When my wife and I began searching for a home, we had one non‑negotiable at the top of our list: accessibility. What we quickly learned, though, was that unless we were willing to move into a 55‑and‑over community, most homes on the market simply weren’t designed with our needs in mind. Grab bars are helpful, and zero‑step entry is a great start, but accessibility isn’t one‑size‑fits‑all. What works beautifully for one person may not work at all for another—and that made our search incredibly challenging.

We were lucky to have a realtor who truly understood our needs and worked tirelessly to find homes that might fit. But even with her dedication, she could only show us what was available, and the inventory just wasn’t there.

After touring what felt like hundreds of homes, we realized we might be approaching the process the wrong way. We had walked through several houses that almost worked. Places that had potential if they just had this feature or that adjustment. But we were so focused on finding a home that was already accessible that we weren’t seeing the possibilities right in front of us. That’s when everything shifted. Instead of searching for the perfect accessible home, we started looking for a home with potential.

With my background in construction, years of experience working with people with disabilities, and my wife’s lived experience, we set out to find that diamond in the rough. And suddenly, the market opened up. There were plenty of homes that needed only minimal updates to become truly accessible. We found a house under budget—even after accounting for the modifications—and got to work. Wider doorways, a ramp in the garage, a walk‑in bathtub, and smart‑home technology transformed the space into a home where my wife could move independently and comfortably.
Before long, we outgrew that first home and started dreaming about more outdoor space. This time, armed with everything we’d learned, we found a property with land fairly quickly. But this house needed much more extensive work, and it came with a whole new set of challenges—finding the right lender, choosing a reputable contractor, navigating a construction loan, and converting it once the work was complete. Each step had its own learning curve, but we stuck with it and created a home we truly love.

And that journey is exactly why I decided to become a realtor. I want to share what we learned and help others facing similar situations. It can be difficult to look past what a home is and imagine what it could be. For buyers—especially here in Western Pennsylvania—accessible homes can be hard to find. That’s why working with a realtor who understands accessibility, renovation potential, and the reality of the market is so important.

If you’re navigating similar challenges or wondering how to make a home work for your needs, you don’t have to do it alone. I’m here to help you see the possibilities.

Michael Novitski
Realtor – Coldwell Banker / Katina Hunter Team
Michael.Novitski@CBRealty.com
724-888-9020

Lead Turns Love Story

Join Katina as she sits down with Coldwell Banker Cranberry’s Manager, Alishia Schultz, for a heartfelt conversation 💬✨Discover how a career in real estate led her to the love of her life ❤️🏡—and how one unforgettable phone call changed everything 📞

Let’s tackle a topic that most Realtors try to skirt around: The seller’s closing costs. (Insert dramatic music here!)

Why is talking about numbers so difficult? Because… this is where the Realtor’s commission comes to fruition.

True confidence lies in communication, & true professionalism lies in the delivery. If a Realtor is confident that what they provide is nothing but exceptional service – then they should be able to speak confidently to the commission charged & what they do to earn that fee.

It took me a long time to be able to confidently speak about my commission without getting a little shaky at the topic. However, the conversation is MUCH easier the longer I’m in the business, the more services I offer my sellers & the more statistics & testimonials I can offer prospective clients to put some more proof in my pudding.

Commission is just one line item in a seller’s closing costs. Some costs are negotiable, others are not. Some are based on a percentage & others are a flat fee.

NEGOTIABLE/OPTIONAL CLOSING COSTS:
There are several fees that are not standard or, not required at all. A savvy seller will work with their Realtor to find which menu items should be included in the listing:

Listing Commission:
This is probably the most obvious one. A Realtor’s professional fee is typically a percentage of the sales price. It is negotiable at the time a seller is signing that listing contract. A seller’s goal is to find the Realtor that is the most VALUABLE – not the CHEAPEST. There’s a big difference, & I’ll need another show/blog to deep dive into this topic.

Buyer’s Commission:
In the olden days, a listing agent would negotiate 1 lump sum with the sellers to pay all of the commission for both Realtors in a transaction. Today, The Realtors’ commission in a transaction has been de-coupled, meaning, it’s considered as 2 separate fees rather than just one lump sum. This is great news for sellers.

Although it’s very likely that a buyer will ask a seller to contribute to their Realtor’s professional fee – it’s not automatically assumed to be paid by the seller. They can now negotiate this line item with an offer, giving them more financial control of their fees & putting more financial responsibility on the buyer.

Seller Assist:
Speaking of buyer financial responsibility… seller assist is something else that a buyer can request with their offer, but it’s not mandatory for the seller to gift any additional funds to the buyer. This usually shows up as a percentage, but it’s not uncommon for it to appear as a flat fee.

Perks/Incentives:
Adding perks like a home warranty is a great idea to not only help attract buyers & add some marketing benefits to the listing. Depending on the plan you include & if you’re offering additional coverage for things like a pool, well or appliances: you’re looking at a minimum of $500.

MANDATORY FLAT FEES:
These are just the cost of doing business & include things like the deed prep, municipal certifications, the brokerage fee, settlement fee, notary fee, tax certification… As I write this today in 2026, totaling these up with bring you to less than $2,000. A listing agent won’t be able to give you the exact penny because many of these fees are paid to the title company. It’s the buyer’s choice as to which title company is used, but you can have your own attorney prepare your deed. This may give you an extra $50-$100 if you feel that the title company is too expensive, & you want to shop around.

MANDATORY FEES BASED ON A PERCENTAGE:
The transfer tax is the big one here. If you want to trick a Realtor, ask them what the transfer tax amount is. This is kind of a trick question because:
1. It varies from area to area (especially in specific locations in Allegheny County!)
2. The transfer tax amount is split between the buyer & seller.

In most of Western Pennsylvania, the transfer tax is typically 2%. This means that the seller is responsible for 1% of the sales price.

CLOSING COST FORMULA:
When it comes to what you’ll net, you can expect to pay:

Sales Price
• % of Sales Price for Listing Agent Commission
• % of Sales Price for Buyer’s Agent Commission (if negotiated)
• % of Sales Price for Transfer Tax
• % of Sales Price/Flat Fee for Seller Assist (if negotiated)
• $2,000 in Estimated Flat Fees
• Flat Fees for Incentives (ex: Home Warranty)
• – ?? ??? (Mortgage Payoff)

Don’t forget your mortgage payoff or any equity lines of credit. That all gets paid at closing so that the house is transferred free & clear of any/all liens.

If your eyes are bugging out of your head from all of the subtracting you’re doing – this is where a Realtor’s experience is worth their weight in gold. They should be able to offer you options to help safeguard a seller’s bottom line. I have several ways that I do this, & I’m saving these tips for next time!

Katina Hunter
Team Lead for the Katina Hunter Team with Coldwell Banker
724-888-9020
Katina.Hunter@PittsburghMoves.com

Here’s our deep dive into a five-county snapshot of the Western PA real estate market.

🏡 Beaver County
The market isn’t just growing; it’s a complete glow-up. The average sales price hit $250K—up 8%, & the median sales price is up a whopping a 14%. This gives sellers a LOT of confidence & buyers don’t seem to have an issue stepping up to the plate with more money for Beaver County properties. Just one example of what I was saying earlier – Don’t Wait for the Rate!

🏡 Lawrence County
The average sales price in Lawrence County is climbing as well – flexing at an 11% increase. There was also a huge jump in the median list price… get this… a 60% increase. This is a big, flashing neon sign for our investor friends – properties have historically been on the cheaper side in this area, & now there’s trends showing that the median listing price has jumped to $160,000 & are SELLING at those prices. That’s a pretty nice return on investments… If you’re an investor, I’d set your sights on some specific locations in Lawrence.

🏡 Butler County
Homes here are selling for, on average, 98% of the asking price. So, the listing price vs. selling price ratio has stayed pretty consistent in the last year. There’s just not a lot of wiggle room on price, & I hope to see that the sellers continue to price their homes well here. We’ve seen more transactions than we’ve had in a while with the amount of homes sold up by 10%. Buyers are attracted to Butler & willing to pay the price.

🏡 Allegheny County
Allegheny is by far the most consistent of all of the counties we’re looking at. Everything is steady: Average sales price: Same at $411,000. Listing price vs. selling price ratio? Same! Just under 99%. Even the number of properties sold compared to prior year is extremely consistent. That is one of the things that makes Pittsburgh such a great real estate market – we don’t experience the massive swings that have been reported in other markets across our country. Western PA is the steady hand in real estate which is good news for everyone involved!

🏡 Mercer County
Delving into Mercer County, buyers have the most negotiating power here. On average, we’re seeing about 4% off of the sales price. Meaning, the average $200,000 home in Mercer is selling for about $192,000. Imagine what you could do with a home with an extra 10 grand in your pocket to make things exactly your style? There’s more give in Mercer than I’m seeing anywhere else.

Now that you’ve heard the nitty-gritty, if there are buyers out there waiting for prices to go down… sorry, guys, but the trends are saying that prices are steadily increasing. This is across the board. I would highly recommend jumping on the buying bandwagon sooner than later.
“… But I’m going to wait until the rates go down.” My team has heard this a million times. Friends – listen up! Even if rates go down in the future – which is NOT a guarantee at all – you’re going to get burned by waiting with the steadily increasing sales prices.

Katina Hunter
Team Lead for the Katina Hunter Team with Coldwell Banker
724-888-9020
Katina.Hunter@PittsburghMoves.com

Realtors… Good, Better, Best

The Fold Podcast Episode #21

Real Estate Diaries Episode #21

The Fold Podcast Episode #20



This story is not my own. It’s from a realtor named Angie Mazzenga & can be found on the Wall Street Journal or Realtor.com. It does, however, feature a home that was sold right here in our home state of Pennsylvania.

Haunted listings aren’t unheard of. But this one? It came with a full paranormal disclosure. The owners insisted that a ghost named George—yes, he had a name—lived in the attic. He was “mostly friendly,” they said, but he occasionally slammed doors, whispered in hallways, and once locked a plumber in the bathroom.

Angie, ever the professional, listed the home with full transparency. Her description read: “Charming 4-bedroom Victorian with spirit. Paranormal activity reported. Buyer discretion advised. The listing went viral. Paranormal investigators booked showings. TikTokers filmed séances in the foyer. One couple made an offer—on the condition that George would “not interfere with their cats.” But here’s the twist: during an open house, Angie herself heard footsteps upstairs. She went to investigate… and found no one. The attic door was locked from the inside.

Eventually, the house sold—to a buyer who said they “weren’t afraid of ghosts, just bad plumbing.” George, apparently, approved. No paranormal incidents have been reported since.

So what’s the takeaway? In real estate, transparency matters—even if it involves the undead. And sometimes, the strangest listings attract the most enthusiastic buyers.

To read more about Angie’s haunted listing, check out The Wall Street Journal and Realtor.com’s feature.

If you’re loving these tips, buckle up—because I’ve got a whole treasure chest of real estate wisdom waiting for you! Whether you’re a video binge-watcher, a blog reader, a Facebook scroller, or just someone who loves a good deep dive—I’ve got you covered.

Just Google Katina Hunter Realtor or The Katina Hunter Real Estate Team and prepare to enter the real estate rabbit hole.

And hey—don’t be a stranger! Call or text me anytime at 724-888-9020. Seriously, save me in your phone right now under ‘REALTOR’—you never know when you’ll need me. Even better? Shoot me a quick text to say you heard the show. That little ping would absolutely make my day!

This is Katina with the Katina Hunter Team at Coldwell Banker Realty, author of “The Real Estate Diaries” & “The Pennsylvania Real Estate Show.” I’m Always Here & Happy to Help!

🏡 Beaver County
Beaver County’s feeling modest this month. The single-family market here is serving up a mixed bag this week, with the median list price jumping 27% to $228K, while the average sales price dipped slightly to $222K—a gentle reminder that pricing strategy matters. Sellers are still winning with a 98.1% sales-to-list ratio, and buyers have plenty to choose from thanks to a whopping surge in inventory. Only 25 homes sold, down 42%, so it’s a slower dance—but the music’s still playing.
🏡 Lawrence County
Lawrence County said, “Hold my pumpkin ale.” We’re seeing a 73% jump in average sales price! It’s giving Cinderella-at-midnight energy. Something magical happened here—likely a few high-end sales skewing the average. But with a median list price of $140K, affordability still lives here. For now.
🏡 Butler County
Butler County’s single-family market is flexing some serious muscle this week, with the average sales price climbing $466K and the median list price rising as well. Sellers are landing solid deals with a 96.6% sales-to-list ratio. With inventory creeping up as we’re seeing all across the board – it gives buyers more breathing room. All these numbers are solid proof that Butler’s market is both strong and steady, like your favorite fall coffee order.
🏡 Allegheny County
Allegheny’s market is in a bit of a mood this week—think confident, slightly mysterious, and full of potential. While prices are adjusting and sales have dipped, the real story is in the inventory: with nearly 23 months of supply, buyers have room to breathe and browse, and sellers need to bring their A-game. Homes are still closing close to asking, which means well-prepped listings are getting noticed. It’s a market that rewards strategy, patience, and a little curb appeal magic.
🏡 Mercer County
Mercer County’s market is having a moment—bold, dramatic, and not shy about it. The average sales price vs listing price ratio is at an impressive 100%, so sellers are clearly striking the right chord. Prices are climbing fast, but the real headline is the sky-high inventory making Mercer a buyer’s playground. Only 10 homes sold, so it’s not a frenzy—it’s a slow burn with big potential. Think of it as Mercer’s quiet renaissance: high value, high supply, and room to make your move.