Rachel & Sam went Pow-Parkway in Colonial-Form
“I think we were scared about how much money might be required to put into an old home, and Steve heard that and found us a house that didn’t need anything up front, but offered a really cool canvas for us to improve over time. Thanks Steve ;)”
This is their FIRST house: Minnehaha Parkway steps from the lakes and on the grand rounds, Marathon parties here we come, outstanding result for Rachel & Sam!
Parkshore has not been achievable for the first home since the first one we sold across the Minnehaha from Rachel & Sam’s 1939 Colonial. (that was 2009) The appreciation of real estate coiled with macro inflation has created a very treacherous environment for first buyers seeking affordability that will appreciate.
Rachel & Sam nexted many dazzling examples of starter homes with flawless cosmetics, understanding from our experience that the juice isn’t worth the squeeze on the “super-cute” listings that command immense offer counts in our demanded pockets of the twin cities.
these two and this tub! when will you ever witness such immense joy for classic architecture this original bathroom really made 1939 feel like it was meant to be.
We instructed these two to pass on a stunning starter home, the reason: their endless creative potential and the desire to be parents. While ultimate lessons like this are difficult, the bond was created, resulting a month later in Rachel & Sam acquiring a loved example on a forever block.
“we specialize in long pauses but we try to make it worth the wait. and with 1939 it truly was!
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go over final closing figures with Uriah at Edgewater, closing day is simply the best milestone in early adulthood, or anytime in adulthood in the addiction to deeded jewels of history.
RFP: steve told you “no” a lot: regarding the sea of starter homes, while it was a bit brash, did the end result make the journey all come together?
Rachel & Sam: I don't see it as much as hearing a "no" as I do learning more of the ‘Whys’ behind different options and tools that RFP can offer: our biggest lightbulb moments were understanding the tradeoffs at each of our decision points. the process with educating us a lot of different types of homes we might consider and what they would each ask of us vs. give us.
as we progressed in our search steve began to give some tough love and creativity, encouraging us to make our own future Rareform Listing that would build real wealth for us someday.
I think we were scared about how much money might be required to put into it, and Steve really heard that and found us a house that didn't need anything up front, but offered a really cool canvas for us to improve over time. Thanks Steve ;)
a timeless survivor, Rachel and Sam struck classic home gold, skipping the starter in east nokomis.
“over the next 2-3 years we’re excited to focus on DECORATING. we’ll update fixtures & lighting and continue to fill our larger space with furniture & art.
our someday projects include
- building on the native plants we’ve got in the backyard (and adding a sauna and firepit!)
- a slight kitchen Improvement-Co special to move the fridge, add some counterspace on a budget while keeping original form
- exterior paint/trim/fixture updates ”
these two are absolute purists, and now keepers of this original summer yellow, tangerine & nougat brown deco bath. which serves as many baths, morning chats, and in this very room is were we deployed our winning strategy to secure 1939.
Rachel + Sam were rewarding victors of our process for first time architectural seekers. They executed there search the right way, as many first time buyers the required education that happens on the marketplace factors, budget and most importantly value for life today, and where you see it heading in 5 years. While many play within the lines, Rachel and Sam understood our main goal of seeing the upside examples for the true longevity they provide over the shinier listings.
This flat roof garage is going to one day become Rachel’s very own potted plant oasis, overlooking the parkway with southwestern all day light.
from apartment dwelling to a rooftop overlooking the greenway
Rachel & Sam became true extensions of our trusted guidance in the sea of housing options. Their story is remarkable as they are extremely intuitive placing a great importance on the significance of art within architecture.
Their colonial is a blank canvas on the interior commons, with outstanding original bathrooms, and a kitchen that possesses real potential to be modernized while celebrated its original shaker cabinets.
We used every ounce of financial leverage to win the house, making the move-in scope minimal to lighting, and a re-paint by committee as family members converged to recoat the interior that Rachel planned for phase one.
the greatest skill in this story is being content with a layered plan, patience in striving requires wisdom, and these two displayed it in our 24 month discussion of what will be updated slowly and with time on the park-shore.
Our post move-in Q & A:
RFP: what’s the best three moments of simple daily life that have changed since owning a home together?
Rach & Sam: 1. having a backyard & sunroom (with a woodburning STOVE) to enjoy the best of each Minnesota season
2. ability to host our people - as MSP transplants having room to host our way is a game-changer!
3. honestly just having ROOM for stuff - space to do more projects, not be on top of each other like we were in our apartment.
the parkway colonial has a storybook outdoor setting with mature trees and a cedar privacy, the sunroom is nordic ready with a wood stove that is going to get constant use this winter.
rachel’s jovial smile of soaking in what could be her very own vintage bath.
the shaker kitchen in 1939 is going to be a 2024 improvement co. dazzler: rich enamel paired with honing the counters and rachels’ cook inspiration for re-orienting the appliances.
while the exterior is wrapped in maintenance free siding, we can change that later, as the focus on the intact original elements became the primary driver in “seeing the after in the before”:
the originality of the kitchen and bath provided a depth of excitement for us all, as the right enamel tone paired with vintage paper and fixtures will make these spaces rejuvenated to period era of the late 30’s.
these two had a real love for some polished homes prior to the parkway, that while fulfilling short term vanity they lacked the spacious potential and locational prowess of the park-shore.
rfp: funneling the expectations: you guys witnessed polished starter homes // project grannies // to the eventual blend on the parkway , what ideals of a home early on became the concessions of what you purchased ?
Rachel & Sam: “it was very very helpful to see a variety of kinds of homes and play out different scenarios of what they'd mean for us. a major realization was the importance of the balancing a home weird enough that it wouldn't be too competitive for us to get, but also not leave us with a ton of projects we wouldn't have the money for.
so we made concessions on both sides, & we held out for a home that had great bones and could use some TLC but nothing drastic.
steve also pushed us to """see the after in the before""" - we fell in love with so many cutie bungalows and tudors and never really pictured ourselves in a big ol' colonial style box. It was definitely not love at first sight for Rachel. being here now, though, it's amazing what paint and having your own art + furniture inside can do “
RFP: being content ; in a World of ever polishing finishes, do you feel content with your parkway house for the next 2-3 years? What diy items are you excited to design & execute?
Rachel & Sam: “the winning factor of our parkway house was that it needed cosmetic updates that we can do over time - it's super livable right up front. Our pre-move in priorities: we carpeted the spacious living room in the basement and its on its way to being a cozy TV den/guest space. we also painted the entire interior because many of the walls were dark and a big disservice to how much natural light we get.”
congrats Rachel & Sam, the passion you bring to life reminds us of how exciting pairing homes and humans can be.
RFP: talk about your journey from renter to starter home hopeful to eventually executing a coveted // savvy investment, what tips would you share to similar minded young couples?
Rachel & Sam: “beyond what we learned from rareform, working with paris was SO HELPFUL. as we continued to nudge our budget upward, it was really necessary for us to see the impact that every .5% interest rate increase or decrease would mean, or how much an additional $20,000 in home price would affect our monthly payment.
- understand what you're getting and what you're giving up when you decide to rent vs. buy.
- be open to creative strategies for stretching your money/increasing what you're able to bring to the table
- a huge benefit of rareform is that they know true red flags to look for - this put us at ease, that when looking at older homes, they knew which needed just a little TLC vs. which were maybe hiding big issues that weren't right for us to take on right now
Rachel is one of the most deserving clients we have ever worked with, due mainly to her genuine spirit & a her heart for architecture that is unrivaled.
like many classic examples, the lighting scope we are planning to sort through this winter: entryway, dining and living along with the star trek kitchen fixtures will all be brought back to period or playful contemporary.
Sam made quick work of the beware of dog sign, after meeting several neighbors that we have placed in East Nokomis.
playing with warm whites, a much more difficult task than one realizes. Anya & Rachel landed on a moody palette that will accentuate the huge southern light throughout the spaces.
