The dog days of summer are here, which means much more time spent outdoors, strolling the streets, noticing all of those “for sale” signs continuing to pop up in neighborhoods. Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer, relocating to — or boomeranging back to — the Burgh, or racing to find you r new home before the hectic back-to-school season arrives, we have a sampling of what’s available in the City of Pittsburgh right now at an affordable price point.For the next installment of our “Your Move” real estate series, we went in search of homes currently on the market for $250,000 or lower. We found a variety of residential styles in many quintessential neighborhoods across Pittsburgh — but don’t let the price tag be your only guidepost.“One of the biggest mindset shifts I encourage is to stop asking, ‘What’s the nicest house I can buy for $250,000?’ and start asking, ‘Where can I buy today that I’ll be glad I bought five or 10 years from now?'” says Paul Sinnett, an associate broker with REMAX Infinity. “Pittsburgh is still one of the few cities where buyers have the opportunity to purchase a home. I always tell people they’re usually closer to homeownership than they think. There are often loan programs, down payment assistance, grants and other resources available that buyers simply don’t know about.”Laurie Nelson, a senior loan officer with HMA Mortgage, discusses the process in terms of timing: “I think people are intimidated by the discovery phase and they postpone talking to a lender. Most people say they wish they didn’t wait. The misconceptions people have about the process causes them to hold out longer than they need to.” Nelson explains that while there is a smaller percentage of first-time homebuyers across the board nationally, it is important to know that Pennsylvania has a PHFA (PA Housing Finance Agency) loan that can be combined with an FHA (Federal Housing Administration) loan or a conventional loan. “Using the PHFA grant and an FHA loan with seller assist, you could potentially purchase 333 Virginia Ave. (first listing below) with only $2,000 and have a monthly payment of $1,980 per month,” says Nelson. “I’d rather see a first-time homebuyer purchase a home they can comfortably afford with 3% or 5% down, than spend years saving for a higher down payment while the price of the homes keep rising and essentially moving away from them. Your first home doesn’t have to check every box, but it can be the first asset that gets you into building wealth and equity.” ...read more read less