Couple bought a 140-year-old home for $550,000 and spent $172,000 renovating it

Amanda and Vincent DeRise closed on a 140-year-old home in New Jersey for $550,000 in 2024. The couple’s realtor told them the house was for sale by an older man who had raised his family there and did not want to sell it to an investor. “I wrote a nice letter to the older man stating that we want to take care of this house and bring it back to its former glory,” Amanda says. Their goal: to renovate the property piece by piece, modernizing the home while preserving its charm. More details on how they did it in the related video.