Going over to Nana and Poppop’s house might look a little different for your kids or grandkids. That “house” might be an apartment.
People age 65 and up are the fastest-growing population of renters in the Philly region. And the 55- to 64-year-olds are coming up close behind them.
So why are older adults renting instead of owning homes? Read on to find out.
Keep scrolling for that story and more in this week’s edition:
An ugly prize: Look inside an Upper Darby house that won the latest season of HGTV’s Ugliest House in America.
Up and away: The upper floors of an iconic Wildwood bar were moved and rebuilt into a house that’s now for sale.
Fighting over space: See why neighbors in Northeast Philly are mad about Lincoln High School’s plans to relieve overcrowding.
DIY love story: Peek inside this South Philly rowhouse that newlyweds are fixing up and personalizing with secondhand finds.
📮If you’re a homeowner, would you consider renting in the future? Why or why not? Share your thoughts.
— Michaelle Bond
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Ken Mann, 73, was a homeowner on Long Island for many years. But in June, he had an epiphany at his oldest granddaughter’s elementary school graduation in Lower Merion.
He needed to be here all the time.
So a few weeks later, he moved into an apartment in the township. Now, he and his granddaughters can walk to each other.
Mann told me that his home owning days are over.
“I like to travel. I’m a single guy,” he said. “I know owning a home is a different mindset.”
He’s part of a wave of seniors who have begun renting in recent years. People aged 65 and older have become the fastest-growing renter population in our region.
An 83-year-old renter I talked to said her kids were the ones who decided she should move closer to them. A middle-aged renter told me she has no plans to move out of her apartment.
Keep reading for their stories, the ways developers are trying to keep up with demand from older adults, and the stats that back up the trends.
Justine Mays’ house in Upper Darby was ... unique. OK, no, it was ugly.
It had no coherent design. Cigar boxes wallpapered the sunroom. The entryway was a mish-mash of collages. Glass bottles were infused into walls. A grill was bolted to the outside of the second floor.
But Mays bought the house that way. She never thought she’d be able to buy a home, so when she found a 2,178-square-foot house for sale for $184,000, she jumped on the “funky” home. She figured she’d save up to renovate later.
Her decision paid off. Her home won the sixth season of HGTV’s Ugliest House in America, which aired in June. The title got her a $150,000 home makeover.
Keep reading to find out what actor and comedian (and HGTV host) Retta had to say about the Upper Darby home and see before and after photos.
The latest news to pay attention to
The upper floors of Wildwood’s Shamrock bar were moved and rebuilt into a 10-bedroom house. It’s now for sale.
Neighbors are fighting $11 million worth of trailer classrooms meant to relieve overcrowding at Lincoln High School.
Here’s what the Wanamaker building’s new retail space could look like.
Architecture critic Inga Saffron says walling off Market East’s public spaces will keep it from becoming what it could be.
A Delaware County homeless shelter could close, because it has a $500,000 hole to fill after county budget cuts.
House of the week: For $784,000 in Fishtown, a four-bedroom rowhouse on a wide lot.
Luxe listing: For about $3.5 million in Chester County, a five-bedroom home with a pond, barn, and indoor pool on 12 acres.
What’s your go-to place to get home decor?
Since Jordana Swartz and Dan Spellacy bought their 1,000-square-foot South Philly rowhouse last year, they’ve been filling it with treasures they’ve gotten secondhand from all over the place.
“South Philly is so dense, and people are always buying and selling and trashing,” Swartz said. “Being patient and waiting to see what I stumble across has led to many fabulous street finds: multiple wicker baskets, two beautiful armchairs, electronics, books, plants, and clothing.”
In between thrifting, the couple has been fixing up the house themselves. The homeowners painted the interior. They tiled the entryway. They pulled up vinyl flooring and refinished hardwood underneath.
They’re planning to tackle the kitchen and bathroom next.
Peek inside their house and see some of the decor and furniture they’ve snagged as they fix up and personalize the home.
📷 Photo quiz
Do you know the location this photo shows?
📮 If you think you do, email me back. You and your memories of visiting this spot might be featured in the newsletter.
I got a huge response to last week’s photo quiz. The most replies I’ve ever gotten.
A lot of you were excited to see the old Sears Tower, a.k.a the Sears Distribution Center, a.k.a. the Sears Eastern Regional Catalogue Headquarters, on Roosevelt Boulevard.
Jim Q. worked there for a bit as a teen. Dennis B.’s parents worked there. Anna-Marie S. remembers walking down the long hallway to the back, where you’d pick up furniture. Todd S. was there when it imploded and has fond memories of many trips to nearby Charlie’s Pizza.
I thought you’d all like to see this ad that appeared in The Inquirer on Sunday, Sept. 10, 1989 with an illustration of the building.
Enjoy the rest of your week.
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