House of the Day: 177 Rugby Road

They are not going to remove the shag rugs because most of the parquet floors on the ground level have been destroyed by the previous owner, a doctor who used part of the house as an office and laid down vinyl or something over the wood. This is a big negative in my book, along with the missing front porch, which the previous owner also removed. There are photos of this house with the porch, so if the price were to come down a bit, a new owner could restore it.

On the up side - the space in this house, particularly on the 2nd and 3rd floors, is fabulous. Maybe someone has already mentioned the fabulous stained glass oculus (Tiffany?) at the top of that jaw-dropping staircase? Or the massive Byantine influenced period light fixture in the foyer?

House is overpriced considering floors are shot, kitchen is starting to date, porch is missing... Price needs to take these issues into consideration, along with current market value. I would price along the lines of the Ebbinger bakery (most recent price), $1.5-$1.6. This house, however, has a better location, more square footage, and is extremely BRIGHT inside.

Posted by: Architerrorist at October 23, 2009 8:59 AM

Traditionalmod, I've been in this house, and it is a lovely house, although if you like craftsman aesthetic, not for you. I am a big fan of the arts and crafts movement, but I can also appreciate the original details of this house, many of which survive on the 2nd and 3rd floor (and the foyer). The house suffered at the hands of the previous owner. He subdivided rooms, destroyed the ground floor parquet, etc... The mechanicals on this house are excellent, which is worth considering. So much of the renovation budget is frequently spent behind the walls of these homes.

Posted by: Architerrorist at October 23, 2009 9:06 AM

Mary Kay has people on her list who "wait" for certain houses. If the seller agrees, I'm assuming, they just make a quick sale. It is a lovely house - small for PPS standards - but dripping in charm. It was built on property originally belonging to neighborhing blue house on the corner of Rugby and Beverley,sold off during the Depression. There's a lot to be said for owning a smaller home, dripping in charm, in a fantastic neighborhood.

I think the asking price seems high for that house because there are no real comps for it, save one other 30s era house on the same block, a few houses up towards Albemarle.

Mary Kay sometimes has a message at the top of her listings page which says "call for other listings." These tend to be prime listings where the owners know they can make a quick sell at ask and don't actually want the exposure.

Posted by: Architerrorist at October 23, 2009 9:41 AM

Smaller houses in DP, PPS (well tended and retaining original detail) tend to go for more per square foot than the larger homes... They are hard to come by and far easier to maintain.

Posted by: Architerrorist at October 23, 2009 9:43 AM

It was a front porch that wrapped around the right side of the house. If I was photographing that staircase, I would have shot upwards - the stained glass oculus at the top of the stair case is breathtaking.

Posted by: Architerrorist at October 23, 2009 8:00 PM