| Top Ten Things Out of Town Buyers Should Know | | | | the City of Pittsburgh, your wage tax will be 3%. |
| Before Buying Pittsburgh Real Estate | | | | Almost all of the neighboring areas outside of the |
| 1. Pittsburgher�s �Drive on the | | | | actual city limits will charge a 1% wage tax. |
| Parkway and Park in the Driveway�. | | | | 6. Real estate transactions in the City of Pittsburgh |
| Confusing as that may be, the major highways in | | | | will incur a transfer tax of 4% of the sales price |
| Pittsburgh are referred to as Parkways. If you are | | | | (usually shared with the buyer and seller each paying |
| not used to driving in western Pennsylvania, you find | | | | 2%). While it does vary by municipality, the majority |
| that the local geography creates a very complex | | | | of areas surrounding the city limits will charge a total |
| road system that is very difficult for newcomers to | | | | of 2% (again usually shared with the buyer and seller |
| navigate. Most Pittsburgh residents make reference | | | | each paying 1% each). |
| to the amount of time it takes to get from place to | | | | 7. Property tax in Allegheny County (including the City |
| place instead of the number or miles. | | | | of Pittsburgh) is likely to cost you more than in the |
| 2. If you have to commute to downtown Pittsburgh | | | | neighboring counties. Although initial property tax |
| by car from the suburbs, you can count on these | | | | costs may not be all that different if you compare |
| approximate times on the average weekday to get | | | | new construction homes of similar price points, you |
| there: 30 to 40 minutes from most immediate | | | | will see substantial differences when comparing older |
| Eastern suburbs (such as Penn Hills), 15 to 20 minutes | | | | homes of similar value. This is because Allegheny |
| from neighboring Northern suburbs (such as | | | | County reassesses properties periodically as well as |
| Wexford), and 20 to 30 minutes from neighboring | | | | each time a property is transferred. The neighboring |
| Western suburbs (such as Robinson Township). Public | | | | counties historically have not reassessed unless a |
| Transportation is available by bus and by rail (the | | | | building permit is issued for remodeling, additions, new |
| �T�). | | | | structures etc. |
| 3. Downtown Pittsburgh offers a host of attractions | | | | 8. The residential resale single family home market in |
| for true city dwellers in terms of entertainment, | | | | Pittsburgh is extremely oriented toward the traditional |
| nightlife, sports and shopping. There has been a | | | | two story colonial style 4 bedroom home. New |
| resurgence of downtown living spaces in the form of | | | | comers to the Burgh can find it discouraging to find |
| revamped warehouse spaces being transformed into | | | | their dream home if that is of contemporary design |
| contemporary lofts. Areas close to downtown are | | | | (for example). While there certainly is a diversity of |
| offering metro living in the form of high end condos | | | | home styles available, it may take longer to find the |
| in areas like the Southside, North Shore and the | | | | perfect home for you if colonial style is not your |
| Waterfront. All of these areas offer their own flavor | | | | favorite! |
| of Pittsburgh city living at its best. | | | | 9. The Pittsburgh area (and Pennsylvania in general) is |
| 4. Home shoppers in the Pittsburgh area need to be | | | | very fortunate compared with many other parts of |
| aware of any impending highway projects that could | | | | the country to be normally spared from many forms |
| have an effect on their property in the future. For | | | | of natural disaster. However, there certainly are flood |
| example, the proposed Southern Beltway project | | | | zones for which flood insurance is available if you do |
| through Pittsburgh�s southern communities | | | | so desire to live there. Also, new comers should be |
| could affect areas of North Strabane, Nottingham | | | | aware that western Pennsylvania is rich in coal and |
| and Union Township. The Pennsylvania Turnpike | | | | many areas have already been undermined. It is |
| Commission provides links to web pages on their site | | | | always wise to find out if your property is built |
| that give the most current information on the various | | | | above a mine by calling the Bureau of Mines. Mine |
| projects. | | | | subsidence insurance is available and some insurance |
| 5. There are local wage taxes in the area that are | | | | companies will further insure if additional coverage is |
| based on where you live. If you prefer to live right in | | | | needed to cover the full replacement value. |