Peters was among the 13 original townships formed under the act that created Washington County way back in 1781. But the majority of homes there were built within the past 25 years.

The woody contemporary-style house at 574 Bebout Road in the Venetia section (MLS No. 747350) went up in the early part of the building boom and is unique.

Built in 1987, the three-bedroom house looks like something you might find on a ski slope or high in the mountains, with a giant stone chimney rising to a tall peak in front. It is being offered for $345,000 by Barbara Lupinacci of Howard Hanna's Mt. Lebanon office (www.howardhanna.com; 412-561-7400, ext. 232), who will hold an open house from 1 to 4 p.m. today.

Most of the home's living space is on the first floor, including the 18-by-14-foot master bedroom. But for those who don't mind stairs, there's also a 21-by-18-foot loft that overlooks the 23-by-16-foot sunken living room.

It leads through French doors to a large deck tha• t's connected, via a set of wooden stairs with rope rails, to a covered pavilion. A two-story stone fireplace climbs through the cathedral ceiling.

The exterior view stretches even further. The house, which sits on 5 1/2 mostly flat acres, is surrounded by 140 acres of farmland. So even though it's fairly close to shopping in McMurray and Venetia, it doesn't feel like the suburbs.

"It's very private and serene," says Ms. Lupinacci.

Other features include skylights in the living room, an eat-in kitchen with a garden window and a colorful vessel sink from Mexico in the powder room. There's also a two-car detached garage with a heated room on the second floor that's currently used as a game room.

In the past 4 1/2 years, 16 properties have changed hands on Bebout Road, ranging in price from $45,000 in January 2008 to $300,000 in December 2004 (www.realstats.net). This home, on the market for the first time since it was built, has an asssessed market value of $112,620 (www.co.washington.pa.us/wcmtp/tri.asp).

Peters (www.peterstownship. com) is in the Peters Township School District (www.ptsd.k12.pa.us).