Opinions on potential rent: is 4500 before utilities too much for new construction, 3b 1.5ba, 1 car garage, quiet st in great neighborhood (central Lawrenceville) too much? What is your estimate on utilities (heat and electricity) for such a size? New to town here, would love your input.

Submitted by t3_10nv0km in pittsburgh

Edit: really appreciate your input. Forgot to mention it's fully furnished. We're planning to lease sth for a year while looking for a purchase. But something tells me 4.5k even furnished is not normal........

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t1_j6b5cgo wrote

No - speaking as a born and raised Yinzer who moved back a few years ago from SF, this is clearly meant to trick folks who are new to town and are used to rents in NY/SF/DC. Even given how rare this type of property is for central Lawrenceville, this should be around $3k at most; $4.5K is absolutely bonkers.

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t1_j6dsqg7 wrote

Yea those places are nice but I was thinking 3k ish which I would be ok paying. Gtfo with 4.5k.

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t1_j6b9thl wrote

Buy 2 houses instead.

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t1_j6dn0fj wrote

Yeah that’s just over double my mortgage. I moved from out of town to Mt Lebanon a year ago.

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t1_j6b5g5d wrote

You’re going to drop $4500/mo in rent and your worried how much utilities are going to cost you?? Gtfo, this shit can’t be serious!

Edit: Its possible this is the landlord posting this, trying to see how much they can rob people for.

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t1_j6bhip7 wrote

Landlords already know; list for 5k, if no one calls you in a week, knock a little off until you get traffic. Op is just a clueless out of towner from a more expensive city who got tricked by one of those "Pittsburgh is awesome" posts, or a Chinese grad student whose parents are paying.

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t1_j6b58h2 wrote

That’s more than most of my friends in LA and SF pay, but hey can you really put a price on being within walking distance of Stinky’s and Busy Beaver

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t1_j6b6zhl wrote

Holy crap! That’s like 5K a month. No way. That’s way too expensive. It’s Lawrenceville not Boston. That is way too much!

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t1_j6b5xzm wrote

Echoing what everyone else is saying: this is to trick people new to town who don’t know how much things in Pittsburgh cost.

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t1_j6b2xs9 wrote

That much rent should include the utilities and a butler

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t1_j6bbtoq wrote

That's over 4 times my mortgage. Hell no would I pay that for rent in Pittsburgh. I used to pay $1500/month on the East End and that was still more than mortgage

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t1_j6bhwel wrote

Mortgage with or without property taxes? My mortgage is less than that, but taxes are greater than 50% of what the bank gets.

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t1_j6b86uz wrote

This is the closest match I could find to the OP's description.

LINK

Imagine paying more than $56,000+ a year

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t1_j6bc0in wrote

Granted, it was an old row house and it was before Lawrenceville was THE hot neighborhood, but holy shit, I cannot believe that less than 15 years ago I was paying $750 a month in rent there and now some landlords are asking 6 times that.

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t1_j6egzyj wrote

It’s beautiful for sure, and with 2.5 bathrooms and off street parking in Lawrenceville plus a swank balcony … but yeah, that price blows my mind. I’d be wiped out. I guess if OP has the cabbage and wants no fuss luxury while searching for a dream home that satisfies every need, go for it.

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t1_j6bho40 wrote

That's fully furnished - it's not just the unit, they're renting the furniture and decorations.

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t1_j6bhx97 wrote

Even still that’s a crazy price. Also that’s the closest match I could find, it’s not an exact match based on op’s description.

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t1_j6b02ld wrote

It’s relative to income and quality of the rental. If I made $500,000 a year and wasn’t planning to be in Pittsburgh long, needed to live in lawrencville and the place was new and very very nice, and I want to live a high end lifestyle throwing a ton of money away on a rental: it makes sense.

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t1_j6b3a09 wrote

I would never wish that amount of rent on anybody. Considering other bills like credit cards, loans, taxes, and variable costs such as groceries, gas, toiletries, etc. if you can afford it, it’s your money, but if that seems a little tight after 4,500/month, I’d look elsewhere.

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t1_j6b4vc8 wrote

i think some landlords inflate their rents because they know that incoming transplants with higher paying jobs will look at the high end of rental prices and think "well, if i want to live in a nice area, it can cost $xxxx." i have admittedly fallen for this before and i have definitely seen it in pittsburgh, even in shoddy flips that have no business being rented for the amounts asked

if it's a short term rental, maybe you could make an argument that you're paying for convenience. if you're here for the long haul (or even just a year or two) i suspect you could probably do just as well in location/amenities for a couple grand a month less

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t1_j6b87z7 wrote

Serious question. Have you looked at Zillow etc and see that there are similar units available for half that? Not new construction, but nicely renovated single family homes? Or is there something so special about this house that you are willing to pay a premium?

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t1_j6bpxn9 wrote

That’s way too much. A three bedroom before utilities around here tends to top out at $2500 on the high end and those are considered exorbitant. I had a 3 bedroom apartment, yes older build, that was $1500 a month.

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t1_j6bocs0 wrote

What the fuck is this an episode of Million Dollar Listing?

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OP t1_j6eyhvd wrote

Update: happy to report that we aren't taking this place. Among the several reasons, it's actually pretty small and geared for high earners that are "stationed" here a few months max. Thanks for saving us the money. Speaking of which, you guys are gold itself.

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t1_j6fpdq0 wrote

Reddit for the most part is amazing. If I were planning to move somewhere the first thing I would do is start looking at the new city’s sub.

I’ll leave you with the same simple advice I give all Pittsburgh renters: avoid Lobos Management and Mozart Management like the plague.

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t1_j6c6x5y wrote

Is that how much rent is now?! Holy shit. Don’t pay that. It’s been 9 years since I moved out of my apartment in Brookline, but I was paying less than $700/month plus electricity back then. Even when I lived in Shadyside in 2007 I was only pay $800/month.

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t1_j6coupz wrote

I still have friends in central Lawrenceville who paid $2,000 a month for a whole row house. You can also rent a same-size condo unit in a 24/7 desk service building with gym and pool amenities for half the price.

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t1_j6bi6fs wrote

Yeah I can tell your new to town. If this is something you are considering, I will move out now and you can pay me 😂😂😂😂😂

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t1_j6c1ggx wrote

If you talk to any native Pittsburgher (I’m not one but worked at a Trader Joe’s so I got to know some locals ) nobody wanted to live in Lawrenceville back in the day and it baffles them that people REALLY want to live there now 😂. but yes…that’s insanely expensive for Pittsburgh. You could pay our mortgage twice and we live in Mt. Lebanon 💅🏻

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t1_j6cqnb7 wrote

Exactly, I lived in Lawrenceville as a kid over 25years ago (back when busy beaver was a giant eagle) and no one wanted to live there, it’s crazy how some time could change everything

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t1_j6d5ksx wrote

Way too much for Pittsburgh. That landlord is dreaming. We own but we have a MCM home designed by a famous architect, 4200 sqft, acre lot and mortgage is only like 2800. 4500 is the price of a penthouse apartment downtown. People in Lawrenceville are bat shit crazy.

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t1_j6bh23p wrote

This is incredibly high. Even if that 4500 included utilities it'd be too high

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t1_j6d75e2 wrote

Sounds like corporate housing prices. Does it include weekly housekeeping? (Seriously)

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t1_j6b52x8 wrote

Let me ask you this, what do you think?

Why are you asking Reddit? This is such a dumb fucking question.

Here is an idea. Tell the owner that Reddit says that rent is too damn high.

See how that works out.

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t1_j6d8w94 wrote

I lived in a 2br in central Lawrenceville 3 years ago and my rent was $750.

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t1_j6eb8ag wrote

I pay $4200 for Los Gatos, CA (think more expensive than San Jose).

I have a 2 car garage and 2 bathrooms on a quiet street in a great neighborhood.

I'd randomly purchase a house in Pittsburgh before I'd pay $4500 a month.

Heck for 12 months of $4500 = $54,000 you could purchase a beater house in a worse neighborhood while you're trying to find your actual house, and you can burn it to the ground when you're done and still come out ahead.

Buy something for $200k that you know or strongly suspect is a stopgap and then start looking at your own pace.

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t1_j6b7ym9 wrote

That's more than twice our mortgage in Greenfield for the same size. Wowsers

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t1_j6e8hon wrote

I moved to Lawrenceville in 2015 and paid $1425 for 3 stories, full basement, and off-street parking, which is a must there.

Seriously, do not pay TRIPLE that.

Also, my mortgage payment in Beechview is $1085. Just buy a house on public transportation in a non-gentrified neighborhood.

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t1_j6bapd2 wrote

Also I would just buy this condo instead Take a look at this home I found on Realtor.com 1 Trimont Ln Apt 580E, Pittsburgh $399,224 · 2beds · 2baths

https://apps.realtor.com/mUAZ/zeyn2a1x

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t1_j6h3hd0 wrote

This condo is very nice and a relatively decent cost. But the HOA fees $1200+/MONTH?!?! Sheesh, those fees are what’ll get you…

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t1_j6d8npg wrote

I just moved into a 3br in Upper Lawrenceville for less than half that.

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t1_j6dp2fy wrote

That’s crazy. I pay 1650 in Bloomfield for 3 bedroom, 2 bath, basement with gym, and attack to two hard room floor living rooms and a back porch and two car garages. Utilities are about 500, so about 2200 a month

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t1_j6dsfle wrote

Like others have said here, you can buy a house with half of that rent in Pittsburgh. Don't even look at anything over 1k.

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t1_j6eboj8 wrote

Wait, $4500 a month for rent? In Pittsburgh? That’s insane. No way. Unless you’re super rich, I guess, in which case I’d advise you to buy.

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t1_j6ejjgs wrote

These landlords are overcharging a lot within city, especially Lawrenceville. I still pay under 1k for 2br, 1ba, 1 car garage, and very quiet neighborhood. Right across the river from Lawrenceville.

New tenants are paying around $1200 - $1400 which is still pretty cheap with how close you are to everything.

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t1_j6lbht7 wrote

Sounds like whoever that landlord may be a serious real-estate version of a wallstreetbets bagholder trying to make up for their robinhood weekly deep OTM options gambling. Housing like any asset, is a bid-ask and I hope to touchdaahn Jesus that nobody is careless enough to pay that ask.

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t1_j6db1d9 wrote

Too much, literally just a money grab to see if they can get someone with so much $$$ that rent doesn’t matter to them

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t1_j6edmsn wrote

You are getting absolutely hosed. I have a similar house (minus half a bathroom) nearby in Bloomfield and that is 5x my mortgage.

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t1_j6foggt wrote

What in Lawrenceville could drive you to want to pay that much? Genuinely curious.

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t1_j6fx5gs wrote

2500 a month is high in Pittsburgh lol

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t1_j6g2r4z wrote

For fully furnished, new construction, there's not a ton of either here, and finding both in the same spot is going to cost top-of-market. Lawrenceville is also our most expensive neighborhood for rentals if you're looking at rentals in the top 75% of quality.

I just moved back after five years SF/Seattle, and would suggest just getting an airbnb for a month - or four airbnb for a week each - when you get here, and use the first month to find a longer-term rental.

Example: a buddy lives in the Cork Factory in the Strip, which is next to Lawrenceville. The Strip has very few rentals, although some very high end stuff. Kinda immaculate large factory lofts, but $3500 for a 2BR and like $4500 for a 3BR, but all unfurnished.

But you can live fairly luxe for like half that; that's just heart-of-sun pricing, feels like.

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t1_j6hdjyh wrote

4.5k monthly most anywhere in Pittsburgh is absurd. Beyond absurd. Emphasis.

If you want furnished, that's a niche market of rental, so whatever, I guess. "Central Lawrenceville" quiet what?

To answer your question regarding utilities, it's impossible to infer or deduce without knowing the structure itself.

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t1_j6kbd5l wrote

Where’s the great neighborhood you are speaking of ? 1100 a month on a mortgage with 12 acres and a great school . Soooooo 4500 so you can get 4 different restaurants with tacos and some other over priced goods ?

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t1_j6mh37o wrote

I’m out in the nice part of Swissvale with a 3 bedroom house, 1 car garage, and 1.5 bath and our mortgage + taxes is $1000 a month. You could easily buy a whole house in nicer areas of the city for $4500 a month. Don’t pay that shit unless it comes with a live in maid and live in cook.

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t1_j6ogl99 wrote

You could rent 3 one bedroom apartments in a nice updated building for that price.

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t1_j6g9jj6 wrote

That's horrible! We moved to Canonsburg. Paying $2,800 for our mortgage. We refuse to pay high taxes for crappy schools for our kids. At least Washington County taxes are lesser than Alleghany...for now. Which brings the next question, where do these taxes go towards if not maintaining the roads and improving the schools?

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t1_j6b3lzc wrote

I’d estimate $400 - $550 per month for electric, water/sewer and gas combined depending on your usage. For a pretty lux place rent seems not crazy but a bit steep for something without two full baths, and you’re probably going to have to drive for groceries if walkability is important to you.

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t1_j6b41mv wrote

400-550 is way on the high end for new construction.

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t1_j6b61hw wrote

Is it? Even assuming a brand new envelope house the baseline utility fees plus minimal monthly usage should be well over $300.

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t1_j6bcxx5 wrote

I’d venture they just have the hired help get the groceries. )

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t1_j6d0d5z wrote

its too much. rents went up like %20 last year or so. but in anycase its overpriced. i have rentals in lawrenceville. I cant even believe sometimes rents myself. but $4500 is europhic. its every landlords wet dream, including mine

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