Archive for June, 2008
Pittsburgh Recognized as a Real Estate Best Bargain
June 27th, 2008 categories: Buyers
It’s no surprise to those of us living here, but Pittsburgh has been recognized as a Real Estate Most-Livable Bargain Market. This is based on MSN Real Estate’s 2008 list of the nine best, livable cities where you won’t need to trade the good life for the boring.
Pittsburgh has shaken off its steel-town image to be an attractive and desirable location for families and retirees. In addition to housing many major corporations, it is home to Duquesne and Carnegie Mellon universities. The employment picture is solid, but not as robust as some of the other picks on this list.
It’s easy to afford a home here and there are more than 90 recognized neighborhoods to choose from, each with a unique identity and personality. Steep hills rise on all sides of town, with some of these neighborhoods accessed by a19-century incline tram from the central city. The population is ethnically diverse and the downtown area is vibrant, with nightlife along the river and plenty of places to shop. The area is well-known for its sports, education and cultural amenities. Pittsburgh has major-league teams in football (Steelers), hockey (Penguins) and baseball (Pirates). Fan support and interest is legendary.
Overall, Pittsburgh is a solid place, locals say, rooted in traditional values.
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Scott Township Development on Track for the Fall
June 26th, 2008 categories: New Developments, Scott Township
Providence Point, the region’s largest continuing care retirement community now under construction, has reached the 70% sales mark and is on track to begin its first occupancy phase this fall.
Located on the 32-acre former Kane Hospital site off Bower Hill Rd. in Scott Township, the $115 million LifeCare community will feature 35 patio homes and 222 independent living apartments, as well as 63 assisted living suites, 63 skilled nursing care rooms and 20 memory support areas.
Read more about this Scott Township development at Pop City.
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It’s Easy Being Green
June 26th, 2008 categories: Around the House, Going Green
Kermit the Frog may have a hard time being green, but it doesn’t have to be that way for you. Save energy and the environment with these simple ideas provided by HGTV.
Have a barbecue. Outdoor grills use less energy than electric kitchen stoves and also keep heat out of the house, lowering air conditioning costs.
Upgrade your toilet. Today’s low-flow toilets deliver more flush power with less water, trimming around $90 from your annual water costs.
Lose the lawnmower. Switch to an electric mower and replace some of your sod with attractive, more environmentally-friendly alternatives.
Get a flat screen monitor for your computer. An LCD flat panel model uses as little as a third of the electricity of conventional tube-based models.
Buy organic, locally produced food. You can get fresher food and, by buying items grown or produced within 100 miles, reduce the amount of diesel fuel needed to ship food.
Use safer paint. Choose a product low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or, if you don’t mind paint fumes, try recycled paints.
Get a solar-powered water heater. You can install solar panels on your roof that work with your current water heater and reduce the need for conventional water heating by two-thirds.
Buy new light bulbs. Compared to low-end compact fluorescent bulbs, the premium ones cast a pure white or buttery golden light across your interior.
Become an expert in recycling. Review your local recycling guidelines to make sure you’re doing everything right. And don’t put light bulbs, broken glass or bits of food in your bins.
Invite birds, bugs and bats into your yard. Skip the pesticides and get rid of bugs by using other animals like birds, Praying Mantises, bats and toads.
For even more ideas, read the book It’s Easy Being Green: A Handbook for Earth-Friendly Living.
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Upper St. Clair Restaurant Needs Your Support
June 24th, 2008 categories: Upper St. Clair
Imagines in Upper St. Clair — formerly Pasquarelli’s restaurant on Painters Run Road – is co-owned by Paty Kamtsios, of Dormont, and Jeff Smith, of Peters Township. The restaurant reopened on April 22 after being closed for 14 weeks, the result of a laundry room fire back in January.
According to the Post-Gazette article, business is down to 50 dinners per evening, compared to 250 dinners per evening six months ago. So support this local restaurant — and let us know how the food is!
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Selling Your House in a Slow Market
June 19th, 2008 categories: Sellers
The Pittsburgh real estate market is in better shape than many other cities, but all of you home sellers out there may still want to read U.S. News & World Report’s 5 Tips for Selling a House in a Slow Market.
Here’s a quick summary of the five tips. Read the full article for more details.
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Make repairs
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Price appropriately
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Use an experienced agent
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Make your home available for showing
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Counter “low ball” offers
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Restaurants in Mt. Lebanon, South Side Are Tops
June 17th, 2008 categories: Mt. Lebanon, South Side
Congratulations to the 3 restaurants in Mt. Lebanon and 3 on the South Side that made Pittsburgh Magazine’s list of Top 25 Restaurants:
Mt. Lebanon
South Side
This is just another reason that these communities are so popular with residents!
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Popularity of Peters Township
June 16th, 2008 categories: Buyers, New Developments, Peters Township
For those of you who don’t live in Peters Township but are considering a move there, you may want to take a look at the article “Peters Housing Market Stays Strong“ which appeared in Peters Township Magazine. It was written last year but highlights several of the community’s strengths that are still relevant for potential home buyers today.
New developments – some featuring custom-built, single-family homes, others boasting townhouses and quad units – dot the landscape. As the community grows, township planners are trying to maintain the rural character of the 19.5-square mile area by preserving its green spaces, wetlands and woodlands.
Luring buyers away from Allegheny County are the country charm of Peters Township, its close proximity to downtown Pittsburgh (it’s located just 15 miles outside of the city) and Washington County’s low taxes.
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Don’t Waste Time Filling Your Gas Tank
June 11th, 2008 categories: Buyers
Many people spend their Saturdays driving around, hoping to come upon a house for sale that will fit their needs and desires, thinking it’s a great way to get to know the neighborhoods and what the market is like.
But it just leads to confusion, lots of questions and a waste of precious gas and time. More than likely, the perfect house is the same one lots of people are looking for and, by the time you find it and contact the agent to arrange a viewing, someone may have beaten you to it.
Please — ask a Realtor for help finding a home. If you’re seriously looking, it just saves you a LOT of time from circling neighborhoods.
Here are some of the advantages of contacting a real estate agent first:
- It’s a great way to find out if the Realtor is committed to doing whatever it takes to find you the ideal home.
- An agent will direct you to the price range of homes that will fit your pocketbook. He/she may even suggest you visit some open houses but will keep you from wasting your time on areas you don’t want to move into.
- When you do visit an open house you can use the phase “I’m already working with an agent” that will let you off the listing agent’s hook.
- If something really juicy hits the market, your agent will get you there first.
- If you’re honest with your agent, let them know you’re just looking and not ready to purchase yet, they will keep in touch and get to know your likes and dislikes. By the time you are ready to buy, that agent, if they are worth their commission, will be in tune with you and will direct you to the homes that best fit your needs.
- It doesn’t cost you anthing but your commitment to work with them. You’ll receive many hours of professional guidance which you will not pay a penny for — until and unless they can accomplish your goals.
And that’s just for starters. Once you’re ready to enter into negotiations, you will know your agent well enough to know he/she is on your side and promoting your best interest.
Sure, buying a home will have its share of stress and surprises, but having a guide, consultant and trusted advisor working for you from day 1 will save you from spending your Saturdays driving around the suburbs.
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Alternative Storage Solution for Homeowners
June 9th, 2008 categories: Around the House, Sellers
Have you seen these boxes popping up in neighborhoods? In case you’re wondering what they’re all about, the myway Mobile Storage website says:
“Forget renting a truck, paying for gas, and hauling your stuff to a stationary storage place. That means extra time and extra money! myway has a better mobile storage solution. We will bring our SafeBox storage containers to you. SafeBoxes are mobile storage units that you fill up at your own pace. We pick them up whenever you are ready. We will store your items in our state-of-the-art Security Hub storage facility. This climate controlled storage building will keep your items safe and secure. Whenever you want them back, let us know! You can schedule a redelivery at anytime.”
If you’re selling your house and want to get some of the clutter out of view from potential buyers (which is always a good idea!), maybe this is something you should consider. If anyone has used this service, let us know what you think of it.
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Home Sales in Mt. Lebanon Are Higher for May
June 5th, 2008 categories: Mt. Lebanon, Sold Property Statistics
For the month of May, 42 homes in Mt. Lebanon sold. This is higher than the 31 houses that sold in April. Here’s this month’s complete list:
| Address | List Price | Sold Price |
|---|---|---|
| 196 Seneca Drive | 489,900 | 465,000 |
| 217 Lynn Haven Drive | 398,900 | 398,900 |
| 1441 Mohican Drive | 419,900 | 390,000 |
| 96 Woodhaven Drive | 359,000 | 356,000 |
| 9 Standish Boulevard | 379,000 | 350,000 |
| 25 Longuevue Drive | 384,500 | 340,000 |
| 208 Vernon Drive | 349,900 | 340,000 |
| 371 Midway Road | 339,900 | 333,000 |
| 114 Hoodridge Drive | 253,000 | 285,000 |
| 149 Seneca Drive | 284,900 | 279,000 |
| 223 Main Entrance Drive | 250,000 | 266,000 |
| 380 Jefferson Drive | 279,900 | 265,000 |
| 69 Markham Drive | 279,900 | 253,000 |
| 527 Overlook Drive | 259,900 | 245,000 |
| 724 Florida Avenue | 239,900 | 228,000 |
| 513 Sleepy Hollow Road | 234,900 | 225,000 |
| 1421 Terrace Drive | 269,000 | 220,000 |
| 1288 Pinewood Drive | 229,900 | 219,500 |
| 1297 Firwood Drive | 229,900 | 214,500 |
| 355 Newburn Drive | 219,900 | 202,500 |
| 1277 Folkstone Drive | 230,000 | 201,055 |
| 265 Parker Drive | 198,500 | 198,500 |
| 162 Seneca Drive | 219,000 | 196,630 |
| 224 Sleepy Hollow Road | 198,900 | 196,430 |
| 514 Greenhurst Drive | 219,900 | 195,500 |
| 818 Kewanna Avenue | 199,900 | 195,500 |
| 576 Audubon Avenue | 179,900 | 183,000 |
| 913 Miami Avenue | 184,900 | 182,055 |
| 1177 Pinewood Drive | 200,000 | 173,000 |
| 181 Mt. Lebanon Boulevard | 175,000 | 170,000 |
| 270 Baywood Avenue | 174,900 | 165,800 |
| 626 Vallevista Avenue | 160,000 | 160,050 |
| 355 Cedar Boulevard | 165,000 | 160,000 |
| 952 Country Club Drive | 159,900 | 152,000 |
| 121 Academy Avenue | 159,900 | 149,900 |
| 342 Broadmoor Avenue | 154,000 | 147,000 |
| 1338 Craigview Drive | 149,900 | 141,500 |
| 56 E Marlin Drive | 139,900 | 136,000 |
| 6 Jonquil Place | 134,900 | 130,000 |
| 958 Corace Drive | 130,000 | 125,000 |
| 235 Bower Hill Road | 98,500 | 96,000 |
| 734 Rockwood Avenue | 93,500 | 70,000 |
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