What $500K Will Buy You in Wyncote

Philly's new money made this section of Cheltenham Township the place to be at the turn of the last century. It's still pretty swell in this one, and you don't have to be a millionaire to live there.

415 Crescent Rd., Wyncote, Pa. 19095 | Photo: Kate Devlin via The Lamb Squad, BHHS Fox & Roach

Some pretty grand mansions went up in Cheltenham Township’s western reaches in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when Philadelphia’s new grandees, their wallets made fat off streetcars, sugar and the like but shunned by old-money Proper Philadelphia, sought a place where they could build status symbols.

Some of those survive with other uses, such as Grey Towers, the heart of Arcadia University. Others continue to fade gently (or sadly) as buyers prove unwilling to shell out for them. (Got $17.5 million lying around? Have we got a deal for you. The seller actually upped the asking price since it was previously put on the market.)

And there are still some pretty fantastic homes coming on the market every so often up this way. But not everyone’s a millionaire. Those of you not in that category can also find some very attractive homes in Wyncote and environs. These three homes are mature specimens situated on lushly landscaped lots with plenty of attractive features, and all have been very well maintained. Read on, non-fat cats, and rejoice.

415 Crescent Rd. (above) | 5 beds, 2 full, 1 half baths, 3,974 square feet, $525,000

This modest Cape Cod home feels much grander than the typical home of this type thanks to its secluded positioning on its 1.25-acre wooded lot. It’s also much lighter and brighter than the typical home of this type thanks to an owner who has chosen color schemes that make the most of the abundant natural light that pours through its windows. The living room features a wood-burning fireplace, there’s a bright formal dining room and a spacious eat-in kitchen, and an attractive sun room opens up onto a rear yard with a built-in pool. There’s also a stone patio off the dining room that’s a perfect spot for dining al fresco.

This home’s price was reduced by $24,000 on May 11.

415 Crescent Rd., Wyncote, Pa. 19095 [Rob Lamb | The Lamb Squad | BHHS Fox & Roach – Chestnut Hill]

651 Mulford Rd., Wyncote, Pa. 19095 | TREND image via RE/MAX Millennium

651 Mulford Rd. | 4 beds, 3 full, 1 half baths, 2,871 square feet, $495,000

Another home in a lush garden, this classic Colonial has gotten updated since it arrived on the scene in 1950. The nicest of the updates can be found in the kitchen, which got an airy and light-filled breakfast area with vaulted ceiling tacked onto its rear when it got its own makeover. The living room retains its classic charm, with a fireplace and built-in custom bookshelves, while the master suite upstairs got an upgrade that includes a travertine marble bathroom and a closet with custom built-in cabinetry. There’s also an in-law or guest suite with its own separate entrance over the garage.

651 Mulford Rd., Wyncote, Pa. 19095 [Francis Verna | RE/MAX Millennium]

1212 Gordon Rd., Jenkintown, Pa. 19046 | TREND image via Keller Williams Realty

1212 Gordon Rd., Jenkintown | 5 beds, 5 full, 1 half baths, 3,500 square feet, $499,000

While this home is actually on the Jenkintown side of Township Line Road, it’s so close to Cheltenham Township we decided to include it; after all, Jenkintown and Wyncote share a SEPTA Regional Rail station located on the edge of both communities. The only thing this handsome 1926 Colonial lacks that the other homes have is a large woodsy lot, but it packs a lot into its half acre, including a heated in-ground pool and two outdoor dining areas, one of them under a cedar-shake-roofed porch. Inside, it has every modern convenience and then some: a modern kitchen with island seating, a sun-drenched family room, an equally sunny formal dining room and a sumptuous master suite that includes a luxurious master bath and a sunny Florida room for your mornings. Down below you’ll find a gym and a rec room with fireplace and bar, and up top there’s a loft suite that’s perfect for an au pair or in-law.

The furniture in this home is also for sale, and according to the listing, “seller says Husband can be included (negotiable).”

1212 Gordon Rd., Jenkintown, Pa. 19046 [Sharyn Kabbani | Keller Williams Realty – Main Line]