Princeton Road or Harvard Road?

Either address sounds great -- as if you've made it into the Ivy League of real estate -- right?

But these two homes for sale in Thornburg, a small, hilly borough minutes from Downtown, differ in price, architectural style and construction date.

Robin Rombach, Post-Gazette Above: This house at 1160 Harvard Road in Thornburg was built in 1990. Below: The open family room at 1160 Harvard Road leads into the kitchen. Click photos for larger image. More information An open house will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. today at 1160 Harvard Road, Thornburg. Information: Lorraine Easton of Keller Williams at 412-337-2490 or www.homes forsaleinpittsburgh.com, MLS No. 637556.

People who swoon over high ceilings, hardwood floors and other old-house details may like the 106-year-old property at 1112 Princeton Road, which is priced at $230,000 by Prudential Preferred Realty. The three-story house has a spacious front porch and three bay windows that filter lots of sunlight. Built in 1901, it lacks air conditioning and its kitchen needs to be updated.

You could spend considerably more money for 1160 Harvard Road, $259,900 more to be exact. This 17-year-old center hall Colonial in what locals call upper Thornburg offers a sweeping view of the hills, elegant evergreens amid professional landscaping and more than 3,200 square feet of living space. Keller Williams Realty has priced it at $489,900.

Newer houses are the exception rather than the rule in Thornburg, which is known for its Craftsman-style homes built when that style was fashionable at the turn of the 20th century. This brick Colonial built in 1990 affects an air of graciousness with its pillared front portico, graceful landscaping, curved Omni stone driveway and integral three-car garage.

The home's amenities include four full bathrooms, indoor swim spa, whole-house stereo, security and sprinkler systems, central vacuum and 135-gallon water tank, almost guaranteeing you'll never run out of hot water.

Its layout combines the best of old and new. A mirrored foyer with a sweeping cherry staircase includes two large coat closets with lights that go on automatically when the doors are opened.

Off the foyer are a living room and a wood-paneled dining room with cherry crown molding and built-in china cabinet.

The centerpiece of the first floor is a wood-paneled family room with a wet bar and a gas fireplace trimmed in marble. The family room opens to a large eat-in kitchen with green granite center island, cherry cabinets and double ovens. The granite-topped table attached to the island has room for four people.

Off the kitchen is a wood-paneled office that overlooks the back yard. The first floor also includes a pantry, a laundry room and a 12-by-8-foot swim spa; the user swims against a current.

Realtor Lorraine Easton of Keller Williams said the home's builder, Dion McMullen, is willing to make changes to suit the buyer, such as converting the swim spa to a breakfast nook.

French doors in the kitchen open to a deck made from maintenance-free vinyl. A green awning covers the deck, which overlooks a hillside fringed by tall evergreens.

There's also a nice view of the surrounding hills from the second-floor master bedroom, which has a tray ceiling that lends height and aesthetic interest to the space.

Adjoining the master bedroom is a bathroom with a shower, double sinks, a skylight, a walk-in closet and a Jacuzzi. A hallway leads to two smaller bedrooms.

The finished, carpeted basement includes a long narrow storage area and two connected rooms that could be used as a fourth bedroom.

Robin Rombach, Post-Gazette Above: This Shingle-style house, set on a hill at 1112 Princeton Road in Thornburg, was built in 1901. Below: The home's dining room contains tall windows, a decorative fireplace and a built-in china cabinet. Click photos for larger image. More information An open house is scheduled from 1 to 4 p.m. Jan. 21 at 1112 Princeton Road. Information: Pam Zillifro of Prudential at 724-747-7841 or www.prudential preferred.com, MLS No. 633919.

If new is not for you and you're a little handy, the Princeton Road house might be worth a look.

The Shingle-style home's large front door with a beveled-glass transom is one indicator of the house's age. Immediately inside is a 22-by-16-foot light-filled living room with inlaid oak floor and a gas fireplace with green tile surround and antique, carved wood mantel. In any season, relaxing or reading in this room would be a pleasure.

The dining room contains a decorative fireplace and built-in china cupboard with space for a buffet. Just off the dining room is a small room that could serve as a butler's pantry. Nearby is a first-floor powder room.

The 16-by-11-foot eat-in kitchen has a ceramic tile floor and stainless-steel dishwasher and gas range, but its cabinets and counter tops would probably need to be replaced. A generous pantry is down a hallway.

Off the kitchen is a deck with room for a table and chairs. A set of stairs from the deck leads to an unfinished detached garage and two off-street parking spaces.

On the home's second floor, two bay windows brighten the 23-by-12-foot master bedroom. Its hardwood floor has been painted green, but someone could strip and refinish it to transform the room. Closets are plentiful in this house and are wider and deeper than those often found in 100-year-old houses.

The second floor contains two more bedrooms, 14 by 12 feet and 11 by 11 feet. The smaller one would make an excellent office. A full bath is lined in pink tile, set off by a black-and-white tile floor and matching toile wallpaper.

Upstairs, on the third floor, two rooms with slanted ceilings would make ideal retreats for teenagers or could serve as a guest room suite.