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On the market: Six-bedroom Victorian in University City for $669,000

"The house and neighborhood are at the best they’ve been since I moved to Philly in 1986,” the seller says.

The six-bedroom Victorian in University City, on the market for $669,000, was largely rehabbed by its owner.
The six-bedroom Victorian in University City, on the market for $669,000, was largely rehabbed by its owner.Read moreCarl Nappi

When Robert Weinberg bought his six-bedroom Victorian in University City, he already knew the neighborhood fairly well.

“I had lived in an identical house just a few blocks away on Pine Street during my sophomore year at Penn just a few years earlier,” he said.

He had spent years volunteering full time at Habitat for Humanity, so he was ready to put sweat equity into the home when he bought it in 1993.

“I purchased the house so a friend of mine and I could rehab it ourselves,” he said. “The only things I farmed out were the roof, the rough plumbing, and the security bars — which we haven’t needed for years.”

Weinberg said the rehab included major projects, including moving the kitchen from the second to the first floor and building out a new bathroom on the second floor -- both of which presented an opportunity to design new spaces from scratch.

Over the course of 26 years, he has made significant aesthetic upgrades.

“I’ve replaced every window in the house except for a special bay window with leaded glass in the living room,” he said. “I replaced the carpet on the stairs and halls about a year ago, and completely repainted every inch this year.”

His favorite parts of the home reflect its original character. “The staircase is extraordinary, as it extends from the living room up to the third floor,” he said.

He refinished pieces of it recently and said the effort was worth it. “Painting the balusters is a three-week job, but it’s breathtaking,” he said.

Weinberg said the neighborhood has changed even more than the home since 1993.

“To see the transformation has been remarkable,” he said. “I can say that the neighborhood and Clark Park, in particular, weren’t big attractions back in 1993.”

Today, the sought-after Penn Alexander School is within walking distance from the house. Weinberg expects that and the neighborhood growth to appeal to new buyers, now that the home is listed for sale.

“The sheer number of festivals, gatherings, and events on our very street is amazing,” he said. “The park is more beautiful and vibrant than ever.”

Even still, Weinberg said he is tired of the landlord life. A booming market helped to persuade him to sell.

“I’ve become a bit tired of dealing with tenant headaches,” he said. “And I realized that the house and neighborhood are at the best they’ve been since I moved to Philly in 1986.”

The home is listed for $669,000 with Grace O’Donnell at Philadelphia Realty Exchange.