Although South Side remains one of the strongest parts of the Pittsburgh real estate market, sales have slowed there, too.

During the recent boom, 4 Holt St. in the Slopes wouldn't have lasted long priced at $249,000. It's a renovated 110-year-old house with spectacular views of Downtown, a double lot and room for four off-street parking spaces if you removed just a little of its multilevel deck.

To make it and eight other South Side properties even more attractive, their sellers are offering what Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is calling the Gift that Keeps on Giving program. By purchasing 1 point off the percentage mortgage rate, sellers will give buyers thousands of dollars over the life of the loan. Realtor Lynne Bingham (412-855-9154 or www.howardhannasouthside.com) offers this example for a 30-year loan:

If $359,000 was financed at a rate of 6.25 percent, the principal and interest payment would be $2,210.42 per month. If the seller buys the rate down 1 point, the payment would be $2,095.03, a savings of $115.39 per month, $1,348.68 per year and $41,540.40 over the life of a 30-year loan.

An open house will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 14 at 4 Holt St. and these qualifying properties: 80 S. 15th St., 2810/2810 1/2 Sarah St. and three units at 2112 Sarah, the former St. Casimir's convent.

Within the past 12 years, the current owners of 4 Holt St. removed some walls, added insulation and replaced all of the windows, siding and electrical wiring. They also redid the 15-by-12-foot eat-in kitchen, which has stainless-steel counters and appliances, maple cabinetry and ceramic tile flooring. Emerald Art Glass added decorative etched glass throughout the house and the decks were built.

"You have a bird's-eye view of the city from the decks and panoramic views from the windows," Ms. Bingham said.

The house, which last sold for $75,000 in December 1996, has a 2007 assessed market value of $43,300 (www2.county.allegheny.pa.us/RealEstate/search.asp). Eight other houses have sold on Holt Street in the past four years -- three sold twice -- for prices ranging from $22,500 in May 2006 to $250,000 for two houses in June 2005 (www.realstats.net). South Side is in the Pittsburgh Public School District (www.pps.k12.pa.us).