Lots of newlyweds dream of building their dream home together. Contractor Michael Blumer and his wife built 391 Manor Road in Pine Township in 1997.
“My late wife Kathy and I designed it,” he said. “She did all of my colors. We were married for 28 years and she passed away last year. She was really talented.”
Now that their three children are grown, Mr. Blumer has decided it’s time to put the four-bedroom, 3 ½-bath home on the market. It is listed for $479,900 (MLS No.1236272) with Don Fritsch of Northwood Realty Services (724-741-2211 or www.northwood.com). There will be an open house from 1-4 p.m. Sunday.
The general contractor has built more than 45 homes but mostly focuses on large renovations and additions these days. He and his wife fell in love with this lot.
“It is the nicest half-acre in Pine. You can play bocce on every square inch of the backyard.”
They situated the two-story home to take advantage of mature trees and a picturesque backyard. The original deck was 26 feet long but was later expanded and covered.
“The sun and the rain just killed us. The deck is now 16 by 32 feet and the roof covers about 60 percent of it,” Mr. Blumer said.
A large foyer with ceramic tile floor welcomes visitors. Four-piece crown molding is accented by faux painting.
To the left is the 15-by-13-foot formal living room that leads to the formal dining room. The 12-by-11-foot dining room is accented by a tray ceiling and custom wood trim.
The 18-by-16-foot kitchen has a had a number of recent upgrades, including pendant lighting from Cardello Electric, new door pulls on the Quality Cabinets and a new backsplash.
Stainless-steel appliances in the kitchen are just 3 years old and all of the faucets have been swapped for oil-rubbed bronze ones by Moen. The nearby laundry room also has a new tile backsplash.
A 20-by-17-foot family room features a cathedral ceiling, gas fireplace and arched aluminum-clad wood windows that let in lots of light. A faux-painted diamond pattern on the wall adds visual interest.
The office near the entry measures 14 by 16 feet and has oak floors and a cathedral ceiling.
“We built it larger because we ran the business from that space,” Mr. Blumer said.
Upstairs, the largest of the four bedrooms is the 18-by-15-foot master with an arched window and tray ceiling. The master bath has a double-bowl vanity, jetted soaking tub, separate shower and ceramic floors.
Three other bedrooms range in size from 12 by 10 feet to 15 by 10 feet. All have wall-to-wall carpeting. The second full bath is spacious with a double-bowl vanity and lots of storage.
The main room in the finished basement measures 33 by 15 feet. A paneled lower wall is accented by wood molding. A full bath services that level.
The home’s county assessed value is $291,400 (www2.county.allegheny.pa.us/RealEstate/GeneralInfo.aspx) Over the past three years, six houses have sold on Manor Road for prices ranging from $188,000 in October 2011 to $239,000 in September 2013.
There is forced-air heat, central air-conditioning and a sprinkler system. In addition to the three-car integral garage on the lower lever is a separate two-car garage.
The house became the gathering place for a large extended family.
“My mom and dad had nine kids. With spouses and children we were up over 40 people for the holidays. So our house became the party house because it could handle the crowd,” Mr. Blumer said.
He hopes the next family will enjoy it as much as his has. “We just broke it in. It’s ready.”
Rosa Colucci: rcolucci@post-gazette.com or Twitter: PgRosa_Colucci.
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Pine Township at a glance
Website: www.twp.pine.pa.us
Inside out: When the township was established in 1796, its boundaries included 11 current townships and parts of three others. Today the township spans 17 square miles and has many active farms. Two of the largest, Shenot’s and Soergels, hold fall festivals that draw visitors from Butler, Allegheny and other counties.
You might be surprised to learn that Wexford, one of the oldest villages in the area, is a postal designation but not a municipality.
Schools: Pine Richland School District (www.pinerichland.org) The district has a graduation rate of 98 percent.
Enrollment: 4,650
Average SAT scores: Verbal, 549; Math, 583; Writing, 550
Annual taxes per $100,000 of assessment: $2,493 (median property value is $290,900)
Borough: $9.80 (99.8 mills)
School: $1,920 (19.20 mills)
County: $388 (4.73 mills)*
Earned income tax: 1 percent
*Includes the Act 50 Homestead Exclusion, which reduces the assessed value of a primary residence by $18,000.
First Published: October 7, 2016, 3:38 p.m.