The buyers: Mia Spolansky, 23, U.S. Air Force active duty military personnel, and Annabel Harp, 23, daycare worker and early childcare assistant

The house: A 784-square-foot home in Germantown with two bedrooms and one bathroom built in 1950.

The price: Listed for $250,000, sold for $265,000.

The agent: Christine Mantwill with REMAX

The ask: Mia Spolansky, originally from Willow Grove, and her partner, Annabel Harp, originally from Hagerstown, Md., were ready to move out of their one-bedroom rental apartment in Mount Airy and buy their first home. They both liked the area’s access to nature for running and biking in Wissahickon Valley Park, plus a location that allowed for easy commuting to their jobs. They didn’t want to stray too far.

“We were looking to buy in Mount Airy,” Spolansky said. “Those prices were out of our range, so we decided on Germantown.” They started their search in November.

The search: Harp and Spolansky began touring homes in East Germantown with their real estate agent. They wanted to be efficient with their space, so they narrowed the search to smaller homes. They were seeking a rowhouse for both the neighborly feel and value.

“A lot of detached homes were out of our price range,” Spolansky said.

They also wanted an older home “with some character” but with modern amenities. They toured six houses and all of them felt too large or had issues. Their agent helped Spolansky access the multiple listings sites used by real estate professionals so she could browse, and one house caught her eye.

The appeal: With their agent’s help, Harp and Spolansky went to see the house that day. It was a two-bedroom with a front patio and backyard, which was not yet on the market.

When they visited, they were delighted that “the neighbors actually came up and introduced themselves,” Spolansky said, “We were like, whoa, this is an actual community.”

The house was an older style with new appliances — exactly what they were looking for — and the owners had renovated both the bathroom and kitchen and installed central air and heat in 2021. “It was nicer than I grew up with,” Spolansky said. The couple put an offer in right away.

The deal: Harp and Spolansky made an offer on a Thursday. The sellers had an open house scheduled for the following Saturday. The sellers said they would accept the offer and cancel the open house if the couple agreed to go $15,000 over asking to beat the potential offers they might get from the open house.

Harp and Spolansky agreed and closed in mid-April.

The money: They purchased the home for $265,000 after negotiation. They used a VA Home Loan of $270,000 and put 0% down. The mortgage interest rate is 5.625%. They received a $5,500 seller credit for some repairs needed. The closing costs were $1,780. The monthly payment is $1,834 with escrow, interest, and principal.

The move: They moved in late May, with a two-month buffer period until the lease on the apartment ended.

They used a moving company to ease the process, which helped, because the home had small doors and tight corners.

The inspector had found some rotten floor joists in the basement, but after move-in, the couple realized there was water getting in as well. They brought in a masonry company to waterproof the wall and added a chimney liner when their carbon monoxide detector started going off. They also had some electrical and AC issues.

“I’ve only ever lived in rentals,” Spolansky said. “My family doesn’t have experience with upkeeping a house. I think having a buddy or known contractor come on the inspection would’ve been helpful, especially for negotiations because I didn’t know how much it costs to put in a chimney liner.”

However, the pair remain satisfied with their choice and their ability to manage repairs themselves, rather than rely on a landlord.

Life after close: The couple and their cat, Morty, have adjusted well. After living in a one-bedroom, they love the space, including their backyard and front porch, especially in the summer for barbecuing and being outside. The Wissahickon is a five-minute bike ride away. The rowhouse is exposed on one side to an empty lot, which the pair uses to garden, growing peppers and cucumbers they got from their neighbors. They especially love the community.

“We go to parties, clean up the block, do community events,” Spolansky said. “I never had that before. Knowing our neighbors has been the biggest plus. Having good neighbors, you can’t replace that.”

Did you recently buy a home in the Philadelphia area or South Jersey? Share the story of how you did it. Email Inquirer real estate reporters at properties@inquirer.com.