🚨FLIPtastrophe alert!

So when a house flipper comes into a historic neighborhood and completely ignores the original outlines, charm, and spirit of the home… well, it’s only fair that we label it a “FLIPtastrophe.”

Today, I’m taking you to the delightful Wyndhurst neighborhood of north-central Baltimore, which features “beautiful 19th-century wood-shingled Victorians, Colonials, and even Tudor styles. Ornate details like slate-paneled roofs, decorative shingles, and large wrap-around front porches add to this community’s charm.” I learned more about what the charming neighborhood has to offer (schools, activities, amenities, home prices, and more) on the Homes.com neighborhood guide.

Here are just a few snapshots of this charming tree-lined community:

You can probably guess where this is going, right? Our feature listing today began its life in the year 1900 with a wood-shingled exterior, a wrap-around porch, and stained glass windows from a church that sat on the property in the 1800s.

Sadly, it fell into disrepair and needed a full restoration when it was sold in November 2022 for $260,000. Using the historical photos feature, we can see that the interior was completely demoed and ready to be restored by its new owners.

The buyers spent the next nine months taking the house from 1,565 square feet with four beds/1.5 baths to 2,960 square feet with five beds and a whopping five baths. They also invested in energy-efficient building materials, a new water line, and all new mechanical systems and appliances. They re-listed it in August of 2023 for $925,000.

So… let’s see how it looks today, shall we?

Wow… this flip is deeply disappointing, to say the least. It now sticks out in the neighborhood like a big fat sore thumb.

And while it’s obviously in much better shape than how they found it on the inside, I’m not sure the layout was anywhere close to the best use of space – look at this kitchen!

The flippers did preserve some wood floors, stained glass, and original light fixtures, but as with all fliptastrophes, the closer you look at the details, the more odd some of the choices seem. Just take a look at this odd tile backsplash and uncentered vanity.

But my primary gripe is with this classic flip exterior and how different it looks from the homes around it. Take a look at the streetview if you don’t believe me. It has been on the market now for almost six months, and the price has dropped more than $125k.

What do you all think? Is this flip a huge improvement, or a swing and a miss?

Til next week,

Jess @Homes.tastrophes

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