We bought a 140-year-old house in New Jersey for $550,000
Amanda and Vinny Drees purchased a 140-year-old Victorian home in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey for $550,000. The couple has been renovating the money pit ever since, discovering fascinating historical artifacts inside the walls. Amanda grew up dreaming of owning a Victorian home, while Vinny was less prepared for the extensive renovation work involved.
Summary
Amanda (32) and Vinny (34) Drees share their experience of purchasing a 140-year-old Victorian home in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey for $550,000. Despite their realtor labeling it a 'money pit,' Amanda saw the potential in the home and was drawn to its vision from the start.
The home is a five-bedroom, two-bathroom Victorian property located two blocks from the water. Vinny walks to a nearby ferry each morning for his commute to work, making the location a key factor in their decision to purchase. The couple converted the originally six-bedroom layout by removing one wall to create a more open space.
One of the most exciting aspects of the renovation has been uncovering historical artifacts hidden within the walls. Among the discoveries were a vintage breast pump, a Stan Musial 1948 rookie baseball card, and handwritten letters dating back to the 1930s. These finds have deepened the couple's appreciation for the history embedded in the home.
Amanda shares that she has always been fascinated by old Victorian homes, inspired in part by playing with dollhouses growing up. She once considered such homes out of financial reach, making their purchase feel like a dream realized. Vinny, by contrast, was less prepared for the scale of renovation work the house would require, something Amanda acknowledges with humor.
Key Insights
- Their realtor described the house as a 'money pit,' but Amanda disagreed and saw significant potential in the property from the beginning.
- The couple discovered remarkable historical artifacts inside the walls during renovation, including a vintage breast pump, a Stan Musial 1948 rookie baseball card, and handwritten letters from the 1930s.
- Vinny walks to a ferry each morning for his work commute, making proximity to the water a major factor in choosing the Atlantic Highlands location.
- Amanda says she was always drawn to Victorian homes growing up but assumed they were financially out of reach, making this purchase feel like an unlikely dream fulfilled.
- Amanda acknowledges that Vinny did not fully anticipate the extent of renovation work the 140-year-old home would require when they decided to buy it.
Topics
Transcript
[0:00] I think our first thought was this house needs a lot of work. >> [music] >> Our realtor was calling it a money pit, but I just saw the vision. I was like this house has [music] so much potential. Whoa. All the things that we have found in the walls when we were renovating, you just can't get that from a newer built home. I found a vintage breast pump in the walls, the Stan Musial 1948 rookie baseball card, >> [music] >> and then all the handwritten letters are just so cool. They're from like the 1930s. We do really appreciate the history that this house [music] holds. [0:31] It just needs a little bit of TLC.…
Full transcript available for MurmurCast members
Sign Up to AccessMore from CNBC Make It
NYC's 'Baklava Guy' Brings In $20K A Month Selling Turkish Pastries
Roy Donk, a recovered addict and high school dropout, built Good Baklava into a $20K+/month business by combining masterful sales performance with a premium product sourced from Turkish suppliers. He employs unconventional street vending tactics alongside traditional wholesale and e-commerce channels, achieving 60% gross margins through viral marketing and strategic high-traffic location placement.
I Hid A Speakeasy In A Gas Station – Now The Business Brings In About $5 Million A Year
Tony Donatell owns The Farmer's Cellar, a hidden speakeasy disguised behind a cooler door in a gas station convenience store in Lakeville, Minnesota, which generated nearly $5 million in revenue in its first year. The business succeeded by creating an authentic 1920s experience using salvaged antiques, maintaining a 70/30 drinks-to-food sales mix with high cocktail margins, and leveraging the novelty of discovery to attract customers.
Don't listen to this modern dating rule
Modern dating culture promotes emotional avoidance as a strategy, but clinical evidence shows that vulnerability and direct communication actually build real intimacy. Asking for reassurance isn't weakness; it's a sign of emotional maturity and courage.
The Internet's Grandma & Granddaughter Advice Duo On Dating, Marriage And Family
Kim Murstein and her 79-year-old grandmother Gail discuss how the American Dream has evolved across generations, exploring redefined definitions of success, changing attitudes toward traditional milestones like marriage and homeownership, and the importance of bridging generational gaps through family connection and mutual respect.
I chased my dessert-making dreams — now my ice cream business brings in $2.8M/year
An ice cream entrepreneur shares how she turned a Friendsgiving dessert recipe into Malai, a $2.8M/year ice cream business inspired by her grandmother's Indian spice blend. She emphasizes the importance of bootstrapping with minimal funding, gathering customer data through surveys, and how early press coverage from the New York Times propelled business growth.