PHOTOS BY GENE YUGER/PITTSBURGHREALESTATEMEDIA.COM

Connie and Bill Gadd have a sense of adventure. 

When their daughter’s family moved to Bethel Park six years ago, they bought a nearby Cape Cod-style home at 336 Sunset Dr. so that they could help with their grandkids. Now, the kids are heading west, and Gadds have settled into a small, lakeside A-frame-style home in Kentucky.

“I’m looking forward to decorating it,” Connie says.

They have placed their two-bedroom, two-bathroom, picture-perfect home on the market for $239,000. (Bonnie Loya, Coldwell Banker Real Estate, MLS#1486925; 412/915-0038 or coldwellbankerhomes.com) It is open by appointment in accordance with the state’s COVID-19 guidelines.

Agent Bonnie Loya says the house is drawing lots of attention — and it’s easy to see why. The house has everything you could want; great neighborhood, great school district and a great location. It also shows very well.

The all-brick home sits on a half-acre lot. While there is only a one-car garage, the house has a large driveway with a turn-around that can accommodate four to five additional vehicles.

“Our neighbor has a snow blower and we have a riding mower,” Connie says. “They take care of the snow and we do their leaves in the fall.” 

Once inside, the home’s French Country theme is just right. The original staircase has a curved iron railing and Aubusson stair runner. To the left, the welcoming 18-by-13 square-foot living room has a fireplace unit with a gas insert. Black-and-white buffalo check decor provides flair. 

In the 11-by-10 square-foot dining room, the round table and artwork reinforce the French Country theme. The couple hasn’t changed any paint colors, but they did upgrade the lighting throughout the home, including an open-arm, iron-look chandelier in this room.

The clever kitchen makes good use of the 8-by-17 square footprint. The couple added lots of wall shelving for useful decorative displays and there are two long runs of cabinetry with pull-out drawers. There’s also Corian counters and an undermount sink.

“We just added a black sink faucet and changed out the door handles,” Connie says.

A side sunroom is the perfect space for coffee and a chat.

Upstairs, the master bedroom is 16-by-13 square feet and the second bedroom is 14-by-12 square feet. The first wears taupe walls and has plenty of room for a generous bedroom set. The dormered ceiling and wall trim give it architectural interest. 

The second bedroom is painted a cheerful soft mint, filling the space with warmth. A pair of twin Jenny Lind beds made it the perfect sleep-over space for the grandkids.

Both bedrooms are serviced by a full bathroom with a cast-iron tub and tile surround. A pedestal sink and shaker-style cabinets create a calm space for starting your day.

The lower level has been finished into an 18-by-12 square-foot game room with wall-to-wall carpeting. It has paneled walls with matching shelves. Another gas fireplace insert keeps it comfortable for everyone. A laundry room, full bathroom and storage area finish out this space.

The real fireworks happen in the backyard, where a large brick patio and a planting wall run the length of the house. There are separate seating areas for lounging, eating, relaxing and even roasting marshmallows by the firepit. The overhanging trees are filled with lights that create a magical ambience.

“We used to have a lot of parties out there. I don’t know what we would have done last summer without the outdoor space,” Connie says. 

The fenced-in flower garden was built by Bill for her and the grandkids. He also built a lovely pergola with a swing this last summer and added a small flagstone patio near the garden for their morning coffee.

“We have a lot of wildlife back there, It’s really fun when the deer and turkey are out there together,” Connie says. 

But it was the grandkids who showed her the best use of the yard’s sloping portion.

“It’s really great for sled riding, or running down the hill as fast as you can, or just rolling down the hill,” she says.  

The home is conveniently located less than two miles from South Hills Village and the shops of Route 19. 

“It’s just a really comfortable and convenient place to live,” Connie says. 

Drawing on her years of experience covering the region’s real estate industry, Rosa Colucci’s Hot Property will offer 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 onecordovaroad@gmail.com.

About: Bethel Park (bethelpark.net)
Population: 32,177
Planes, Trains & Automobiles: A 32-minute commute to the airport. Daily transport via Port Authority Bus and The “T” light rail system. Downtown is a 10 mile commute. Street parking.
Schools: Bethel Park School District (bpsd.org) has eight schools and an online academy. Scholastic sports are a big draw, but the district’s music program is outstanding with curriculum at all levels and one of the country’s largest and most highly rated marching bands.
Neighborhood: Bethel Park was incorporated as a borough in 1949 and adopted a home-rule charter in 1978. The borough has seven borders, including Washington County to the south, and is one of the largest suburbs in Allegheny County. It is named for Bethel Presbyterian Church, the origins of which date back to John McMillan, who baptized five children at Peter’s Creek on Nov. 5, 1776.