Dec. 05, 2025 Edition | Read Online

Two weeks ago, we were vibing in the “Cozy-Chaotic Pre-Thanksgiving Circus” phase — Light Up Night traffic, turkey taper, and price drops glowing brighter than the tree downtown.

Now? We’ve entered the part of the holiday season where Pittsburgh collectively whispers:
“Let’s revisit adulthood after Christmas.”

This is the Great Christmas Slowdown — not a crash, not a collapse, just the market putting on a hoodie and declining calls until January. If you’re still in the game right now, congrats: you’re automatically smarter than 80% of people who wait for “spring energy.” 😈

If you’re new here — I’m Tim Pettigrew, Pittsburgh’s Go-To Realtor, Expert in Luxury Homes & Strategic Real Estate Solutions. Every week, I give you the only real estate breakdown worth reading in the 412.

👇 Market Watch coming up next.

🏡 Market Watch — The Light Up Night Edition

“The only thing brighter than the holiday lights this weekend… is the number of price drops.”

Let’s get into it 👇

📉 Mortgage Rates: A Tiny Dip (We’ll Take It)

Rates slid just a hair this week — but hey, in November, we celebrate the small wins.

• 30-yr fixed: 6.34% (-0.02%)

• 15-yr fixed: 5.82% (-0.03%)

• FHA: 5.94% (-0.04%)

• Jumbo: 6.42% (-0.01%)

• 7/6 SOFR ARM: 5.92% (-0.13%) ← the real mover

• VA: 5.95% (-0.04%)

This is classic pre-holiday behavior:
Rates drift sideways, lenders stop pretending they’re trying, and everyone waits to see what the Fed does in December while half the country mentally checks out for the next 10 days.

📊 Listing Activity (aka: The Great Turkey Taper)

Here’s Allegheny County’s 7-day pulse:

• New Listings: 566 (down — the annual pre-Thanksgiving slowdown is officially here)

• Price Reductions: 660 (LIGHT. UP. NIGHT. indeed)

• Back on Market: 99

• Sold: 652

• Withdrawn: 114

• Expired: 176

• Under Contract: 257

• Contingent: 448

This time of year is always a tale of two markets:
Sellers start unplugging for the holidays while serious buyers get rewarded with less competition and more leverage. Classic “quiet power moves” season.

🏠 Sold Stats — Buyers Still Paying Attention

Across 658 sales this week:

• Avg List Price: $309,461

• Avg Sold Price: $302,071

• List-to-Sale Ratio: 96.98%

• Median DOM: 30 days

The key stat?
Homes are still landing at ~97% of asking, even as we head straight into stuffing-and-shopping season.

Translation:
Good homes still move.
Overpriced ones sit.
Right now, positioning matters more than perfection.

🔦 The Light Up Night Effect (Yes, It’s Real)

Every year, the Friday before Thanksgiving signals a shift in buyer psychology:

• People think the market dies after Light Up Night — but it doesn’t.

• Buyers who stay active experience the least competition of the entire year.

• Sellers who list right now often get surprisingly strong traction (less noise, fewer options).

It’s the “silent killer” season for motivated buyers — and the sweet spot for sellers who actually stay in the game instead of going into hibernation until January.

💡 Big Picture: Calm, Stable, and Sneaky-Opportunity-Filled

The market didn’t make any dramatic moves this week — and that’s exactly why it’s a good week.

• Rates are holding steady.

• Activity is cooling normally.

• Buyers who move now get leverage.

• Sellers who price right win.

• And December?
  Historically one of Pittsburgh’s quietest but highest-quality months for offers.

It’s basically the stretch of the year where the people who actually want to get deals done… do.

📚 Must-Read This Week

• Pittsburgh leads affordability, Austin invenotry surges

• Pittsburgh climbs in national real estate rankings

🔥 Yinz Gotta See This — “Not Pittsburgh” Edition

Let’s talk about a house that’s got more personality than most people you know — and enough exposed brick to legally qualify as its own boutique distillery.

Welcome to 322 E Main Street, Ligonier Boro — a renovated Victorian that somehow pulls off historic charm + modern glow-up without feeling like a soulless flip.

🏛️ The Vibe: Victorian bones, modern swagger, zero weird old-house trauma.

This place has the stuff you want from a historic home:

• wrap-around porch energy

• tall ceilings + big windows

• legit charm that doesn’t feel staged

…but it skips the stuff you don’t want:

• mystery smells

• haunted wiring

• “why does this floor slope like a ski hill?”

And yes… that bathroom?

It’s giving Netflix renovation special in the best way. Bold. Clean. A little spicy. The kind of room that makes you want to take a bath and rebrand your life.

✅ Quick Hits

• Price: $529,900

• 4 bedrooms / 3 full baths

• Fully renovated Victorian (move-in ready, not “move-in after 9 contractors”)

• Kitchen that’s the main character:

  • 12-foot quartz island

  • brass accents

  • open flow into dining

  • hosting here = unfair advantage

• First-floor bedroom + full bath + laundry access
  → guest suite / office / main-floor living / “futureproofing but make it cute”

• Primary suite upstairs:

  • dual walk-ins

  • spa-leaning bath

  • calm, clean, grown-up energy

• Two more bedrooms w/ Jack-and-Jill bath
  → functional layout for actual humans

• 1 off-street parking spot
  → still a W in a Main-Street town, just don’t try to collect cars like Pokémon

• Bright interior thanks to oversized windows + high ceilings

📍 Location: Ligonier Diamond Energy

This is right in Ligonier Boro — not “near Ligonier,” not “technically Ligonier if you squint,” but walk-to-everything Ligonier.

You can stroll to:

• The Diamond (shops, events, the postcard-looking town square)

• coffee, restaurants, boutiques

• summer festivals + fall weekends

• and in December? This town is basically a Hallmark set with better food.

💥 Why This One Slaps

Because historic homes this polished are rare.
This one feels:

• unique

• thoughtful

• authentic

• refreshingly not beige

It’s got character, but not the annoying kind where “character” means $30k of surprise repairs. It’s the good kind — the kind you feel the second you walk in.

If this is your vibe and you want a showing or a quick reality check on comps / value / what life in Ligonier looks like, hit me up.

🏙️ Pittsburgh Life (aka: My Notes App Had a Fever This Week)

December in Pittsburgh is a full-contact sport. One minute you’re like “aww look at the lights,” and the next you’re trapped behind someone doing 14 mph in the left lane on 28 because they’re emotionally processing peppermint.

But here’s the sneaky cool part: even while we’re all in holiday goblin mode, the city is still out here leveling up.

Big one this week — the long-hyped North Side riverfront project the Esplanade finally broke ground. Yep, for real this time. After basically a decade of “coming soon,” Piatt’s $740M monster is officially moving dirt in Chateau. We’re talking a whole new riverfront neighborhood with housing, retail, a splash/ice ribbon thing, trail upgrades, and yes… a giant Ferris wheel because Pittsburgh can’t do anything normal. Pittsburgh Magazine+2Axios+2
If you want to nerd out, here’s the official project page on the Esplanade. piatt.com

So yeah — city’s glowing, cranes are cranin’, and the vibes are very “winter chaos, but make it progress.”

Which brings me to your weekend: Pittsburgh is absolutely stacked right now with festive stuff that doesn’t require selling a kidney or waiting in a line that wraps to Ohio. Let’s hit the highlights. 👇

Alright, here’s what’s poppin’ in the Burgh this weekend — aka your excuse to leave the house before cabin fever turns you into a bridge troll. 🧌

😈 Pittsburgh Krampuslauf (Downtown / Cultural District) — Friday 12/5

If you’ve never seen people dressed as nightmare-goat-demons marching through downtown… congrats, this is your moment.
It’s part parade, part chaos ritual, and 100% Pittsburgh holiday energy. Visit Pittsburgh

🎄 Phipps Holiday Magic: “Wild Winter” (Oakland) — all weekend

If you need a wholesome reset, go get your eyeballs blessed by glowing gardens and fancy holiday displays.
Perfect for dates, families, or anyone trying to feel something besides stress. Visit Pittsburgh

🩰 The Nutcracker (Benedum) — opening weekend

Set in old-school Pittsburgh, loaded with local nods, and basically the official “we’re doing Christmas now” signal.
Even if ballet isn’t your thing, it’s a clean excuse to dress up and pretend you’re cultured. Visit Pittsburgh

🎶 A Community of Music (The Block Northway) — Fri/Sat

Two-day North Hills Cares fundraiser with student performances, kids day, Santa visits, raffles — all the good community stuff without the cringe. Visit Pittsburgh

🎨 Holiday Craft Market (Elfinwild) — Friday

If you still need gifts and want to support local makers instead of panic-ordering on Amazon at 1:17am, this is your lane. Visit Pittsburgh