Allegheny City/Mexican War Streets/Allegheny Hospital Area

[Samantha N.]

Oh man. We spent the day in Pittsburgh touring neighborhoods. We are moving there for work, and so we are looking for something to owner-occupy while still living close to work and hopefully enjoying the neighborhood we are living in. 

We REALLY liked the neighborhood of Allegheny City/Mexican War Streets, as in the title. Especially bordering the east side of the Allegheny Commons park. 

My concern is that all the properties we saw walking around were either a) freshly rehabbed and look like they would be priced at a premium, as well as being SFH, OR b) literally, completely falling apart (windows busted, roofs half off, walls open to the outside) and would require a gut or even more hardcore rehab and rebuild to make habitable. We do not have experience either in construction nor in managing contractors. 

My question to anyone out there is: Do you think it is possible to find any kind of suitable property in this neighborhood that could either be a multi or be made into a multi, and NOT have to buy one of the cheap, falling-down, gonna-cost-300K-to-fix properties that seem to be the only non-retail ones on the market?

I hope that made sense.