Purchasing a Home
Looking to Buy?
Housing costs are among the largest expenses most of us face. Getting the best value for your housing dollars is a challenge that most new faculty and staff will face upon accepting a position at the University of Pittsburgh. Compared to many other cities, Pittsburgh is a reasonably priced housing market with an attractive mix of neighborhoods, including older, urban residential and many newer, vibrant suburban communities. Whatever your housing preference, there is a very good chance you’ll find it with a little time and effort.
The University provides many resources to help members of our community find suitable housing. Off-Campus Living maintains a small file of homes for sale in the University area. The listing is available for viewing by faculty and staff of the University only. In addition, homes for sale by private owners are listed only if the owners are current faculty or staff members.
School Districts
The quality of neighborhood schooling often is a critical issue for families looking to buy homes. Pittsburgh is fortunate to have good city and suburban schools along with parochial and private school alternatives. The School Report is a good starting point for newcomers.
Neighborhoods
What’s your pleasure—green space or a convenient commute? Although Pittsburgh has many single-family homes with lawns and trees, the mature city also has many rowhouses and duplexes, not to mention concrete frontages, minimal setbacks, and on-street parking. For green space, you might want to consider the suburbs, with an attendant increase in commuting time. The North Hills are growing rapidly and offer a wealth of new construction, but established communities (such as Mount Lebanon and Upper St. Clair to the south, Plum and Murrysville to the east) offer space and architectural variety. You can find green space in the city, too. Schenley Park is adjacent to campus and consists of several hundred acres of natural areas, a swimming pool, a skating rink, ball fields, etc. Smaller parks, recreational fields, and playgrounds are located around the city and provide walking, biking, picnicking, and relaxing locales for residents, children, and pets. Visit neighborhoods for more information.
Commuting
A word about commuting—be patient. Oakland, home of the University of Pittsburgh, is centrally located in the city along two of Pittsburgh’s busiest transportation corridors, Forbes and Fifth Avenues. Although good for bus riders—city buses are free to Pitt faculty, staff, and students showing Pitt identification —Oakland is tough on drivers. A string of traffic lights, bus lanes, left turns, pick-ups and drop-offs, numerous pedestrians, delivery trucks, emergency vehicles, construction, and public works activity all add to the congestion of the area. Plus, there is the matter of first getting to Oakland, which usually requires crossing a river, going through a tunnel, or queuing on an expressway (I-376, I-279, I-579, I-79), known locally as parkways. The length of a commute is determined not just by distance but also by the number of times you get on and off the parkways and pass through a tunnel or over a river. As a rule of thumb, multiply that number by the mileage to Oakland to compare potential commuting times.
Housing prices
Housing prices, usually a critical factor for relocating families, can be a pleasant surprise. Recent surveys indicate an average home price of $162,000 (three or four bedrooms, two baths) for the area. It is possible to find nice homes, as well as fixer-uppers, for less than $100,000 in the city. Of course, the amount of green space, architectural styles, residential amenities, school districts, property taxes, and community reputations will all directly affect final prices. In addition, Pittsburgh’s cost-of-living index has hovered at or below the national average for several years. For more information, check out the relocation salary calculator.