A family needed more space but it had to be right so they took their time.

Jun 20, 2026 #Children, #Family, #Real Estate

Chestnut Hill with 5 bedrooms and 4½ bathrooms built in 1898.

a]:text-blue-mid [&>a]:no-underline [&>a]:hover:shadow-lightmode px-4 font-medium”>The agent: Jacob Markovitz, Elfant Wissahickon Realtors

A family needed more space but it had to be right so they took their time. — Rebecca and Ryan Taylor’s home in Chestnut Hill became “an amazing deal” after they negotiated for repairs, the couple said. Erin Blewett / For The Inquirer

Wayne, respectively, Rebecca and Ryan Taylor have been in Chestnut Hill since they bought their first house there in 2017. They loved their other house — a 1920s twin off Germantown Avenue with beautiful architecture, and the place where they’d had their two children, Lily, 3, and Asher, 5. But they felt the need for more space.

a]:text-blue-mid [&>a]:no-underline [&>a]:hover:shadow-lightmode px-4 font-medium”>The search: The couple were on the lookout for a new house since they had their second child. But it had to be right, so they took their time exploring options. School districts were a big factor in their decision. “We hadn’t fully decided if we wanted to stay in the city or not,” said Rebecca.

The family of four wanted several bathrooms in their new home. This one has 4 and a half. Erin Blewett / For The Inquirer

a]:text-blue-mid [&>a]:no-underline [&>a]:hover:shadow-lightmode px-4 font-medium”>“There’s craftsmanship that you can’t find anymore,” Ryan said. This house was built largely by hand 127 years ago.”

a]:text-blue-mid [&>a]:no-underline [&>a]:hover:shadow-lightmode px-4 font-medium”>“The community with small children is huge,” she said. “There’s so many trees. You can hike in the Wissahickon, and Pastorius Park is right in town.”

Center City would take only 40 minutes.

a]:text-blue-mid [&>a]:no-underline [&>a]:hover:shadow-lightmode px-4 font-medium”>The deal: The Taylors were surprised to find the house’s septic system was eroded, and they had to use a private septic system, rather than city water management. An initial evaluator told them they might not be able to put in a new septic at all.

A nautical stained glass window in the front entryway of the Taylors' home. The couple loved the historical details of the old home. — A nautical stained glass window in the front entryway of the Taylors’ home. The couple loved the historical details of the old home. Erin Blewett / For The Inquirer

a]:text-blue-mid [&>a]:no-underline [&>a]:hover:shadow-lightmode px-4 font-medium”> “We got an amazing deal on this,” said Ryan.

a]:text-blue-mid [&>a]:no-underline [&>a]:hover:shadow-lightmode px-4 font-medium”>The move: They closed on Aug. 6, 2025, and moved in shortly after, going on a preplanned vacation to the beach the day after move-in. They immediately had the original quarter sawn floors refinished in white oak.

Outdoor space for the kids and natural light were selling points in the Chestnut Hill home. Erin Blewett / For The Inquirer

a]:text-blue-mid [&>a]:no-underline [&>a]:hover:shadow-lightmode px-4 font-medium”>They had a lot of work planned, including the new septic system, so they rented a house in Conshohocken for a month while the larger renovations were ongoing.

a]:text-blue-mid [&>a]:no-underline [&>a]:hover:shadow-lightmode px-4 font-medium”>Projects included asbestos removal in the basement, replacing the septic system, refinishing the floors, replacing the roof on the garage, renovating the kitchen, renovating the master bathroom, replacing the windows, landscaping with privacy hedges and tree removal, and converting a second floor closet into a laundry room. The windows in the sunroom had been plastered over, so they exposed those. They wanted to make the bathroom feel luxurious with green tones and exposed the brick of the old stove in their kitchen.