I am a creature of habit. One such example is where I walk my dog, Charlotte. I do not vary my route. We walk out of “The Princeton Pearl,” take the bend north on 1400 East and walk west on Harvard Ave. This avenue is a beautiful street with stately homes snuggled within professional landscapes. Such is an English Tudor with a Romeo and Juliet balcony in its front yard, one of my favorites. Often, the owners would be on their way to work while we walked our morning route. We would smile, wave and then off they went to begin their day.
Surprisingly, this charming Tudor went on the market in March 2018. It sold before I would speak with Joe. He was working in southern Argentina at a very remote location…..connecting was not always a quick phone call. I was disappointed it sold so quickly yet continued to hope others may go on the market. Springtime usually arrived with the listing of homes for sale in my area.
On a day in mid April, Charlotte and I began our morning walk. As we rounded the bend onto Harvard, the “SOLD” sign has been removed. I quickly called our realtor and set up a showing that day. As I looked at this Tudor, many more showings had been scheduled and two offers had already been submitted. Clearly, the state of the market on Harvard Ave. required quick action. Once again, Joe was in southern Argentina; so, he looked at the home online and offered a very generous price without physically looking at it. Such was the nature of the market at that time
Charlotte on a BAD hair day!Charlotte on a GOOD hair day!
As the owners considered incoming offers, Charlotte and I continued our morning walks right past this Tudor home. On a snowy morning, one owner was outside and I decided to tell her Joe was one of their offers. I explained we were engaged and needed something bigger than “The Princeton Pearl”. After living in Normandie Heights for five years, I explained we wished to remain here and would like to make their Tudor our home. To our delight, they accepted Joe’s offer. We were going to be moving exactly one block north, from Princeton to Harvard Ave. I eagerly looked forward to Joe’s first walk through of this, soon to be ours, home.
As I waited for his return, I walked through “Harvard” many many times. I could see few changes necessary other than new paint to lighten up the home and an attempt to get the toilet out of the kitchen!! Seriously, on the other side of a door at the south end of the galley kitchen, a toilet and sink were housed. Maybe, the loo was in the kitchen because it had the necessary plumbing for a toilet and sink in 1926. I am not sure about that but I was certain the toilet and sink had to go, somehow someway. These changes seemed minor to me.
Upon Joe’s first walk-through of Harvard, he said little but agreed to painting and removing the water closet in the kitchen. Little did I realize Joe was thinking of the potential this vintage home possessed . It took little time to agree to a major renovation of this Harvard Ave home. Enter Annie, the architect, with Renovation Design Group to help us with design and any technical issues of beginning what would become more of a redo than a renovation.
This entry was written by the home owner Joan Hammond
