Kim Fisher has been a real estate agent for 25 years, all with Howard Hanna. She works out of the Mt. Lebanon office, lives in the municipality and closely tracks local housing trends.
Those trends continue to point upward.
“Twenty years ago, the average sales price here was around $210,000,” Fisher said. “Over the past year, that figure has risen to about $485,000,” according to Howard Hanna data.
Municipal data tells a similar story. As of the end of December 2024, the most recent figures available, the average sale price for 398 residential properties in Mt. Lebanon was $439,118, according to the municipality’s annual comprehensive financial report. The report is issued by the Mt. Lebanon Department of Finance under the direction of Andrew McCreery, CPA.
Demand for housing remains strong in the community of about 34,000 residents, Fisher said, driven by the municipality’s reputation for strong schools, walkable neighborhoods and abundant amenities.
The municipality’s 2024 report notes that “Mt. Lebanon has to be consistently one of the desirable places to live in Pennsylvania, and our real estate market reflects that sentiment.”
The average price of a residential property increased 2.6 percent compared with 2023, the report states. Since 2020, when housing prices began climbing nationwide amid limited inventory, prices in Mt. Lebanon have risen 26.6 percent. The pandemic-era shift to remote work further fueled demand.
In an October interview with Lebo Beat, Fisher shared sales figures from her agency showing continued activity across the municipality.
Howard Hanna reported that 319 houses were sold in Mt. Lebanon over the past year, including 14 homes priced above $1 million and two that sold for at least $2 million. The highest sale was a $2.5 million home on Osage Road in the Virginia Manor neighborhood.
As of late fall, Fisher said there were 33 active listings and 38 homes that were contingent or under agreement.
Homes in Mission Hills and Beverly tend to sell faster than those in other neighborhoods, she said, largely because of strong buyer demand. Fisher added that the Howard Hanna office holds about 53 percent of the residential market share in Mt. Lebanon.
“Three things drive a sale: location, condition and price,” Fisher said. “Location used to be number one. It’s still very important, but condition is almost equally important now.”
Other agents working in the area echoed that assessment.
“There are very diverse homes in Mt. Lebanon. They’re not cookie-cutter, and very few houses are sitting,” said Cindy Rack, an agent with Keller Williams Realty. “Many are selling within 30 days, unlike in a lot of other neighborhoods.”
Rack noted a brief slowdown in late August and early September that quickly reversed.
“At least 50 percent of homes sold went for the asking price or above,” she said, underscoring the strength of supply and demand.
Rack said some buyers mistakenly believe the municipality is out of reach financially.
“Some people think Mt. Lebanon is beyond their price range, but many homes are reasonably priced,” she said. “Taxes are higher, but that’s tied to the quality of the schools.”
Amenities beyond education also play a role, she said, including walkability, neighborhood connections, parks and recreation facilities.
Katherine Correa, an agent with Realty One Group Landmark who works throughout the South Hills, said Mt. Lebanon’s appeal is consistent among families relocating to the area.
“Parents are looking for a Mt. Lebanon kind of education,” Correa said. “That comes with a strong sense of community. There’s a lot to do, a variety of housing options and a mix of local businesses that make people want to live there.”
