PHOTOS BY FLYOVER PROPERTIES

When Betsey Farmer sits in the sunroom of her Point Breeze home, she can’t help but think back to the lines author Annie Dillard wrote in her memoir, “An American Childhood,” that reference that very spot.

“I remember how much she liked her sunroom — it’s now ‘our’ sun room — which is pretty cool,” she says. 

The opening scene, as well as much of Dillard’s acclaimed book, were inspired by her childhood at 106 Richland Lane and the neighborhood surrounding it. Farmer enjoyed the references to Dillard’s bedroom on the home’s third floor and her adventures playing in the yard, as well as on the grounds of the adjacent Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary. 

“It’s an incredibly solid and well-built house,” Farmer says. “You can feel its history and permanence.” 

Built in 1924, the center-hall, Colonial-style home on a private lane was impeccably maintained before the Farmers moved there in 2019 — and they’ve continued to make improvements. The home, now on the market for $875,000, has updates to several of the bathrooms, the windows and the electrical system.

“This home is a standout because of the rare double lot in the middle of the city, just a block or so from the trails of Frick Park,” says Realtor Andrea Ehrenreich of Howard Hanna. “Also, I have never seen a house with such incredible natural light.” 

Farmer says the expansive yard was another big draw for her family.

“The yard is wonderful. It’s so rare in the city to have a real yard, and it gives room to really feel like it’s home,” she says.  

When the Farmers relocated to Pittsburgh, they rented for a bit until they could figure out which neighborhood met their needs before honing in on the area around Frick Park. While the home’s location is perfect for nature lovers, Farmer said they didn’t have to compromise on convenience, either. 

“It’s wonderful for walking, grabbing groceries from the East End Food Co-op, and being really close to the bus stop means it’s super easy to get back and forth to Oakland  — and everywhere,” she says. 

The 3,400-square-foot home’s interior is well-laid out. With five bedrooms and three full bathrooms, there’s plenty of space for large families while still feeling intimate. 

“I love the layout of the house,” Farmer says. “It’s welcoming, just the right size and feels both roomy and cozy.”

On the main level, the central hall opens into a large living room with a log-burning fireplace. There’s also a formal dining room, powder room, an updated kitchen and that infamous sunroom. 

The second floor includes two bedrooms that share a full bathroom as well as a primary suite with an ensuite bathroom. The third floor has two more bedrooms and yet another full bathroom — a true luxury in a home of this age. There’s also a small bonus room on the third floor. Central air keeps all three floors cool. 

The basement is partially finished and could make a great workshop, studio or recreational space for kids. The detached garage has three parking stalls and faces a large cement pad that is useful for guest parking, shooting hoops or entertaining. 

The property’s double lot also hosts gardens that are lush and well-maintained. Viewed from the sunroom, it’s easy to forget you’re in the city at all. The rear patio and a white vinyl privacy fence complete the oasis-like feel. 

“At night, I love to look out the third-floor windows at the lights twinkling on the hillside,” Farmer says. “It gives a real feeling of being nestled in the city.”

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: Point Breeze
Population: 6,813
Planes, Trains, & Automobiles: With ample public transportation and easy access to Interstate 376, Point Breeze residents are perfectly situated for transportation by car, bike, bus or foot. The airport is an easy 25-minute drive — or hop on a bus to Downtown and catch the Airport Flyer to save on long term parking. While many residents of Point Breeze do own cars, it’s not necessary.
Schools: Pittsburgh Public Schools (pghschools.org)
Neighborhood: Home to the East End Food Co-op and Henry Clay Frick’s Clayton, which is a part of the 5.5-acre Frick Art & Historical Center, Point Breeze also counts Westinghouse Park, Mellon Park and Homewood Cemetery, as well as the northern edge of Frick Park, within its borders. The largely residential neighborhood in Pittsburgh’s East End is surrounded by North Point Breeze, Regent Square, Squirrel Hill South, Squirrel Hill North, Shadyside and Wilkinsburg. Rapper Mac Miller and Pulitzer Prize-winner author David McCullough also were raised in the neighborhood.   

Neighborhood data provided by Niche.