There's No Need to Update This Well

After 14 years as a rental, a renovated ranch in Penn Hills is ready for permanent residents.

Real estate agent April Bartley has managed the four-bedroom, 2,500 square-foot property at 103 Long Road as a rental for years. She recently listed the home for $324,999 (MLS#1603760, howardhanna.com). It is open by appointment.

Bartley says she advised the owner on picking out the home’s trending colors and farmhouse chic accents before it went on the market. Following six months of renovations, the home could now pass for something out of a Pottery Barn catalog.

“It is a typical older Pittsburgh ranch that we took and twisted into more of a modern feel for the new buyer,” Bartley says.

One of the biggest updates was painting the home’s brick exterior a warm white.

“It was an undesirable yellow brick prior to the renovation,” Bartley says. “[The owner] kept the original stone facade in the center and we advised him to paint black accents to bring more of a modern touch.”

The aluminum window awnings, railings and porch surfaces are now a deep black, making a striking contrast against the new white facade. The easy-to-maintain landscape includes a terraced front yard, shrubs and mulch. There also is a two-car integral garage.

Inside, the neutral design story continues. Light gray walls throughout the home are set against pure white trim and ceilings. New Luxury Vinyl Plank floors have a warm vein that plays nicely off the color palette.

In the living room, a working fireplace has the original stone facade. There is plenty of room for a television, as well as for a super-roomy seating configuration. A pair of built-in bookcases flank the passthrough and provide smart storage.

The hallway leads through a wide doorway to the newly refurbished kitchen, which includes a peninsula island with seating for two. White shaker cabinets, stone-look formica countertops and all-new, stainless steel appliances reflect the space’s clean, modern design.

Off the kitchen is a small sunroom that overlooks the flat, fenced-in rear yard.

“It can be used as an office, mudroom or sitting room,” Bartley says.

Heading outside through the rear sliding glass door is a covered deck with room for outdoor seating. Surrounded by a picket fence, the backyard could easily house a play area or garden. An additional hardscape walking path runs the width of the home and wraps to the front of the home, where there is access through a gate.

The home’s four updated bedrooms are all on the main level and include plenty of closet space. One of the bedrooms has been virtually staged as an office. There also are two full and two half bathrooms.

“They were all renovated with a more modern touch,” Bartley adds.

The farmhouse chic updates include new black-and-white encaustic tile flooring and black windowpane shower doors that complement the black shower fixtures.

The spacious basement also received a complete makeover in a gray-and-white color scheme.

“It has 8-foot ceilings with an operable fireplace and a new bathroom,” Bartley says. “The entire space is 30-by-20 [feet] in size.”

It is virtually staged with a billiards table and two separate seating areas. There also is walk-out access to the garage.

“The HVAC system was not replaced, but maintained through the years,” Bartley says. “The electric was completely upgraded with a new panel box. It was updated to modern code due to the age of the home.”

Bartley says she is excited to see who purchases this home next, as four-bedroom, renovated homes at this price point are hard to come by.

“It is definitely an appealing home for a more modern family,” she says.

Drawing on her years of experience covering the region’s real estate industry, Rosa Colucci’s Hot Property takes an inside look into unique and historic homes currently on the market. Each week, Hot Property goes behind the For Sale sign to share the story of a special Pittsburgh area home. And four times a year, Hot Property will give an in-depth look at the region’s real estate market in Pittsburgh Magazine HOME, track housing prices and sales and detail where the hot properties can be found. Rosa can be reached at [email protected].

About: Penn HillsPopulation: 41,059Planes, Trains & Automobiles: Penn Hills is the second largest township in Allegheny County. The airport commute can range from 30 to 50 minutes, depending on the origination point. Some public transport via Pittsburgh Regional Transit. Some street parking.Schools: Penn Hills School District (phsd.org) serves 3,360 students with 262 teachers for a 13-1 student-to-teacher ratio.Neighborhood: Nestled in the rolling hills and streams east of Pittsburgh, several of the neighborhoods of Penn Hills have their own identities, among them Blackridge, Churchill Valley, Laketon Heights and Verona Hilltop.