In March, HGTV’s “My House is Worth What?” featured the brick Tudor on Ashland owned by Tanya
Sander-Marks and Brian Marks. The couple spent $15,000 renovating the home, including the living room,
above. The episode will rerun May 11 at noon.
on the small screen Mt. Lebanon
is in the national spotlight again, this time
as a featured neighborhood on HGTV’s
“My House is Worth What?” The epi-
sode, which originally aired in March,
will re-run again May 11 at noon.
Tiffany Sander McKenzie of How-
ard Hanna Real Estate’s Mt. Lebanon
office appears in the show, which looks
at homes and the renovations done and
puts a figure on what the house could sell
for today.
Shot on a beautiful, sunny day in Octo-
ber, the episode shows our town’s schools,
parks, churches, public library, municipal
building, the clock on Washington Road,
Rollier’s Hardware, Beverly Road Shops
and neighborhoods, in addition to other
businesses. The featured home is a brick Tudor on
Ashland Avenue owned by McKenzie’s
sister, Tanya Sander-Marks, and brother-
in-law, Brian Marks.
“It’s always difficult to see yourself on
TV. Do I really look like that on TV?”
asks Sander-Marks, who is executive di-
rector of marketing and communications
for the Community College of Allegheny
County. The couple bought the home in 2004
for $145,000 and has spent $15,000 ren-
ovating it. However, they did most of the
work themselves, so it would have cost
significantly more had others done it.
Sander-Marks says work included rip-
ping up the carpeting and re-finishing the
hardwood floors, removing “six layers of
wallpaper that dated back to the 1920s,”
redoing the roof, reworking plaster in the
living room, getting the garden under
control and “repainting everything.”
One of the worst parts was getting
off all that wallpaper, some of which in-
cluded that tissue-paper style covering.
The process included “mostly a chemical
thing, some water and some swearing,”
she says.
McKenzie revealed during the show
that if she were to list the house as it is
now, it would list for $170,000. But, if
the couple were to update their kitchen,
install central air conditioning and fin-
ish their walk-up third floor to make it
a family room or fourth bedroom, they
could list the home for $225,000.
Sander-Marks says she’s been getting
a lot of positive feedback, with people
sending her nice e-mails and leaving mes-
sages that they’ve seen the show.
McKenzie also was in another episode
of the show, which included a house on
one of Pittsburgh’s Mexican War Streets.
She was selected for the shows after she
filled out an application and sent in an
audition tape.
She wasn’t the only local realtor to ap-
pear on the HGTV show. Kat Barry—a
sales associate with Prudential Preferred
Realty’s Route 19 South Office—also ap-
peared on March episodes that featured
homes on the South Side.
continued next page
www.mtlebanon.org 19
c o m m u n ity u p d ate s
continued Jo Ann Robb
Setting the Standard
H Legend Award winner
Chairman Circle
1996-2006 For
Trusted
Reputation H
utstanding Service
H nd Winning
Results . . .
Call Jo Ann
412.833.7700 Ext. 201
20 mtl • may 2008
When not properly handled, electronic waste can leach harmful toxins and heavy metals into drinking water.
Get rid of your outdated electronics, Saturday, May 17, at the Mt. Lebanon Public Works yard off Cedar
Boulevard. ELECTRONIC RECYCLING Bring SHRED IT AND FORGET Help pre-
your unwanted electronic items vent identity theft by bringing your
(working or non-working) to the Mt. confidential papers and documents to
Lebanon Public Works Facility, 1250 the Mt. Lebanon Public Works yard,
Lindendale Drive, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., 1250 Lindendale Drive, from 10 a.m.
Saturday, May 17, and leave them to to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 24. Cost
be properly recycled. In addition to is $5 per box with the first box free.
cleaning out the house, you’ll help You may pay with cash, check or credit
minimize the amount of toxic heavy cards. Staples, paper clips and plastic
metals and recover-
binders do not need
able materials cur- Old electronic equipment to be removed. If
rently destined for
you have any ques-
our landfills and can be recycled on May 17. tions, please call
natural areas.
412-343-3403. The
follow- Confidential papers can be
Mt. Lebanon’s
ing items will be
expanded recycling
shredded on May 24.
accepted at no cost:
program continues
central processing
through Saturday,
Both events take place at October 4.
units laptop com-
puters, keyboards,
Cardboard, mag-
mice, radio equip- the public works facility off azines, phone books,
ment, telephone
paper and junk
Cedar Boulevard.
equipment, desk-
mail can be dropped
top model copiers
off at the public
and scanners, cell phones, non-Fre- works yard at 1250 Lindendale Drive
on containing household appliances on the first Saturday of each month
and lead acid automobile batteries. between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Computer monitors will be accepted There will be a sign near the container
for a fee of $4; televisions for $1 per where these items should be placed.
inch of screen size.
All items will be co-mingled into one
If you are a business owner and are container.While you’re there, please
bringing a large number of items to remember to bring newspapers to the
the event, please pre-register by calling newspaper recycling bin, open 24
814-442-4481. hours a day, seven days a week.