New Neighbors (part 1 of 2)

You may remember our story about James, the block club leader who lives near several of the houses PRG has been rehabbing in Jordan. You may also recall that PRG was rehabbing two houses next door to one another near James’s block. Now, let us introduce you to James’s new neighbors.

Last October, Marlee and Robert moved in, along with teenaged sons William and Patrick, their fluffy orange cat, and their gentle German shepherd. Like many new homeowners, they have the sense that their house found them—that their buying it was somehow meant to be.

A blended family, they looked at many houses—probably a hundred, said Robert, online or in person—and nothing seemed quite right. They explored many neighborhoods. Robert lived in south Minneapolis near Grand Avenue, and Marlee in Chaska. Their sons go to school in the west metro. They began with Bryn Mawr, which they found beautiful but too expensive. They looked north from there along Wirth Parkway in the Homewood neighborhood, but the affordable homes they spotted seemed to be too big—too much work.

One house Marlee spotted online kept resurfacing in her mind. It was an old house—over 100 years old—in Jordan, and it was being rehabbed by PRG. One night when she couldn’t sleep, she looked at it online again, and noticed an open house was scheduled for the next day—a day when she and Robert just happened to have the afternoon off work.

They came to the open house—how could they not?—and they loved the place.

But, as newcomers to the area, they wanted to make sure the neighborhood was a good place for them. Many of their friends in south Minneapolis and the suburbs expressed concern about the area’s reputation for high crime. “We checked it out really well,” they said. As part of their research, they met James, the block club leader whose home is directly behind theirs, and felt welcomed and reassured. They also realized, as they spoke with him, that he was checking them out to see if they’d be good neighbors.

And their research (and what they’ve seen so far living in Jordan) brought them to a pleasantly surprising conclusion. “It’s about the friendliest neighborhood we’ve lived in,” said Robert. After less than a year in their new house, they already know several of their neighbors. They chat with people when they’re out walking their dog. They’re pleased to notice wildlife—mourning doves, squirrels, and even a neighborhood rooster—where they once might have thought there’d be only concrete.

From visiting the home to buying it was a quick path. They complimented PRG’s marketing agent, Erin Green, on being easy to work with, on helping them to apply for all the assistance they were able to qualify for, being honest and low-pressure, and helping the process go smoothly.

Beyond happiness about their neighborhood, they’re also enjoying their new house, discovering their commutes to work and school are easier than they’d thought, and reaping the benefits of moving into a completely rehabbed house. “It was great to move into a house we didn’t have to do any work to.”

See before and after photos of the house here.