Community Chat

[Allegheny]

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@AnnMarie-1 wrote:

Thanks all..

Winters I am used to, sounds like Monroeville isn't that glowing of a place......

My husband lost his job in western NY in 2015 & we sold our home & moved to MASS/CT area for a job, he might have another opportunity in PA...

I am not loving living in MASS/CT area, very very people & car congested & homes are so high priced here, I am used to a lot smaller city...

and here I sit in an apartment hating it, ahhh, life can bring you some nasty bumps..and we are in our late 50's.

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@AnnMarie-1

I don't know if you came back to see my post.  Please don't give up on Monroeville if you and DH feel there is a good employment opportunity there.  Western Pennsylvania has a lot going for it.  There are many communities surrounding Monroeville to live, such as Churchill, Murrysville, Plum Borough,  Penn Hills.  The two main counties here are Allegheny and Westmoreland.  Property taxes are higher in Allegheny County and their sales tax is 7%, compared to Westmoreland County which is 6%.  A "Monroeville" address could emcompass a large area, so without knowing the business or street address of the potential employer, it is difficult to tell what the traffic congestion would be.  Business Route 22 runs directly through the business district and yes, it get very congested, but there are ways to avoid it.

Our major health care providers (hospitals, etc) are UPMC and Allegheny Health Network which are both reknown nationwide.

As I said, I live about 25 minutes outside of Monroeville and I live back in the woods.  I only state this to give you an idea that a half hour drive can get you out of the hubbub.

[BLH]

I don't think you would want to live in Monroeville, but surrounding areas are fine.  

[Libbylady]

We have lived many places, mostly in the mid-Northeast.  Western NY can be a great place to meet people, if you can take the weather.  Many aren't from there and the mix is conducive to friendship.

I have lived in Central Pa awhile now and the thing I've noticed is that so many people have deep roots here.  They are not as open to friendship due to having a gazillion relatives nearby.

Western Pa ( Pittsburgh suburbs ) is a bit more transient, so people seem to spread their social wings a little more.   Rural Pa can be tough to get your feet in the door.  If you are a church person and use that to socialize, you might have a chance.  I have young family in Pittsburgh and they like all that city has to offer.  Museums, wonderful parks, walking trails, shopping galore, educational options.  Traffic is awful!

Monroeville is a fairly depressed area.  Housing is quite reasonable, but there isn't much happening.  Scenery is pretty however.

[Shop Too Much]

The Pittsburgh area is a wonderful place to live!  As Allegheny mentioned, there are many communities around the Monroeville area where you could choose to live, depending on your preferences.  You can find homes in all price ranges, in whatever type of community you choose...low maintenance patio homes, townhomes, single family homes, older or newer, near shopping/activities or more secluded. etc.

Monroeville itself is only about 15 miles east of Pittsburgh, and you'd have the entire wonderful city at your disposal.  Great food, theater, museums, etc.  It has top notch health care, universities, and has become a booming technology center.  If you like sports, this is the place to be, whether you prefer professional teams, college, or high school. It's a nice small city so everything is accessible.  You can park and walk the entire downtown area.

I grew up an hour south of the city, lived downtown for college, and then moved away for grad school and a career. mostly in the Northern VA-DC area.  I retired 3 years ago at age 55 and moved 15 miles south of Pittsburgh, and I absolutely love it.  People here are so nice and friendly.  It really has a down home feel.  There is traffic, but it depends on what you're used to.  After living around the DC Beltway, the traffic here doesn't bother me.

The only way you can tell for sure whether or not you'll like it is to take a trip down here and check it out.  But I give it a big thumbs up!

[RedTop]

I have a relative living in Export, PA, and she truly loves that area.   She and her husband originally moved from the Erie, PA area and rented for many years, before building a home in a new housing development about 15 years ago.   They are very satisfied.   

[Jax016]

@AnnMarie-1  I used to live in Pittsburgh for many years and moved away.  Went back three years ago when my mom passed and Monroeville changed alot.  Came back last year for a wedding but was out during the day in Monroeville but heard it is bad and noticed it was not the same as once b4.  You don't have to live in Monroeville.  Plum and Penn Hills are nice.  House prices are not bad.  Yes tax city.  They tax everything there.  If your husband is working downtown Pittsburgh, be prepared to pay for parking.  Winters are cold and bad but if you like cold and snow, you will be just fine.  Alot of sports and shows and events.  Yes take a trip out there and see for yourself.  Wish you all the best and hubby.  Traffic is bad due to all the construction going on.  You just have to see for yourself and make a sound decision.

[Shelbelle]

My cuz had a gorgeous home in Monroeville many years ago, sold it and moved to FL long ago. The mall was very nice many years ago, have no clue about it now. Paul Deasy is from Penn Hills.

[enw5002]

I live about a 20 minute drive from monroeville. It's not the greatest of areas to live. Monroeville has a lot of stores, shopping, restaurants, so it has it's perks. However, There are better areas to live in the nearby vicinity- Plum, Murrysville, and Irwin. The prior posters covered it all. Property taxes are higher in allegheny county, and less in other counties. Pittsburgh has been named Americas most livable city, best food city by Zagat, and some have dubbed Pittsburgh as the next Silicon Valley. We have really rebounded from our steel days. We have a great system of universities and medical centers. Traffic is a nightmare, but it is what is is. We don't have a great public transportation system if that's a concern. Winters are okay. We usually don't get large snow falls at one time, so it's manageable. We are a melting pot here, many ethnicities and everyone is super friendly. Pittsburgh is a great city. Oh yeah, you better like sports. 

[151949]

I lived in Pittsburgh all my life until we retired 6 years ago. We still snowbird up to Pitts. each summer. I have noticed since we have been away the high incidence of crime in Pittsburgh and the surronding communities. It seems all that is ever on the local news are shootings and other violent crimes plus story after story of teachers doing things they should not do with students.All the years I lived in the burg I always felt safe - I worked as a nurse , worked shifts and came in & out of the hospital at night alone etc without a second thought, but what I hear on the news these days when we are up there is very scary.

I'm not familiar with  Monroeville itself but I do know that there are very nice communities close to Monroeville where you could live and commute. 

[cosmic1]

I live north if Pittsburgh in Butler County and commute into Pgh during the week. It really isn't too horrible. The nice thing about the area is that there are a lot of options for where you want to live and housing is very reasonable. Look into some of the neighboring areas and I am sure you will find something that you like. Depending on the job, you may be able to buy a house instead of renting.

Good luck with your new adventure.