PHOTOS BY KIRSTEN HEAGY/FLYOVER PROPERTIES

When you have a big family, play is everything — which is why Brendan and Julia Gallagher knew they had found the perfect home at 12 Fieldstone Drive in Scott.

“The cul-de-sac, the quiet area out front to play without worrying about traffic and the incredible backyard sold us,” says Julia. “And the backyard has been amazing.”

When they were house hunting in 2014, they had three kids. Now, they have six.

The four-bedroom home’s backyard features a turf lawn, stadium lighting for nighttime play, a climbing wall, basketball hoop and a playhouse. With six kids ranging in age from 4 to 18, it’s easy to see why the outdoor space caught the couple’s eye.

Beyond the backyard, Brendan says the home itself was designed for a family like theirs.

“When we bought it in 2014, the kitchen had already been remodeled in a timeless way with really high-quality finishes,” he says. “That was a big draw for us.”

He could envision the family gatherings they would host in the kitchen, which opens onto the living room to create a prime entertainment space. A breakfast bar in the bright, white kitchen is perfect for morning coffee or a buffet spread.

While the home was in great shape when the couple bought it, they’ve since made their own improvements. Adding hardwood floors throughout the first floor and up the staircase enhanced the beauty of the living space, says Brendan.

The couple eventually upgraded appliances to higher-end models; they also worked hard to make the outdoor living space even more compatible with family life by replacing the turf and adding a stamped concrete patio.

In addition, they built a large retaining wall to push back the hillside and reclaim more play space for their growing family. Julia laughs as she recalls Brendan and his brothers working on the wall together.

“He said it would be done by my birthday, but it took over a year,” she says.

The additional space was worth it, though. The family has hosted family gatherings, fundraisers for the Gift of Mary program for homeless women, and even welcomed small concerts.

A favorite memory for Julia centers on one of those concerts; the family was hosting a wake for a loved one that lasted all day.

“It was just hours of signing and memories, and I was like, ‘Wow, this is just so great to just be together listening to all of this music for hours,’” recalls Julia. “The neighbors have never complained.”

Upstairs, three spacious bedrooms, a hallway bathroom and a primary suite contain plentiful storage, including California Closet systems that make it easy to contain all the stuff needed by six kids. Additional organization systems in the garage contain sports equipment, tools and toys as well as plenty of room for parking.

“We’ve been in other houses the same size, but the house feels small because they didn’t utilize the space in the same way,” says Brendan.

While the 2,000-square-foot home is well-designed, the couple is looking for more space as their kids get older. They’ve listed the home with Adam Cannon of Piatt Sotheby’s International Realty for $420,000.

“The backyard space is worth the price of admission alone,” says Cannon.

Cannon adds he loves the maintenance-free backyard, especially the lighted basketball court, just as much as he loves the interior of the home. He also says the easy commute to Downtown is a huge draw for buyers who want more space but require proximity to all the city.

“This home will tick a lot of boxes for many Pittsburgh buyers,” Cannon says. “The home has a fairly traditional layout with discernible rooms/spaces, but at the same time, it manages to feel very open and bright.”

There is little for the next owner to worry about; the chestnut Bellawood Brazilian flooring comes with a transferable 100-year warranty, and the bones of the house have been well-maintained.

“The most recent updates are the addition of the lower-level mudroom and a new AC and furnace,” Cannon says. “The next owner will likely want to update a few of the windows, but beyond that, the home is in terrific shape.”

When asked about what they will miss most about the home, the couple has a hard time deciding. They’ve been lucky to have amazing neighbors; one of the popular annual neighborhood events is putting on a street hockey game the day after Thanksgiving.

Julia and Brendan say their evening ritual on the deck has become another tradition that helped them connect amidst chaotic big-family life.

“Sometimes we can’t go on a date for months at a time, but we’ve been able to share a glass of wine on the back deck while we watch the sun set,” says Julia.

The home’s hillside location adds to the aesthetics.

“When you look off the deck or the backyard over the fence, you overlook the whole Chartiers Valley,” Brandon says.

The couple hopes the next owners enjoy all of these magical moments on a property that encourages everyone to be outside instead of sitting indoors on an iPad. In particular, the yard’s turf surface is the key to enhancing play amidst Pittsburgh’s notoriously rainy weather.

“I feel like our kids’ childhood and the friendships they have built are a lot closer to what we had growing up because they spend all of their time outside,” Brandon says.

Meg St-Esprit is a Bellevue-based freelance journalist who covers real estate, lifestyle, education, parenting and travel for a variety of local outlets including Pittsburgh Magazine, PublicSource, Kidsburgh, Pittsburgh City Paper, and City Cast Pittsburgh. Meg offers Hot Property, an inside look into 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.

About: Scott Township
Population: 17,370
Planes, Trains, & Automobiles: Residents of the suburban community typically need a car as there’s limited public transportation. However, the amenities of the city are a short drive away, and residents can easily access the airport in about 20 minutes.
Schools: Chartier Valley School District (cvsd.net)
Neighborhood: Bordered by a plethora of South Hills neighborhoods, including Mt. Lebanon, Upper St. Clair and Green Tree, Scott is home to a number of community parks as well as a community pool. Residents call the community a great place to live and work, with plentiful retail spots and great local restaurants. Many residents have lived in the area for years, while new residents choose the area for the quiet lifestyle and affordable suburban homes. Most residents report knowing their neighbors well and enjoying the strong sense of community.