IIt’s easy to see why Charles Kuchta fell in love with his home in Pleasant Hills.
Built in 1939, the Cape Cod style home sits on a double lot and features a stone facade. Planters are overflowing with fresh flowers and the arched front door makes a charming statement. A beautiful community church is next door neighbor.
The expansive backyard – where Kuchta has hosted many outdoor barbecues and movie nights – features tiered spaces that include a vine-covered pergola, pavilion and several smaller terraces that provide privacy as well as multiple entertainment options.
“The previous owner added a series of decks that wrap around the back of the house,” Kuchta explains.
Inside, the three bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms are equally charming.
But all that beauty wasn’t enough to eclipse a winter in Pittsburgh.
“We are leaving the state,” Kuchta says. “Time is hard.”
He listed 14 West Bruceton Road for sale at $450,000 (MLS # 1507125, Jim Donahoe, Coldwell Banker, coldwellbanker.com).
The interior’s original hardwood floors and a large stone-fronted fireplace with a gas insert lend a warm ambience to the 16-by-13-square-foot living room. Hardwood floors extend throughout the home, including the dining room and two separate family rooms.
The kitchen is a 23 square foot by 10 square foot space with a stone backsplash, oak cabinets and a built-in cooktop. Upgraded appliances include a French door style double drawer refrigerator and a digital oven.
A 17 square foot by 10 square foot family room was added to the back of the house by a previous owner and has a stone wall as it was built on the exterior. The vaulted ceiling is finished in hand-scraped wood and a Vermont Castings wood stove heats the entire space in the winter.
Bedrooms include a 14 sq ft by 13 sq ft master bedroom, a 12 sq ft by 10 sq ft secondary bedroom, and a lovely 10 sq ft by 9 sq ft bedroom with a built-in barn wood and cedar alcove bed .
The two full bathrooms have been completely renovated. The adjoining bathroom has an all-white tub/shower combination and a single vanity. The second bathroom has a large stand-up shower with upgraded glass doors, a 60 inch vanity with a stone top, and wood floors that match the ceiling detail.
Clean and bright finished basement has drop ceiling, plush carpet and gas fireplace. There is also a utility room and an additional storage room used as a custom workshop.
Many updates make this home ready to move in including all new Pella windows, newer roof and mechanicals. The driveway can accommodate up to three cars and there is an integral garage.
“My favorite part of the house was the back addition,” Kuchta says. “I just loved that piece. You can’t find that in Florida.
Drawing on her years of experience in the area’s real estate industry, Rosa Colucci offers Hot Property, an inside look at unique and historic homes 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 provides an in-depth look at the area’s real estate market in Pittsburgh Magazine HOME, tracking home prices and sales and detailing where hot properties are located. Rosa can be reached at onecordovaroad@gmail.com.p
On: Pleasant Hills (nicehillspa.com)
Population: 8,268
Planes, trains and automobiles: 35 minutes from the airport. Daily transport via Port Authority. Street parking.
Schools: West Jefferson Hills School District (wjhsd.net) is ranked 50and out of 500 school districts in the state for academic achievement and 17and in western Pennsylvania. Thomas Jefferson High School offers a comprehensive list of AP courses.
Neighborhoods: Pleasant Hills was originally part of the province of Virginia. It then became part of Westmoreland County and in 1788 was shared with the newly formed Allegheny County. The area was named after Pleasant Hill Farm, owned by William Walker Jr. The community is home to the A. W. Robertson Arboretum, a 16-acre lot with trees that date back over 200 years when the Shawnee, Delaware and Mingo Native American tribes have called the area home. It is also one of the few remaining areas in the United States with preserved rainforest.
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