Michigan couple bought farmhouse for $26,000, spent $320,000 restoring it
A Michigan couple spent six years and $320,000 restoring a dilapidated 160-year-old farmhouse they originally purchased for $26,000. The project was driven by a desire to preserve local history rather than flip the property for profit.
Why it matters
This reflects a growing cultural interest in historic preservation and 'slow living' over modern real estate development trends.
When Samantha and Sean Kilgore bought an abandoned 160-year-old farmhouse in Michigan in 2018, they knew they were taking on a challenge. What they didn’t know was just how complicated, or expensive, restoring the neglected property would become.At the time, Samantha was 26 and Sean was 29, and the couple had no professional renovation experience. The house had been vacant for 12 years, vandalised and left in such poor condition that it was reportedly close to being demolished.Yet, instead of seeing a lost cause, the couple saw a piece of history worth saving.Today, Samantha, 34, and Sean, 37, have invested around $320,000 in rebuilding the property, in addition to the original $26,000 purchase price.An abandoned farmhouse that was almost demolishedWhen the Kilgores first discovered the property, there was little to suggest it could become a beautiful home.The windows were either missing or boarded up, graffiti covered parts of the exterior…
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in