Relo to Pitt from Chicago - HELP (Pittsburgh, York: how much, cheap house)

[Hopes]

Polish Hill is safe. It's just sort of isolated due to the hills. There's really very little places to walk to. and there are few neighborhood amenities.

[creepsinc]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Pittsburgh's real estate market is differnet from other areas of the country. Neighborhood and township drive housing prices more than street or block. It's not uncommon for an expensive house to be surrounded by fixer-uppers. Assessment comparables can be 1/2 a mile away. A 30-40k range could simply represent how quickly the owner wants/needs to sell.

Be forewarned, Pittsburgher's aren't known for being trendy people who invest in upgrades. You might expect the more expensive house to have a newer kitchen, but that's not necessarily the case. It's common for transplants looking at Pittsburgh real estate to complain about the 1950s, 1970s kitchens.

A house with a nasty kitchen might be higher priced due to size of yard, location or simply because the owner BELIEVES their house is worth the same as updated houses. It's not uncommon for people to price their houses higher because they're able and willing to sit on a house for as long as it takes to get what they want.

My house has a late 20s galley kitchen that was probably updated a little in the 50s or 60s. It doesn't bother me a bit. I harbor fantasies of Pittsburgh weeding out everybody who considers themselves "trendy".

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by creepsinc

I harbor fantasies of Pittsburgh weeding out everybody who considers themselves "trendy".

Funny! The tendy are so very few!

I was in an independent cabinet store last week. They still have those oak cabinets with the arches. When I commented on it, the owner told me that Pittsburghers were cheap and loved those cabinets because they don't like change. Then he showed me a display of his best selling cabinets that the manufacturer discountinued. When he asked the manufacturer why they discountinued his best selling cabinets, the manufacturer informed him that Pittsburgh was the only area of the country buying the cabinets!

Pittsburgh is the place to live if someone wants to learn how to live frugally without appearing out of place.

[pcc09]

Originally Posted by creepsinc

My house has a late 20s galley kitchen that was probably updated a little in the 50s or 60s. It doesn't bother me a bit. I harbor fantasies of Pittsburgh weeding out everybody who considers themselves "trendy".

A late 20s galley kitchen sounds nice. Even trendy people would dig that. It's just the puke green 60's/70's kitchens with faux wood panels that are are not so appealing.

I think Pittsburgh has done a pretty good job at weeding out trendy people already and the result was a city no one wanted to live in. I'm not saying everyone should be ultra trendy, but trendy tends to be synonymous with young, progressive, creative and educated people who open businesses and live in/revitalize urban areas. Seeing as how I can never see Pittsburgh exploding into the next ultra chic destination with skyrocketing real estate, I can safely say "bring on the trendy people!" A litte more vibrancy would do Pittsburgh some good.

[creepsinc]

Originally Posted by pcc09

A late 20s galley kitchen sounds nice. Even trendy people would dig that. It's just the puke green 60's/70's kitchens with faux wood panels that are are not so appealing.

I think Pittsburgh has done a pretty good job at weeding out trendy people already and the result was a city no one wanted to live in. I'm not saying everyone should be ultra trendy, but trendy tends to be synonymous with young, progressive, creative and educated people who open businesses and live in/revitalize urban areas. Seeing as how I can never see Pittsburgh exploding into the next ultra chic destination with skyrocketing real estate, I can safely say "bring on the trendy people!" A litte more vibrancy would do Pittsburgh some good.

I'm all for young, progressive, creative and educated. Those aren't synonymous with "trendy".

[pcc09]

Originally Posted by creepsinc

I'm all for young, progressive, creative and educated. Those aren't synonymous with "trendy".

I'd have to disagree. Young, progressive, creative, and educated people very often are also fashionable and up-to-date. They use Macs instead of PCs, they wear hip clothes, they like hip bars, food, and music. They are trendy.

[creepsinc]

Originally Posted by pcc09

I'd have to disagree. Young, progressive, creative, and educated people very often are also fashionable and up-to-date. They use Macs instead of PCs, they wear hip clothes, they like hip bars, food, and music. They are trendy.

Way to generalize. Some of us avoid the things you've listed like the plague. What the hell is hip food, anyways?

[nuwaver88]

Originally Posted by creepsinc

Way to generalize. Some of us avoid the things you've listed like the plague. What the hell is hip food, anyways?

Hip food is like fusion cuisine man. Soba has a chicken dish that has salsa AND teriyaki sauce. It was twenty bucs, but worth it to be a part of the seen. Get with it man.

[pman]

I would say "fresh and local" is one of those trends that just makes sense. "creative cuisine" is also trendy but it can be quite good, if the chef is good. most people are trend followers, don't know if they are "creative" or not

[pcc09]

Originally Posted by nuwaver88

Hip food is like fusion cuisine man. Soba has a chicken dish that has salsa AND teriyaki sauce. It was twenty bucs, but worth it to be a part of the seen. Get with it man.

scene...it's scene.