Job Offer given....Do we relocate our family to Pittsburgh? (Franklin Park: real estate, chapel)

[sleepybear]

Hope some of you may be able to offer insight and advice for our family!

Just got a job transfer/promotion to Pittsburgh. We currently live in Alberta Canada. Estimated move, (should we decide to proceed) would be in the next 8-12 months.

We have 2 kids, ( 4 years and 2 years). So naturally, our priorities would be for a nice community, good schools and nearby amenities ( parks, grocery shopping, recreational facilities etc).

We have a modest 4 bedroom home and would be looking for something move-in ready, not an older home which may require major renovations or work.

We presently live in a a nice suburb about 20-30 minutes to the downtown, and wouldn't mind looking for an area that is comparable for a commute.

Neither my spouse or I have ever been to the Pittsburgh area....and of course we plan on making a trip so that we can make an educated decision about relocating our family!

Any suggestions as to the best communities in the Pittsburgh area for a young family? We will likely be visiting for 3-4 days, which isn't alot of time to investigate a city and its neighborhoods.

Would appreciate any advice as to the communities/ areas that we should focus on and those we shouldn't waste our time looking at.

THANK YOU!!!

[Joe Magarac]

Any suggestions as to the best communities in the Pittsburgh area for a young family?

Could you be a bit more clear about what "best" means to you? For some people, "best" means a suburban or bedroom community setting with lawns, two-car garages, and lots of similarly-situated families with children. For others, "best" means an urban setting with sidewalks, things to do within walking distance, a mix of families with children and other residents, perhaps racial or ethnic diversity, et cetera. Pittsburgh has examples of each kind of "best," but they are fairly different.

[Burghgirl17]

What part of town would you be working in? What do you think your budget would be?

[globalburgh]

Where do you live in Alberta? Calgary? Edmonton? I'd guess you work in the energy industry. I know well the suburbs north of Pittsburgh. You might like something near North Park.

[sleepybear]

Hi! Thank you for responding!!

Sorry. I should clarify what best means to us. We are looking for a suburban family orientated community. Attributes we are looking for: a backyard so the kids could play, a neighborhood with young families, outdoor parks within walking distance and within a district that has a reputable and good school system.

Our budget lies between $275,000-375,000.

our jobs would be located just north of Pittsburgh in Wexford and also downtown.

Currently live in a suburb outside of Edmonton.

Thank you everyone!

[gallacus]

I'd recommend looking at O'Hara. It is in the Fox Chapel School District, and would be a convenient commute to both Wexford and Downtown. Aside from that, the Wexford Area would suit you just fine as well. Cranberry, although many people on here (myself included) think it is a bit devoid of character, is a desirable area full of new homes and families, although it is further from the city.

[Geeo]

I'd recommend Wexford, McCandless, Franklin Park, Marhsall, or Pine. They are all pretty contiguous. Access to the city is good on the 279 expressway. It's a newer growing suburban area north of the city with nice housing developments within your price range, good schools (North Allegheny and Pine-Richland school districts are very good), and a huge regional park called North Park nearby with a lake circled by a trail for joggers and bikers, tennis, swimming, etc. Shopping amenities abound in the area with every type of chain store and independent shops. The large mall for this area is Ross Park Mall with Nordstrom, Macy*s, Sears, Penneys, Tiffany, Crate & Barrel, Louis Vitton, Burberry, Michael Kors, etc.

Many many young families have relocated to this area from out of town and it's pretty diverse.

[Garvdog]

Make sure you understand how property taxes work in the Pittsburgh area, as it may affect your budget. Compared to many other areas of the U.S., our real estate prices are low but our taxes are quite high. You may be able to get lower property taxes by buying just outside of Allegheny County (where Pittsburgh proper is) where typically the tax rates are lower. I think Wexford is in Allegheny County but the nearby suburb of Cranberry is not (both nice areas).

[Copanut]

There is no Wexford! Just a zip code.

I would agree with others, Marshall, Pine, Richland, McCandless, Hampton, or maybe Soulless Cranberry.

Lots of choices in your price range.

[globalburgh]

Given the one job located north of Pittsburgh, that narrows your search considerably. My wife is a product of the North Allegheny school system, which is excellent. Take a look at the newer housing developments there. Also consider the other communities listed in this thread. Lots of great choices for a young family.