Introducing the Joppa Avenue Project

Catering to each clients’ unique vision - one of the platforms of my real estate business. Part of every new client dialogue is whether or not a buyer is open to doing renovation or if they’d prefer a ‘turn-key’ property to call their own. When I sat down with these clients a few months back, they shared about a previous renovation they had tackled and their openness to customizing their new home to fit their own unique vision. Fast forward through our home search where we tried on all different iterations of finish level, to the charming Tudor on the most picturesque block of Minikhada Vista that captured their hearts.

As is often the case, the home checked so many of their boxes, but fell short in a few critical categories. The deep stain of the woodwork felt heavy and lacked the airy, modern feel they were looking for. The color palette was dated and seemed to absorb all the natural light. The wood floors were tired and in need of TLC. The stairway to the upper level was steep - unsafe for the family they hope to grow in this home. But there was so much about the home that was good, (so good!) that they were willing to take these projects on to make the house their own.

The time since closing has been spent weighing options, running scenarios, dissecting code restrictions, drawing up permit plans, gathering bids and ultimately honing in on the scope of work that makes the most sense with our budget. Most buyers purchase a home with a list of updates that ultimately get broken down into smaller phases that can be tackled over time. Defining those phases means establishing priorities and making sure they fit within your budget.

The Joppa Avenue project is going to come together over the next few weeks and we are excited to bring you along! The new homeowners are fun and stylish and have an amazing eye for design. Our scope of work for this initial ‘phase one’ of their project includes:

Repairing the chimney that was deemed unsafe for use during our inspection (cozy fires in the winter were at the top of my buyers’ list)
Refinishing main level wood flooring
Due to their steep nature, the stairway from the main level to the upstairs will be rebuilt. The new stairs will be finished oak. Can’t you picture them with an amazing runner?
Interior painting

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Work began on the chimney this week with the top 8’ of the chimney needing to be removed and rebuilt. Water intrusion behind stucco can reak havoc on the brick that was originally used to build these chimneys. With the top 8’ removed, the contractors are able to repair any joints in the flue tile where mortar has failed. When their work is complete, the chimney will be air tight and safe for use as soon as temps start to fall.

You can follow along online by searching the #joppaavenueproject. We are pushing to be through the permiting process as soon as possible so the stairway project can get underway. Everything else will follow suit shortly after. Stay tuned for more!