What Is A “Pittsburgh Potty” In Pennsylvania Real Estate? – Caroline Stehle
On this episode of The Closing Table, we sat down with Caroline Stehle!
To watch the full episode, check it out on YouTube below. In the meantime, here’s a summary of the conversation…
Here’s what you missed from Caroline Stehle…
The conversation began with Caroline introducing herself outside of her real estate career, and shared that she is someone with a medical background. She holds a master’s degree in public health with a focus on health policy. Caroline initially ventured into the field of medical research, dedicating long hours to COVID-related work. However, her real estate friends suggested that she could make a greater impact and earn more money while maintaining a rigorous work schedule. With this encouragement, Caroline transitioned back into the real estate industry, embarking on an intense journey that consumed much of her time.
Real estate has been a significant part of Caroline’s life since childhood. Her mother has been involved in real estate since Caroline was eight years old, starting with title work and progressing to managerial roles. At the age of 16, Caroline took on the role of her mother’s assistant while simultaneously attending college. After completing college, she obtained her real estate license, but her demanding full-time job in the medical field limited her real estate involvement. However, she found her way back to real estate after realizing the impact she could make by helping people through her work.
As for her current business as a real estate professional, Caroline’s niche primarily focuses on first-time homebuyers, particularly those within her age group who are navigating the challenges of an increasingly unaffordable housing market. Additionally, she deals with investors through her own investment company, handling properties in the range of $20,000 to $60,000. Caroline also assists family, friends, and individuals dealing with life-altering situations such as death or divorce, helping them navigate the complex real estate market.
Geographically, Caroline’s real estate expertise spans Pittsburgh and its surrounding areas. She grew up in Pittsburgh and acquired a deep knowledge of the city’s various neighborhoods and housing markets, having worked as her mother’s assistant throughout the city. Her roots extend from the west side of the city, where she was raised, to the east side, where her mother managed properties. Currently residing in the south hills, Caroline effectively covers any properties below the second river extending to the sides of Pittsburgh. For properties located further out, she collaborates with local experts to provide her clients with the best possible service.
Caroline’s expertise in real estate extends beyond the conventional aspects of buying and selling homes. She recognizes the impact of weather on property preferences and guides clients accordingly. Pittsburgh’s unpredictable weather, often characterized by experiencing all four seasons in a single day, poses unique challenges. Additionally, an increase in rainy seasons and climate change has led to more frequent flooding, especially in areas with properties built on hills and adjacent to rivers, creeks, and streams. Addressing this issue often involves building homes in higher areas and implementing additional engineering measures to mitigate the risks associated with changing weather patterns.
Caroline’s commitment to her clients extends to helping them through emotional and personal challenges. She often encounters sellers in Pittsburgh who have strong emotional attachments to their homes, which often stem from affordability issues, resulting in them having to stay in their childhood homes. She recounts a poignant story of a high-end property client who lost both parents within a short span. Having to clear out their family home for sale was an emotionally trying experience for the client, but Caroline’s role extended beyond being a real estate agent. She provided support by reminding the client that the sale of the house would contribute to a legacy for his children, emphasizing the value of the property beyond its physical attributes.
Caroline’s dedication to her clients includes going above and beyond traditional real estate services. She has undertaken tasks such as cleaning toilets, washing dishes, waiting for a plumber for hours, and even dog walking. Her willingness to assist with unexpected challenges can make a substantial difference in a transaction, ensuring her clients’ needs are met.
Furthermore, Caroline’s experiences while showing homes often take unexpected turns in the Pittsburgh real estate market. The city’s older houses often present intriguing basements, some of which she humorously refers to as “murder rooms” due to the presence of giant locks on the outside. However, further exploration revealed that these locks were used for dementia or sleepwalking patients to prevent them from wandering at night. Caroline has encountered numerous quirky basements with mysterious doors, highlighting the unique and sometimes unusual aspects of the properties she encounters in her real estate endeavors.
Caroline’s journey in the real estate field began in 2016, and after returning from a break, she reflects on the most rewarding aspects of her real estate career and the notable changes and trends she’s observed in the market. While she acknowledges that it might not be the ideal time to re-enter the industry, she feels well-equipped for success due to her prior experience, having assisted her mother in achieving success as an agent. Caroline understands the level of commitment and effort required to be a successful agent and has been instrumental in helping fellow agents enhance their performance. Despite her ability to thrive in the challenging market, she finds the current real estate climate less enjoyable than in previous years. She recalls the shift towards multiple offer situations that began in 2016 and increased significantly before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, making the current market challenging to predict.
Caroline also shares an interesting aspect of her experience where she helped potential buyers see the true potential of properties with unconventional features or layouts. She mentions the “Pittsburgh Potty,” a peculiar feature found in houses built before the 1930s. It consists of a solitary toilet located in the basement without any surrounding walls. Caroline recently learned that these toilets existed because coal miners in Pittsburgh, upon returning home, were covered in dirt and grime. They would use the basement toilet to clean up and change before entering the main living area, explaining the unique and quirky presence of these fixtures in old homes.
The conversation wraps up with Caroline reflecting on her personal and professional perspective, she recounts a transformative experience she had in college while living in London for four months. This experience exposed her to diverse worldviews and made her realize that regardless of where people come from, they all share common desires for happiness, safety, close relationships, and financial and domestic security. This realization prompted a shift in her academic pursuits, leading her to change her major to international policy and pursue a master’s degree in public health and public policy. Caroline’s philosophy centers on treating everyone the way she would like to be treated because, ultimately, everyone seeks the same fundamental things in life. This guiding principle underpins her dedication to helping first-time homebuyers and supporting minorities struggling to enter the housing market, as she believes it aligns with her mission to create a more suitable world for all.
Check out Caroline Stehle:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ckostishack
Facebook Business Page: https://www.facebook.com/Stehle.Realtor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stehle.real.estate/
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