Certain pockets of our city are booming. But when it comes to buying a home, Pittsburgh is still a city where your money goes a long way.
“We’re still a modest-priced city,” says Jennie Pelled, an associate broker with Equity Real Estate Services and a native Pittsburgher. “The city gives people the flexibility to decide how they want to live here.”
Even in hip and happening Lawrenceville, where home values have risen by a whopping 211 percent since 2009, the median value of a home is $217,200, according to a recent study in the Business Journals.
Speaking with NEXTpittsburgh from her office in Squirrel Hill, Pelled says that while most of the new construction around town is focused on rental units, buyers still have a wealth of housing stock to choose from — much of it built during the city’s 20th-century, industrial heyday.
Though she’s quick to say that the local real estate market is too diverse to make broad generalizations, Pelled has noticed a significant rise in buyers looking for homes that showcase the city’s architectural heritage.
This is an old city, Pelled says, but “people are starting to take advantage of that and improve on our roots. All of it is making the old new again. It’s really an interesting thing to watch.”
Check out these seven houses, condos and townhouses currently on the market at or around $200,000.
Shadyside
Location: 5523 Ellsworth Avenue, unit 8A
Style: Condo
Price: $200,000
Description: With one bedroom and one bathroom, this 770-square-foot domicile has recently been remodeled and is within walking distance of the Shadyside business district.
Bloomfield
Location: 428 Taylor Street
Style: Townhouse
Price: $200,000
Description: Two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and did we mention the private backyard? This 1,394-square-foot home is referred to as a “handyman special.”
South Side
Location: 152 Pius Street
Style: Townhouse
Price: $200,000
Description: This recently renovated, 1,008-square-foot home includes one bedroom, two bathrooms and a spacious deck on the second floor.
East Liberty
Location: 406 Larimer Avenue
Style: Townhouse
Price: $195,000
Description: Just a short commute from Bakery Square, this 960-square-foot home was recently remodeled and includes four bedrooms and two bathrooms.
Polish Hill
Location: 3532 Melwood Avenue
Style: Colonial
Price: $199,900
Description: Designed in the Victorian style, this brick house needs some repairs, but has “great bones.” It’s also roomy: At 2,228 square feet, the house includes five bedrooms, two bathrooms, a front porch and a large, fenced-in backyard.
Mt. Washington
Location: 159 Ulysses Street
Style: Colonial
Price: $204,900
Description: This historic, 2,100-square-foot home features four bedrooms, two bathrooms and several decorative fireplaces throughout the space. A major bonus is that it’s only a short walk from Grandview Ave. and the Mt. Washington business district.
Upper Lawrenceville
Location: 300 57th Street
Style: House
Price: $215,000
Description: This two-bedroom, two-bath home spans a very vertical 2,035 square feet. Tucked away amid the quiet and trees of 57th Street, it’s just a short walk from the businesses on Butler Street. The second bedroom has a private bath and laundry room, making this a great candidate for an Airbnb property.
