EVENT: Mark your calendars for Wednesday, May 21, 2008, for the Fifth Annual Walk and Dine: a downtown(Pittsburgh)living tour. Make sure you check out www.DowntownPittsburgh.com for event details and to order your tickets. You can also order tickets by calling the PDP office at (412) 566-4190.

EVENT: Brighton Heights Chocolate House Tour, Sunday May 18, 1-5. BrightonHeights.org

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY Brooklyn Brownstone beyond your budget? Here's an 1859 townhome in a historic district for $164,900. Six rooms, marble bath, AC and more! Rent it now and save it for retirement. DETAILS

I'm here in Brooklyn, New York. Statistics released this morning show that foreclosures are up in the country, but also in New York (which many thought could escape the national housing crisis). Of the five boroughs, Staten Island is faring the worst, and Brooklyn the best. Pittsburgh of course is also suffering in this respect (called "undervalued" and "safe" a few short months ago). Still after years of construction investment in high-end residential properties, New Yorker's with less than high-end incomes are facing paying increasing percentages of their incomes to rental housing, and Pittsburgh remains quite affordable. I am able in part to finance my existence in New York with rental properties in Pittsburgh. While Pittsburgh won't escape the housing crisis, it is far from being among the hardest hit areas and investments there remain a viable option for those in higher-priced markets to supplement their income.