Bado's Cucina in Peters Township - 03/31/09 12:07 PM
Here's a sample of restaurant reviews for Bado's Cucina, located at 3825 Washington Road (Route 19) in Peter's Township:
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - "If you grew up eating in a Pittsburgh Italian family, you can close your eyes and you will smell some of your grandmother's kitchen aromas coming from the Bado's Cucina oven. Italian or not, this is food anyone could love."
Pittsburgh Magazine - "If you're looking for a sign of the culinary times, you could do no better than Bado's Cucina, where the idea of small plates and sharing food is the norm.  Bado's Cucina is small (30 seats), cozy, comfortable, the kind of place seen … (0 comments)

Searching for a New Home? Don't Forget to Check out the Neighborhood - 03/31/09 12:06 PM
Evaluating a neighborhood and its schools is an important aspect of your real esate search, especially if you have children. According to HomeFinder.com, here are the key things to look for:
Schools.  Make an appointment to tour the local school and meet the principal. Speak with local parents to learn firsthand about the school's strengths and weaknesses. Also ask about transportation options and before- and after-school programs.
Crime.  Visit the local police station or search online for crime statistics. Neighborhood watch groups are a good indictor of local involvement in keeping a neighborhood as safe as possible. Good operating street lighting … (0 comments)

Pittsburgh First-Time Home Buyers: Questions About the $8000 Tax Credit? - 03/25/09 08:19 AM
Previously, the government was giving first-time home buyers a $7500 tax credit if they purchased a home.  Now, it's offering up to $8000 (10% of the home's purchase price) and it doesn't have to be repaid.  Being a first-time home buyer means that you've either never owned a home before, or you haven't owned a primary residence for the last 3 years.
The Home Buyer Tax Credit is available for homes purchased between January 1, 2009 and November 30, 2009.  If you still have questions, check out this FAQ page.
… (0 comments)

Reduce Home Renovation Waste - 03/24/09 08:16 AM
According to the EPA, home construction and demolition projects annually produce 58 million tons of waste, 90 percent of which could be reused. 
Reducing and recycling these materials conserves landfill space, reduces the environmental impact of producing new materials, and can reduce a project's overall expenses through avoided purchase and disposal costs.
If you're looking to renovate, consider donating your discarded materials - from doors and sinks to light fixtures and tile - to a reuse center like Construction Junction, a non-profit building material reuse retailer located in the Point Breeze area of Pittsburgh.
To find a reuse center in other cities, visit the Reuse … (0 comments)

Ride Over to the South Side's OTB Bicycle Cafe - 03/24/09 08:15 AM
Over the Bar (OTB) Bicycle Cafe on Pittsburgh's South Side opened in January, and it was featured in Pop City:
"The first-of-its-kind in western Pennsylvania, the family-friendly café features colorful ceiling murals by Ashley Hodder and ‘art bikes' constructed by THICK Bikes owner Chris Beech. Red Star Ironworks artist Grace Catranis used recycled bike parts to create OTB's wall sconces. With seating for 60, Kotyk hopes to draw lunch crowds from nearby South Side Works, American Eagle and UPMC.
OTB's creative menu features appetizers, burgers  and entrees named for bike terms, trails and organizations, such as the Dirt Rag Delight (burger … (0 comments)

Turn Off the Lights at Your House: Earth Hour Is March 28 - 03/18/09 08:41 AM
Have everyone in your household take part in Earth Hour, and turn off all lights from 8:30-9:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 28. 
Earth Hour was the largest voluntary power down ever in 2008, with more than 50 million participants.  Landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome's Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square were dark for an hour.
The number of cities and towns who have signed up to switch their lights off this year has already exceeded the target of 1,000 set by Earth Hour organizers. Over 1,190 cities and towns across 80 countries … (0 comments)

Upper St. Clair Real Estate Sales Improve Slightly in February - 03/17/09 12:04 PM
The sale of 11 Upper St. Clair homes in February sounds low, but it's better than the 5 real estate sales for the previous month.  And it's on par compared to last February (13 houses sold).  Here's the February 2009 list:
 Related Posts: 
January Sales of Upper St. Clair Homes Show a Slow Start Upper St. Clair Home Sales Match Previous Year's Total … (0 comments)

Words of Wisdom on Buying a Foreclosed Home - 03/17/09 12:01 PM
This Old House offer 9 tips for those who want to buy a foreclosed property:
1. Budget carefully.  Do you have the money for the extensive repairs these houses often need?
2. See the house for yourself.  Don't buy a foreclosed property sight unseen.
3. Look at the neighborhood.  Study the neighborhood's appeal at all hours, including at night.
4. How long has the house been empty?  The longer the vacancy the more damage there is, in most cases.
5. Was it winterized?  Don't turn on the utilities until you know the condition of the pipes.
6. Look at the landscaping.  If … (0 comments)

Peters Township Real Estate Sales Were Low in February - 03/11/09 10:48 AM
Only 8 homes sold in Peters Township, compared to 15 for the previous month and 16 last February.  But another million-dollar sale made the list: 
 Related Posts:
Which Peters Township Homes Sold in January? Peters Township Real Estate Sales for December … (0 comments)

Homeowner Tips for a Basement Makeover - 03/10/09 08:57 AM
If you're thinking about finishing the basement in your house, take a look at these dos & don'ts from CNN Money:
DO: Add Lots of Outlets. Appliances, exercise equipment and televisions will all need a source of electricity.
DON'T: Chop Up the Floor.  If you need power in the middle of the room, it's more attractive and cost-effective to put the outlets on a column.
DO: Go Bright Overhead.  But add fixtures and dimmers when necessary to fine-tune the effect.
DON'T: Keep All the Light Above.  The under-side of upper cabinets, for example, can provide a great place for hidden lights over countertops.
… (0 comments)

February Home Sales in Mt. Lebanon Were Stable - 03/10/09 08:52 AM
Real estate sales in Mt. Lebanon remained consistent compared to the previous month's sales (18) and last February's sales (16).  Here's the list of 17 homes that sold in Mt. Lebanon this February:
 Related Posts:
Mt. Lebanon Real Estate Sales for January Mt. Lebanon Real Estate Sales Hold Steady to Finish the Year … (0 comments)

Pittsburgh Is a City of Firsts - 03/04/09 09:20 AM
Thanks to the mental_floss blog for featuring Pittsburgh in one of its posts last month.  As it pointed out, Pittsburgh has been a city where things happen before they take place anywhere else.  Here are the firsts that made their list:
1. The First Polio Vaccine - In 1947, Jonas Salk arrived at the University of Pittsburgh. By 1955, Salk knew his polio vaccine was effective and he announced it to the world. 
2. The First Big Mac - More than 50 years ago, a Pittsburgh businessman opened the first McDonald's franchise in the region. In 1967, he created the Big Attraction. A year later, McDonald's released the burger nationwide.
3. The … (1 comments)

Don't Wait for Spring to Buy a New Home - 03/04/09 09:10 AM
Spring is almost here, but Realty Times advises not to wait any longer to begin your house hunt:
"Spring showers typically bring spring buyers. But if you wait for the seasonal thaw you'll join what could be a throng of market savvy buyers who have already scoped the lay of the land and are elbowing for position. It's a better idea to prepare now, become a savvy buyer and beat the spring rush."
Read the entire article. 
And if you're ready to buy or sell real estate before Spring arrives, give me a call today!
… (0 comments)

Upper St. Clair's "Cozy" Wild Rosemary Bistro - 03/04/09 09:01 AM
Looking for a good restaurant in Upper St. Clair?  Pittsburgh Magazine had this to say about Wild Rosemary Bistro on Bower Hill Road:  
"Wild Rosemary is a small but promising bistro in the South Hills opened by a trio of friends. Recast as a quaint little Euro-bistro, as darling as it is cozy, it's a place where I see lots of long conversations and people falling in love. With only eight tables and in spite of the foul economic weather, the place has become so busy that the team of friends currently has stopped serving lunch in an effort to take … (0 comments)

 
174495_699243961_1441147_n

Casey O. Smith - Pittsburgh Real Estate

Pittsburgh, PA

More about me…

Realty Advisor Group at Keller Williams

Address: 3241 W. Liberty Ave., Pittsburgh, PA, 15216

Office Phone: (412) 512-0090

Cell Phone: (412) 512-0090

Email Me

Statistics and helpful info about the Pittsburgh, Mt. Lebanon, Upper St. Clair, Dormont, Peters Township, Scott Township and Nevillwood real estate markets.


Links

Archives

RSS 2.0 Feed for this blog