Where to live as a single late-30s male? (Pittsburgh: middle-class, real estate)

[mjfraser04]

As a 39 year-old single male with only a dog and who works from home (so work commute is not of a concern)...

Where would be a good place to live in the Pittsburgh area where I wouldn't be surrounded by the Cleavers?

I am hoping to find a "renovated" or updated house that has something resembling a yard (for my dog) and close enough to the city that I am not surrounded by nothing but families.

The problem I am coming across is finding a home under $200k that isn't deep in a suburb. Southside Flats and Southside Slopes seem to either be out of my price range or has no yard. Same with Lawrenceville. Those are the only two areas that I know of that have my demographic of like-mined single folk.

Thanks for any information you can give. I am an out-of-towner so I'm not too comfortably proficient on the different neighborhoods (although I am rather familiar with Pittsburgh in general but as a visitor). I am just doing my due diligence before I pull the trigger and purchase/move-to Pittsburgh.

So thank you again in advance for suggestions, advice, and recommendations.

[jea6321]

there are a decent bit of options out there. do you have any preference for north/south/east/west? what kind of neighborhood feel do you prefer? need to be walkable to a business district?

[PghYinzer]

Everyone is going to say Brookline is not what you are looking for but the median age is 43, 43% of the neighborhood is single. There is a great business district for daily needs and great tacos, but it is lacking is trendy bars and restaurants. As a single 39 year old living in Brookline, I like it because it is affordable, safe, and quiet. It is very easy living. Being that I am no longer 28 years old and going out all the time or one who eats dinner out every night, I find that it is just as easy to leave the neighborhood for the dinners and evenings out, but the bulk of my time is spent doing mundane life things (dog walking, yard work, etc). I have begun to think I am weekday boring and weekend interesting, as I dont need to pay a premium at this age to live in the coolest part of town, when I only would take advantage of it during the weekend.

You can get a house like this for a little over your budget but the yard is amazing. This house is a block from a bus stop, and a city park that has tennis and basketball courts, and a pool.

https://www.coldwellbankerhomes.com/.../pid_26319135/

[Knepper3]

Yeah need a little more detail on what's important to you, I also work from home, I am a real estate agent (my wife is a FT Realtor) but really I do project management for a company with occasion site visits around the US. Working from home and being single I can understand making sure you find a good location. If I didnt have a family living where I do I'd probably never have met a single person.


Under $200k and renovated would be hard in many of the more sought after areas like you mentioned. What do you want to be around besides less family oriented? Bars, Food, outdoor activities, culture? Do they need to be walkable? I'd have to agree with Brookline, my wife has worked with several people out that way the last year and I was very surprised how much I liked the area and depending oh where much is walkable. Nice downtown area and homes are not crazy expensive there. Mt Washington comes to mind too though not as much but there are reno's there nice and affordable which is close to most anything but not walkable.

[Herodotus]

The yard part is the killer. Pre-1900 Pittsburgh (the core), was a very dense, rowhouse/stoop front type of city, so that's what you're going to find in most of the close in neighborhoods. Friendship would likely fit the bill, but I don't know what the housing prices are like. It has a lot of houses that will be much too big for a single person, but there are areas of smaller homes.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by mjfraser04

As a 39 year-old single male with only a dog and who works from home (so work commute is not of a concern)...

Where would be a good place to live in the Pittsburgh area where I wouldn't be surrounded by the Cleavers?

I am hoping to find a "renovated" or updated house that has something resembling a yard (for my dog) and close enough to the city that I am not surrounded by nothing but families.

The problem I am coming across is finding a home under $200k that isn't deep in a suburb. Southside Flats and Southside Slopes seem to either be out of my price range or has no yard. Same with Lawrenceville. Those are the only two areas that I know of that have my demographic of like-mined single folk.

Thanks for any information you can give. I am an out-of-towner so I'm not too comfortably proficient on the different neighborhoods (although I am rather familiar with Pittsburgh in general but as a visitor). I am just doing my due diligence before I pull the trigger and purchase/move-to Pittsburgh.

So thank you again in advance for suggestions, advice, and recommendations.

My first thought was Stanton Heights. Very suburban, but right next to Upper Lawrenceville, so you won't have to go far to find things to do. Has houses in your price range. Probably not a ton of single people in their late 30s, but there are a lot of couples our age with dogs up there.

Another idea would be Mt. Washington/Duquesne Heights. Mostly detached homes with yards. Older neighborhood overall, but pretty varied. There's some nightlife around Shiloh Street, and it's easy to get to Downtown via the inclines.

Greenfield might work as well, though it has a bit more of a family reputation.

Outside the city, something in a nice part of Wilkinsburg (like this) would certainly work. The ****ty school district scares away just about all middle-class families. Beware the high property taxes though.

[xdv8]

This place in Stanton Heights has pretty good location with reasonable looking.finishes. I don't know if it's your style but it checks some boxes @ $155k

https://www.redfin.com/PA/Pittsburgh.../home/74736865

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by xdv8

This place in Stanton Heights has pretty good location with reasonable looking.finishes. I don't know if it's your style but it checks some boxes @ $155k

https://www.redfin.com/PA/Pittsburgh.../home/74736865

I like the look of this one more personally, but as you said, we don't know the OP's style.

[Knepper3]

I've seen several similar in Mt Washington the past year


https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2...88926664_zpid/

[PreservationPioneer]

I wonder if you could find something in Deutschtown for less than $200k?