June 17, 2015
If you've spent much time taking cruises through Philadelphia's neighborhoods to gasp at the beauty of the houses for sale, then you've probably also logged your fair share of time on the Internet voraciously combing through real estate listings when you're not even looking to purchase anything. For many, it's a fascinating activity in its own right, whether to appreciate designs or to dream of windfalls of change.
Despite the urban landscape throughout most of Philadelphia, there are some real gems in the metropolitan area. Looking at the greater Philadelphia area and the Delaware Valley as a whole, the architectural styles and home features are a testament to both history and ingenuity. Here are seven houses in the region worth the longing stares they get, whether because they're gorgeous, outlandish, insanely priced or emblems of innovative design.
Be sure to check out the links to get a view of how things look on the inside.
Price: $5.5 million
6 beds - 4.5 baths - 13,673 square feet
Located in one of Philadelphia's most peaceful and historically charming neighborhoods, this property is a fusion of The Shippen-Wistar House and the Cadwalader House, combined from the inside after previously serving as offices for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Built in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the houses await an owner who would cherish them as a single estate, carrying forward the eminence of a history that includes both church and state. Whoever buys the property will enjoy a private garden, four parking spaces and citywide accessibility.
Price: $1.075 million
6 beds - 4.5 baths - 4,748 square feet
One of the many great things about Ardmore is that it's a stately, creative town in close proximity to Philadelphia, striking a perfect balance between the quiet of the suburbs and the beautiful home designs found in places near big cities.
This stone and masonry Tudor promises the coziness and captivating angles of a house you know is sturdy, well-lit and highly accommodating for guests with its spacious rooms and bay windows. With a fireplace, a pool, vaulted ceiling, attic and upgraded modern appliances, this house has all the characteristics of comfort and durability.
Price: $1.195 million
2 beds - 2.5 baths - 2,000 square feet
Designated as Pennsylvania's first LEED Platinum rehabbed home, The Slusher Residence is a model of sustainable design and a beacon of progress right in the heart of Philadelphia's Fairmount neighborhood. Just two blocks away from the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the property, transformed over a three-year period, incorporates a smart home system with automated control of essentials like lighting, HVAC and solar blinds. Two 100 percent vegetative green roofs are on the outside and are fitted with photovoltaic solar panels that deliver nearly half of the home's electricity.
Vegetation at The Slusher Residence is kept alive using a closed-loop water reclamation system that takes water from showers and sinks. The system also flushes the toilets. Run through a 500-gallon cistern, the grey water system conserves more than 5,000 gallons of water per year. Take a full interactive tour here.
Price: $1.575 million
9 beds - 5 full baths, 2 partial baths - 9,864 square feet
This place has artists' colony written all over it, if only an immensely wealthy patron out there could picture the possibilities. The property is unusual in that it comprises architectural elements from two different centuries of design. The front features an 1860s Victorian Italianate "summer" design, while a four-story wing created in the mid-1920s Arts & Crafts style was added by then-owner and architect H. Louis Duhring. It could be a single-family home, a multi-unit building or a subdivision. The stunning interior includes a library/music room with a stone fireplace and plenty of artifacts to remind residents of its multi-stage existence in Chestnut Hill.
Price: $2.2 million
7 beds - 6 baths - 8,557 square feet
The only thing actually bittersweet about this property is the feeling guests might have when they leave after visiting friends or family for the day. Called Foxborough, this French Normandy is tucked at the head of a cul-de-sac within a 10.3-acre wooded sanctuary (which is itself within a thriving 100-acre bird sanctuary). Also a fully automated smart home, Foxborough contains patios with spectacular views of the forest floor below. The owner suite alone includes a private bedroom, office, living room, dressing room, bathroom and balcony. All right, so maybe it's also bittersweet forgetting about this one.
Price: $10.5 million
6 beds - 6.5 baths - 4,581 square feet
If your dreams don't find you in the mansions and high-rises of Philadelphia, maybe you're off somewhere down the shore. This oceanfront property in Avalon is the kind of place that presents itself as a mirage to pedestrians baking in the summer sun. Custom slate and tile decks are adjoined to a natural stone interior, while the inside promises ocean views that warrant using a word like grandiloquent with a straight face. There's a pool. There's an intercom. There's even an elevator in there.
Price: $785,000
4 beds - 3.5 baths - 3,776 square feet
Just a short walk away from Wissahickon Park, this Mount Airy home is the perfect place for those who love nature and also love to feel connected to a wonderful neighborhood. The archaic, castle-like exterior is belied by an interior rich with beautiful woods and all of the modern amenities that justify the price tag. It's the sort of place that with the right additions and adornments could quickly feel like a special home. With so much to do nearby, it's a great place to return to every day after spending time in the great outdoors.
