Steady Hands & Steel Town Sundays

Oct. 24, 2025 Edition | Read Online

It’s that late-October stretch where everything feels like it’s shifting — the weather, the energy, the pace. The skies are gray, the leaves are hanging on for dear life, and the city’s caught between pumpkin patches and playoff hopes.

If you’re new here — I’m Tim Pettigrew, Pittsburgh’s go-to Realtor. I’ve sold millions in real estate and helped folks buy and sell some amazing homes. Now, I’m giving you the pulse of the 412 (814 & 724) every week.

This week: the market stays steady, a bold new build hits Garfield, and the Packers come to town. Let’s dive in.

🏡 Market Watch

Rates nudged only slightly this week, holding near their lowest point since mid-2022. After a wild few months, we’re seeing a rare streak of calm — a small window of predictability for buyers and sellers heading into late October.

Current Rates (as of Oct 24):

• 30-yr Fixed: 6.19% (+0.01%)

• 15-yr Fixed: 5.76% (+0.02%)

• 30-yr FHA: 5.95% (+0.04%)

• 30-yr Jumbo: 6.14% (+0.04%)

• 7/6 SOFR ARM: 5.85% (+0.03%)

• 30-yr VA: 5.97% (+0.04%)

Allegheny County Snapshot (Oct 18 – 25):
🏠 New Listings: 786 ( up from 724 )
💸 Price Reductions: 782 ( slightly down from 803 )
✅ Closed Sales: 560 ( up from 512 )
⏱ Days on Market: 48 avg | 31 median
💰 Median Sale Price: $225K | 98.1% SP/LP Ratio

What It Means:

• Rate stability continues to build confidence — buyers aren’t rushing, but they’re engaging again.

• Listings ticked up week-over-week, signaling that sellers are trying to capture attention before the holiday slowdown.

• Price corrections remain steady, showing sellers are still adjusting to buyer expectations rather than retreating.

• With nearly 98% of list-to-sale pricing holding strong, the market remains healthy and realistic.

Translation:
A calm, steady fall market. The volatility is fading, and buyers who’ve been sitting on the fence are starting to peek back over. It’s not a sprint — but it’s definitely not a stall.

🏠 Yinz. Gotta See This

Every once in a while, a new build comes along that doesn’t just blend into the block — it elevates it.
That’s 5217 Broad Street in Garfield. A bold, unapologetic mix of matte steel, clean geometry, and a bright yellow pop that feels more like an art statement than a front door. This isn’t another “modern” box someone threw up for resale — it’s a house that actually means it.

Inside, the energy stays consistent — minimalist without feeling cold, and light everywhere you look. You can tell the builder didn’t cheap out on the details: wide-plank flooring, black steel railings, and a kitchen that could double as a magazine shoot. It’s a space that actually understands how people live — not how renderings look.

And the setting? Garfield’s East End corridor — five minutes to UPMC Shadyside, West Penn, and Children’s; walkable to Penn Ave’s cafés, galleries, and breweries; and still only ten minutes to Downtown. The kind of spot that feels urban, not crowded — and forward-thinking without being out of touch.

🧱 Quick Hits

• 3 beds | 2.5 baths | ~1,900 sq ft

• Year built: 2025 (new construction)

• Private deck + cedar-ceiling front porch

• Quartz kitchen + custom cabinetry + gas cooktop

• Two-car off-street parking pad

• Energy-efficient systems | Smart-home ready

• List Price: $635,000

🕛 Open House: Sunday, Oct 26 | 12–1 PM

🔗 Take a Closer Look →

✍️ Personal Note: There’s just something about a home in Shadyside that commands quiet admiration — and this one’s elegance makes it easy to see why the neighborhood’s still one of Pittsburgh’s crown jewels.

🍺 Pittsburgh Life

Some interesting stories that caught my attention.

Quick Hits:

• Pittsburgh International Airport lost and found items go up for online auction

• Fall Flower Show “Visions of Japan” - last weekend to take sight

• 🏈 Pitt takes on NC State Wolfpack (home), Saturday at 3:30 PM. Will they win though?

• First snow falls in Western Pennsylvania: Video captures first flakes flying

• 🍕 Lebo to be home of first F&F Pizzeria outside NYC

Best French Onion soup in the Burgh’

ana.eats.pgh

216K followers

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This Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers welcome the Green Bay Packers to Acrisure Stadium — and it’s not just another game. It’s a reunion with drama, legacy, and just the right amount of football poetry.

🏈 What’s the Deal

The Steelers and Packers go way back — 37 matchups deep — with Green Bay barely leading the all-time series 20–17. But this one hits different.
Aaron Rodgers, longtime face of the Packers and now the Steelers’ one-year wonder, faces his old squad in black and gold. Eighteen seasons in Green Bay built the legend, but this fall he’s rewriting the narrative in Pittsburgh — and somehow, it already feels like he belongs here.

Rodgers has said the “steel-town energy” reminds him of the grit he grew up with in Wisconsin. Different city, same blue-collar DNA — just a louder, more Terrible-Towel kind of vibe.

🎬 Why It’s Fun (Even If You’re Not a Die-Hard)

This is the rare kind of NFL storyline that feels cinematic: a franchise icon walking back into his old home, not for nostalgia — but to win. The Steelers are on the rise, the defense is punishing, and Rodgers is chasing one last chapter.

For Pittsburgh, it’s a win-win: you either watch your team tighten its playoff grip… or you witness a Hall of Famer try to prove he’s still got it.

🗓 Game Day

Matchup: Steelers vs. Packers
When: Sunday Night Football, Week 8
Where: Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh
My Pick: Steelers by 3.5

Go ‘LERS

🎡 What’s Rolling This Weekend

💀 Night of 1,000 Skulls (Fri, Oct 24 – The Andy Warhol Museum)
A dark, glam kickoff to Warhol’s new Vanitas exhibit — gothic couture, pulsing music, and the city’s arts scene in full costume. Details here.

🥟 Pittsburgh Empanada Festival (Sat, Oct 25 – AHN Montour Sports Complex, Coraopolis)
The first of its kind — endless fillings, live Latin music, and craft drinks for days. Grab info.

☕ Coffee & Chocolate Festival (Sat–Sun, Oct 25–26 – Monroeville Convention Center)
A weekend dedicated to caffeine, cocoa, and chaos control. Event page.

🧙 Witchburgh (Sat–Sun, Oct 25–26 – Strip District Terminal)
Tarot readers, artisan vendors, and witchy cocktails for your inner October spirit. See more.

🎄 PA Arts & Crafts Christmas Festival (Sat–Sun, Oct 25–26 – Washington County Fairgrounds)
200+ handmade vendors bringing early-holiday charm — and cookies. Details.

🎭 The Rocky Horror Show (Through Nov 8 – Greer Cabaret Theater, Cultural District)
A local cult classic — costumes, chaos, and callback energy. Tickets here.

🎢 Phantom Fall Fest (Through Nov 1 – Kennywood Park)
Family fun by day, fright fest by night — the Phantom’s not done yet. Learn more.

 🌸 Fall Flower Show “Visions of Japan” - last weekend to take sight

👉 Full weekend lineup lives on Visit Pittsburgh › This Week in Pittsburgh.

🍂 Weekend Pick: Visions of Japan (Phipps Conservatory) - you’ll see me there tomorrow.