Leetsdale

Whether you’re looking for proximity to downtown Pittsburgh, small-town events or a highly desirable school system, you’ll find options in Leet Township. “When you live in Leet, you’re just a 5-minute car ride from Sewickley, which is the local epicenter of events,” says Adam Cannon, a real estate advisor with The Cannon Group at Piatt Sotheby’s International Realty, who spent more than a decade living in Leet and has now sold numerous homes in the area. <br><br>Most of Leet Township’s homes are in a small subdivision called Quaker Heights. “It’s probably the most established neighborhood in the township, and the homes are generally in the $300,000 to $400,000 range,” Cannon says, noting that this is quite a jump from neighboring areas such as Harmony Township, which sits to the north. “Leet is still affordable when compared to towns like Sewickley and Edgeworth, but what costs $400,000 here would probably only be around $250,000 in Harmony,” Cannon says. Stylistically, Leet Township offers everything from country ranch-style homes with large backyards to spacious colonial builds with long front porches. You won’t find any sidewalks here, but the wide streets still offer space for a morning stroll with the dog.<br><br>As a thick carpet of burgundy leaves blankets lawns in the fall, students head to school at one of the local Quaker Valley School District locations. Many students will attend Edgeworth Elementary, Quaker Valley Middle and Quaker Valley High School, which all proudly maintain grades of A on Niche. With less than 1,000 students and classroom sizes well below the national average, Quaker Valley High offers a more individualized experience, and students can choose a specific career path to study in their junior and senior years. Parents of students with cognitive or developmental disabilities will also have the opportunity to enroll their children in The Watson Institute, a private school at the center of the township with a dedicated team of educators and a host of behavioral health resources for the community. <br><br>Throughout the year, neighbors gather together for exciting events in the nearby borough of Sewickley. Annual events include a harvest festival, a popular Halloween parade, a Memorial Day parade and a holiday light show. In summer, kids get a thrill from visiting the splash pad at Henle Park in neighboring Leetsdale. Sewickley Valley War Memorial Park has a vibrant playground that’s perfect for after-school playdates, and the nearby Devil’s Hollow Conservation Area provides scenic hiking opportunities in the fall. And on a rainy day, you can hit the bowling alley at Fair Oaks Bowling Lanes. <br><br>Once you’ve worked up an appetite, head down to Sewickley for a bite to eat. At the corner of Beaver and Broad streets, you’ll find a host of restaurants with cuisine ranging from sushi to pizza. Forma Pasta Café and Market is well-known locally for its fresh pasta, which is homemade in-house every day. After enjoying a filling meal, pick up some extra pasta from the market for your own home-cooked dinner. Any additional ingredients you might need can be found at the Giant Eagle Supermarket in Quaker Village shopping center, which is close to home in Leetsdale. And if cooking doesn’t go to plan, the caring staff less than 5 miles away at Heritage Valley Sewickley Hospital will take great care of you. <br><br>With less than 20 miles between the township and downtown Pittsburgh, you’ll also have easy access to shopping, dining and entertainment options at the heart of the city, and you won’t even have to get on the highway. For longer trips, Interstates 79 and 279 are about 10 miles east, and the Pittsburgh International Airport is about 15 miles southwest. If you’re looking for a community that keeps you busy with local events but close to all the downtown action, you might enjoy living in Leet Township.