Buying Here: West View
Aug 18, 2012 (Menafn - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --When Endre and Heidi Stogard were househunting three years ago, their hearts were set on an older home "but nothing we had to put a lot of work into," she said.
They found it in 605 Perrysville Ave. in West View. Now that Mr. Stogard's job has been relocated, they have put the three-bedroom, 11/2-bath house back on the market for 265,000 through Heather DiGregory of Coldwell Banker Real Estate's Hampton office (412-215-4177 or www.pittsburghmoves.com). Open houses are planned from 1 to 4 p.m. today and next Sunday.
The brick-and-stone Tudor-style house (MLS No. 922836) was built in 1925 at the edge of the Wellington Heights neighborhood. It boasts many of the same architectural details as nearby houses, including a tile roof, hardwood floors, pointed Tudor arches between rooms, a stone fireplace and large covered side porch.
But it's the newer amenities that the Stogards really appreciated. The 15-by-10-foot kitchen had recently been updated with oak cabinetry, granite counter tops and stainless-steel appliances. The couple made it their own by adding a glass-tile backsplash. They removed carpet from most of the floors and had the original hardwood repaired and refinished, no small task considering their age.
The Stogards also updated the first-floor powder room and finished half the basement as a game room. Mrs. Stogard's favorite room is the 18-by-13-foot living room with the stone fireplace. The adjacent dining room measures 14 by 13 feet and has a tray ceiling.
Upstairs, the bedrooms measure 22 by 11 feet, 14 by 13 feet and 12 by 10 feet. One room has a cathedral ceiling and steel spiral staircase leading to a small loft -- not something you expect to find in an 87-year-old house. The couple use that 20- by 11-foot room as an office.
Mrs. Stogard's favorite part of the house is the porch, deck and backyard, where they often entertain.
"The biggest draw for us was the outside living features," she said. "The backyard is very flat and mostly fenced in. It's really safe for kids to run around like crazy."
Because the side porch is just three steps up from the rear deck, parties tend to spread across both areas and out into the yard. The Stogards recently added new landscaping and pavers along the front walk. A one-car integral garage is underneath the side porch.
"This house has all of the charm that people really love, but also the modern amenities," including central air conditioning, said Ms. DiGregory, their agent.
The property has a county assessed value of 142,500 (www2.county.allegheny.pa.us/RealEstate/Default.aspx). Over the past three years, six residential properties have sold on Perrysville Avenue for prices ranging from 72,500 in December 2010 to 267,000 in October 2009 (www.realstats.net).
Mrs. Stogard, who grew up in Cranberry, said she enjoyed the short walk into town and the small shops and family-owned restaurants there, including a former Isaly's. The town park is right across the street from the house and Downtown is a quick commute other than during rush hour.
"There are a lot of great things about West View, and you can get to the city in 10 minutes," she said.
SALES SNAPSHOT
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ADAMS
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2011 2012
SALES 348 378
MEDIAN PRICE 272,710 280,000
HIGHEST PRICE 1,200,000 2,224,100
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BRADFORD WOODS
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2011 2012
SALES 26 25
MEDIAN PRICE 257,000 290,000
HIGHEST PRICE 621,563 725,000
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CRANBERRY
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2011 2012
SALES 512 635
MEDIAN PRICE 264,400 264,900
HIGHEST PRICE 1,250,000 1,850,000
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FRANKLIN PARK
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2011 2012
SALES 217 235
MEDIAN PRICE 296,000 312,000
HIGHEST PRICE 950,000 770,000
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MARSHALL
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2011 2012
SALES 148 123
MEDIAN PRICE 307,062 270,000
HIGHEST PRICE 1,999,000 1,410,000
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McCANDLESS
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2011 2012
SALES 341 353
MEDIAN PRICE 209,000 207,000
HIGHEST PRICE 675,000 742,000
MIDDLESEX
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2011 2012
SALES 45 73
MEDIAN PRICE 155,000 187,000
HIGHEST PRICE 475,000 454,295
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PINE
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2011 2012
SALES 204 222
MEDIAN PRICE 391,000 405,000
HIGHEST PRICE 1,200,000 2,030,000
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RICHLAND
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2011 2012
SALES 180 187
MEDIAN PRICE 210,656 222,500
HIGHEST PRICE 725,000 726,050
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ROSS
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2011 2012
SALES 382 416
MEDIAN PRICE 143,000 145,000
HIGHEST PRICE 658,000 433,000
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WEST VIEW
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2011 2012
SALES 80 94
MEDIAN PRICE 103,000 105,000
HIGHEST PRICE 247,500 271,000
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Kevin Kirkland: kkirkland@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1978.
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