The average home price in the Pittsburgh area rose 3.5 percent to hit $148,859 in the first quarter of 2011, according to a report released today by RealSTATS. It's a marked difference from the average home price nationwide, which analysts at Standard and Poor's have said dropped 3.6 percent in this first quarter.

Home sales in the region stayed steady with last year's numbers, with 4,438 homes being sold in Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Washington and Westmoreland counties.