O
ver the years, Teri and Kevin Love discovered many things they appreciated about life in Henderson, Nevada. They raised their four children there and built their careers: Mrs. Love is a licensed professional counselor, while Mr. Love is a civil engineer. The desert's beauty and the sweet smell of creosote bush after a rainstorm were also sources of joy for them.
However, Mrs. Love, who spent most of her life in the Las Vegas Valley, longed for a change of scenery. She wanted a place that offered more than rows of identical stucco tract homes with gravel yards. This desire intensified after visits to her extended family on the East Coast. It's possible there were deeper, innate reasons for this longing as well; Mrs. Love discovered later in life that her biological family is based there.
After their three oldest children left for college, a cross-country move became more feasible. When Mr. Love's company opened an office in Philadelphia, the timing and location felt right. Their 16-year-old son, John, was on board with the idea, but Mr. Love needed some convincing. Eventually, he came around, saying he wanted his wife to have what she desired.
The Loves didn't know much about Philadelphia, having only visited once during a family road trip in 2016. They didn't even stop to see the Liberty Bell. So they set aside a long weekend in June to explore properties around $500,000, near public transit for Mr. Love's commute and a school district that offers a strong mix of academics and athletics for John. They also wanted enough bedrooms for their children, including Bethanie, who is taking a gap year from college. Mrs. Love had one more requirement: something quirky.
The couple contacted Brian Griffin, a real estate agent with Keller Williams Main Line, in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. He warned them that $500,000 might be a challenging number due to its middle-of-the-road price point. Together with Mr. Griffin and his colleague Chelsea Lamb, they visited 18 properties in 11 towns, mostly clustered around Philadelphia.
One of their options was a three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom, 1,840-square-foot house in Glenside, approximately 13 miles north of downtown Philadelphia. The Loves appreciated its charm from the early 1900s, its large fenced yard, and its stone patio. The interior was sunny, featuring hardwood floors, granite countertops, and built-in shelving. Although there were only two bedrooms on the second floor, a spacious third-floor room could serve as another sleeping space, a home office, or storage. The detached two-car garage had an additional "bonus" space above. The closest rail station was a seven-minute walk away, providing direct access to central Philadelphia. The asking price was $459,900, reduced from $480,000, with annual taxes around $8,500.
