Million-dollar home listings on the rise in Alle-Kiski Valley

Aug. 6—Ronald and Sue Zola of West Deer had no idea their beloved farm would garner a million-­dollar price tag.

Their family farm dates to the 1700s and is listed for $1.29 million.

The couple's decision to sell their 60-plus-acre farm to relocate closer to family resulted in a recent appraisal of their property, and the Zolas were taken aback by all of the zeros in the number.

"The property has appreciated since we bought this 30 years ago. We're surprised at the listing price — we had no idea," said Ronald Zola, 77.

Realtor and listing agent Gail Scott of Howard Hanna, who represents the Zolas, said buyers are willing to pay more to get more.

"Since the pandemic, a lot of consumers want to own land. I think there was a shift. They want a little more room to roam," Scott said. "I've been getting calls from developers (on this property) but also from people that want to build a house for themselves on the property and maybe a house for their children, too."

Scott said she often fields calls from out-of-town potential buyers from California and New York.

"Some people want to move back to their roots, where they grew up in Pittsburgh," Scott said.

The Zola property features an original brick house with three bedrooms, open fields, a carriage house and large barn with original beams.

"In a way, (the listing price) is a bit of a problem," explained Zola. "If you want to go see a place and they're asking over a million, your expectation is to go into a mansion. You want to see polished this, x number of rooms, x number of bathrooms, and when people show up here the house was built in the early 1800s."

In the Alle-Kiski Valley, more million-dollar single-family home and acreage/lot listings are popping up in neighborhoods traditionally not offering million-dollar digs, according to local real estate professionals.

For example, there recently were nine listings ranging from $1 million to $2.4 million in Oakmont on the real estate app Zillow.

At the same time, there were six million-dollar listings in O'Hara, with five of those listings in the $2.4 million to $2.6 million range, according to Zillow.

Additionally, Fox Chapel had 20 million-dollar-plus listings, with the priciest estate at 134 South Drive listed for $8.2 million.

In West Deer and Gilpin, acreage listings with million-dollar price tags include a 40-acre lot listed at $2.5 million and 750 acres listed for $1.1 million.

Additionally, a 20-acre lot in Indiana Township is listed at $1.5 million.

In Cheswick, a five-bedroom home custom-built in 1939, complete with a 720-square-foot cottage, governor's driveway and bluestone patio is listed at $1.59 million, along with two other properties offered at $1.1 million and $1.9 million.

The Pittsburgh region remains a seller's market, according to recent data from May's Allegheny County Pittsburgh Housing Market Report.

A seller's housing market means demand is stronger than supply, leading to higher home prices and quicker sales.

The average home price is $227,381, an increase of more than $2,600 from last year, with 42% of home shoppers in Pittsburgh paying above asking price in May.

On Aug. 2, there were 94 million-dollar listings in the Pittsburgh region including single-family homes, apartments/condos, land and town homes, according to Zillow.

Czekalski Real Estate co-owner and associate broker Janet Czekalski has been selling real estate for decades and remembers the first home she sold — for $10,000 in Harrison during the 1960s.

Czekalski's family-owned and -operated real estate firm services the Alle-Kiski Valley exclusively. Its average closing price is $172,000.

Czekalski said the uptick in million-dollar listings in the Alle-Kiski Valley isn't a surprise.

"I'm not surprised because a lot of people want land and privacy. If someone is paying that kind of money, they usually want their privacy," Czekalski said.

Czekalski noted homes in Southern Butler County near Freeport and Buffalo Township are potentially poised for a significant increase in listing prices.

"It's growing there, and listings there can be gone in a day," Czekalski said.

Currently, there are two million-dollar listings, including a three-bedroom, two-story brick home on 1.4 acres listed at a little over $1 million in Buffalo Township.

Oakmont Place, a new-construction housing plan along Hulton Road in Oakmont, is all about the seven-figure price tag.

The new community, built by Infinity Custom Homes, a luxury home builder based in Pittsburgh, will include 12 single-family home sites, all starting at more than $1 million, according to its website.

Oakmont Place is on the site of the former Massaro Mansion property, built in 1904, and was approved by Oakmont Council in 2021.

The mansion, vacant for years, was demolished more than seven years ago.

Construction crews have yet to break ground at Oakmont Place, but the 12 lots are marked by signs.

The new subdivision is within walking distance of Oakmont Country Club, and potential buyers may select from floor plans offering amenities such as a four-car garage, up to six bedrooms, seven bathrooms, granite countertops and an in-law suite. Each home can be customized to the buyer's needs and design preferences.

Realtor Addie Galey of Berkshire Hathaway's Julie Rost team said there has been an influx of buyers from New York and California.

"I, personally, think it's a combination of tech, medical and educational jobs and opportunities being offered in Pittsburgh," said Galey of Aspinwall. "I also think we're seeing some effects of covid, where people are reconsidering their home environments. Work from home is way more common, too, so that definitely plays into it as well."

Scott of Howard Hanna agrees.

"People want land, space, and many are working remotely now," Scott said. "You can work now from everywhere and not have to drive to the city."

Karen Shoop, Howard Hanna's Allegheny Valley Realtor, said the average price in the Alle-Kiski Valley hovers between $200,000 and $300,000.

"In 2019, I was selling homes in the Kiski Valley office, and many homes in Allegheny Township and Vandergrift were selling for less than $200,000," Shoop said.

Not anymore.

"We have a shortage of listings and inventory is an issue," Shoop said. "The pandemic seemed to have a shortage of listings, and home prices will keep going up."

Scott said a there has been a shift, from buyers from urban Pittsburgh looking at neighborhoods such as Lawrenceville and Shadyside to looking at properties north of Fox Chapel.

"The city has gotten congested. Some buyers want some land, so they need to come north," Scott said.

Million-dollar listings surge in Oakmont

Howard Hanna sales associate Lori Hummel stood outside a recently sold home Thursday in Oakmont's Edgewater neighborhood near the Allegheny River.

"This home sold for $1,365,000 last month, and, 20 months prior, it sold for $1,025,000. The appreciation speaks to the market because there's not a lot of options for the buyers," Hummel said.

Hummel has sold numerous custom luxury homes at The River's Edge of Oakmont, with single-family homes and brownstones priced from $1 million to more than $2.2 million.

"These homes get scooped up, and we get multiple offers on these properties," Hummel said. "So, that's why the prices increase — plus, fabulous views of the Allegheny River."

The Shoreline Estates section of River's Edge offers waterfront residences along the banks of the Allegheny River, where the former Edgewater Steel Mill once stood.

All of the homes are priced beginning at $2.2 million, and more than 80% have been sold.

Buyers can customize their homes, and amenities include in-home elevators, wraparound porches, water-facing balconies, glass doors and high-end kitchens.

Oakmont resident Maria Bisceglia relocated with her husband, Bob, originally from Cranberry, from Pittsburgh's Strip District to Oakmont in 2018.

The couple custom-built a home in River's Edge for $700,000 and sold it for $1 million in 2022.

"I hadn't even heard of Oakmont," said Bisceglia, originally from upstate New York. "We both worked in the city and when house hunting our first thought was Fox Chapel, but I couldn't find new construction and the homes in our price range needed significant updating. I looked across the river and saw new construction, crossed the Hulton Bridge and discovered Oakmont. It's a quaint, walkable little town."

The couple used the money from the sale of their first home in Oakmont to purchase a town home in Edgewater for $475,000 in 2022.

"Our goal was to build the home in River's Edge as an investment, sell and downsize. It really worked out," Maria Bisceglia said.

Hummel said three have sold and the properties are selling as fast as construction is completed.

"I'm seeing a lot of buyers coming from the city. They're looking for a neighborhood now, maybe because they have a family. They love the walkability, and Oakmont has shops, quaint restaurants and specialty stores," Hummel said.

A mix of retirees, families and professionals are buying in The River's Edge, Hummel said.

Hummel said she also sells to clients from Fox Chapel who are downsizing from larger homes or want a second home because they winter in Florida.

"I'm having no trouble selling these. We have three people coming in this week — one from Buffalo, one from Florida and California. They all seem to have Pittsburgh connections," Hummel said.

With Fox Chapel no longer the mecca for million-dollar properties, Hummel said Oakmont is a hot spot for such listings.

"It's a riverfront town," said Hummel, a real estate agent since 1981.

In May, the number of available four- and five-bedroom homes increased by more than 13% in the Pittsburgh market.

"Pittsburgh had low pricing compared to the rest of the country. We're just now starting to catch up. Historically, we have been lower than the rest of the country. We have affordable housing because the rest of the country is increasing, but we're just stepping up a bit.

"We have a very conservative fiscal mentality here in Pittsburgh, but the bigger home concept is coming back," Hummel said.

Joyce Hanz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Joyce by email at jhanz@triblive.com or via Twitter .