. Same holds true for cities like Dallas, Houston and Atlanta. Pittsburgh is a great city, but is far less competitive when comparing suburbs.

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by gladhands

While not my favorite housing stock, you can find incredibly affordable housing, with good schools and fantastic amenities, 20 miles from the Loop.


https://www.redfin.com/IL/Mt-Prospec...m_content=link

https://www.redfin.com/IL/Des-Plaine...m_content=link

https://www.redfin.com/IL/Des-Plaine...m_content=link

Once you move up to the Wexford price range, you’re looking at McMansions. Same holds true for cities like Dallas, Houston and Atlanta. Pittsburgh is a great city, but is far less competitive when comparing suburbs.

I lived in Wexford for many years. Many residents/transplants find McMansions there wildly popular, especially those with a larger yard.

[gladhands]

Originally Posted by erieguy

I lived in Wexford for many years. Many residents/transplants find McMansions there wildly popular, especially those with a larger yard.

I wasn’t besmirching Wexford McMansions. I’m saying that for the price of a Wexford McMansion, you can get a similar house in a suburb of a city that offers more than Pittsburgh, making Wexford a less interesting proposition.

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by gladhands

I wasn’t besmirching Wexford McMansions. I’m saying that for the price of a Wexford McMansion, you can get a similar house in a suburb of a city that offers more than Pittsburgh, making Wexford a less interesting proposition.

It’s all a matter of opinion. I liked Wexford a lot, and had a lot of transplant neighbors that were big fans of the area. If it weren’t for Allegheny taxes, and Wexford was as/more convenient than where I live now, I’d still be there.

[Knepper3]

Originally Posted by gladhands

While not my favorite housing stock, you can find incredibly affordable housing, with good schools and fantastic amenities, 20 miles from the Loop.


https://www.redfin.com/IL/Mt-Prospec...m_content=link

https://www.redfin.com/IL/Des-Plaine...m_content=link

https://www.redfin.com/IL/Des-Plaine...m_content=link

Once you move up to the Wexford price range, you’re looking at McMansions. Same holds true for cities like Dallas, Houston and Atlanta. Pittsburgh is a great city, but is far less competitive when comparing suburbs.

I am not talking Wexford, that is a different type of area and yes newer homes and tend to have higher prices, you can always pick more costly areas but we are talking about the cheapest yet still meeting a certain standard. I talked about Ben Avon area which is 8 miles from the city vs the homes you are showing in Chicago are over 20 miles from the city. I do not know Chicago well, could you find a community similar to Ben Avon area under 10 miles from the actual city? This just sold last month around the corner for $270k. I'd much rather have this home in this area than any of those plus being 8 miles from downtown.



https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...3-17116#photo7

[Knepper3]

Originally Posted by erieguy

Bingo

The Pittsburgh area has much too little sunshine and much too long of winter weather to ever consider moving here or to a similar area like it...but since we were born here and have friends and family here, being able to be snowbirds is the best of both worlds.

Yeah everyone has their own preferences. For everyone that hates the weather here and would love being down south there are also those that hate the weather down south. I was one, I lived in Florida for about 11 years and wanted to move to Pittsburgh. I will take cold and gloomy over hot and humid. Either way you are likely to stay indoors but at least to me going out in the cold I can bundle up while even walking around naked in FL in August is not comfortable (which btw is frowned on I think)