Renovation challenges in old homes | Real Estate Newsletter
And a drop in evictions.
Thousands of homes across Philly and surrounding counties are old, sometimes dating back a century or two (or more). People like them for their character, charm, and sturdy construction.
But they can be a pain to renovate.
The president of a West Chester remodeling firm described working on old homes as “an adventure.”
Whether homeowners think it’s a fun one or not depends on how flexible they are, how much money they have saved, and how much they enjoy research. Remodeling an old home requires owners to plan ahead.
Keep scrolling for that story and more in this week’s edition:
Let’s make a deal: See how mediation efforts helped bring down eviction filings in Philadelphia by 37%.
Freezing bills: Learn how low-income Philly homeowners can get property tax relief, thanks to a new program.
Bucks County sanctuary: Peek inside this animal-filled property that owners bought to reconnect with nature.
📮I want to know what it’s like to live with three or more animals in your home. For a chance to be featured in my newsletter, email me.
— Michaelle Bond
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Remodeling an old home can come with all sorts of challenges you won’t find in a newer property.
For example:
An old home could be officially designated historic, which means some entity may need to give its approval for exterior work.
The home could include a hodgepodge of styles and construction materials from the projects of a long list of previous owners.
It probably has less kitchen, bathroom, and storage space than modern homeowners want.
The president of a design-build firm based in Kensington said reworking old homes is all about “creative design.”
See how some local owners renovated their old houses, including one in West Chester with a “funky layout” that needed a lot of work.
The Eviction Lab at Princeton University tracks eviction data in 34 cities and 10 states. In Philadelphia:
landlords filed for roughly 13,200 evictions in the last year.
eviction filings were down 37% compared with a typical year pre-pandemic.
Philadelphia is tied as having the second-lowest eviction filing rate per 100 renter households over the last 12 months — 4%, as of Feb. 1.
Grace Hartley, a research specialist at the Eviction Lab, said eviction filings in many places shot up after pandemic-related assistance dried up.
Philadelphia has been “one of the rare sites that has remained below the pre-pandemic average since the pandemic,” she said.
City officials and tenant advocates point to successes of Philly’s Eviction Diversion Program, a nationally recognized initiative created during the pandemic to resolve landlord-tenant issues outside court.
The program was extended a few times before becoming permanent last spring.
Keep reading to learn more about how the program is operating and changes that advocates for landlords and tenants want to see.
The latest news to pay attention to
A Philly developer plans to bring 160 apartments to this neighborhood of homeowners.
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker has appointed a housing nonprofit leader to oversee H.O.M.E., a long-awaited housing initiative.
Here’s what the lead bidder for the University of the Art’s Hamilton Hall wants to do with the iconic building on South Broad Street.
An executive at a construction firm admitted to a conspiracy to bribe an Amtrak manager with luxury watches, vacations, and a German shepherd puppy in exchange for extra work at 30th Street Station.
Architecture critic Inga Saffron is calling on Philly’s mayor, City Council, and philanthropists to help keep the arts in the Avenue of the Arts.
A federal agency said a Sunoco pipeline that contaminated the wells of Bucks County homeowners leaked jet fuel for at least 16 months.
House of the week: For $1.39 million in Chester County, a 15-year-old house with 18th-century style.
Luxe listing: The estate that inspired The Philadelphia Story is for sale, a rare opportunity to own a piece of Main Line history.
This summer, Philly released its first citywide real estate reassessments since 2022. Property values increased, which means property tax bills went up.
But there’s still time for low-income homeowners to apply to a new program that’ll keep their tax bills from increasing. The application deadline will usually be Jan. 31 of each year, but the city extended this year’s deadline to Feb. 28.
Keep reading to learn more about the city’s Low-income Real Estate Tax Freeze program and what the city says is the fastest and easiest way to apply.
John and Jennifer Cecilian’s 12-acre Bucks County property is like a sanctuary for them and their daughters. It’s also a literal sanctuary for their 27+ animals.
The Cecilians named their property Three Pigs Farm, but they’ve also got donkeys, steers, heifers, and sheep. Then there are the family’s four dogs.
A 1,500-square-foot barn helps house the farm animals, many of which the family adopted from other sanctuaries.
The family can see their animals from the many windows of their 3,300-square-foot house, which the Cecilians updated to fit their needs.
For example, an addition allowed them to move and expand the kitchen, which now includes a custom-built breakfast nook and a butcher-block island.
Take a peek inside the family’s home and see some of the sanctuary’s animals.
🧠 Trivia time
A floating, glass-walled classroom that its designer calls a “magical garden” will soon split its time between the Delaware River and the Schuylkill. The 5,400-square-foot structure that’s meant to be an educational and science field station, an event space, and more is scheduled to open next year.
Question: How much will the floating workshop cost?
A) $1.5 million
B) $3 million
C) $6 million
D) $7.5 million
This story has the answer.
📷 Photo quiz
Do you know the location this photo shows?
📮 If you think you do, email me back. You and your memories of visiting this spot might be featured in the newsletter.
Props to Deborah S., who knew that last week’s quiz featured a photo taken on the University of Pennsylvania’s campus — specifically, Blanche Levy Park.
Deborah said she first came to Philadelphia in 1972 to attend Penn for graduate school.
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Last month, I shared a poll that my colleague created asking for your opinions on certain Philly neighborhood names. She collected readers' votes on the ones we should and shouldn’t use. See how your answers compare.
Enjoy the rest of your week.
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