First-Time Find: Old-Fashioned Charm in West Grove for $225K

This adorable small-town classic has been thoroughly updated while keeping its classic looks - and a piece of the past in its kitchen.

410 Rosehill Rd., West Grove, Pa. 19390 | TREND images via Coldwell Banker Preferred

We should perhaps be thankful that no one’s talking about extending Regional Rail service out to southern Chester County, for its arrival would mean the end of several charming villages along its path.

One of those is West Grove, a tranquil town a few miles down the road from Kennett Square. This is one of those places where the sounds of nature still greet you when you rise in the morning, as they will if you move into this beautiful and lovingly maintained turn-of-the-20th-century farmhouse on its outskirts.

The first thing you will notice as you drive into its gravel parking lot is the terraced front yard with a brick path leading to the front porch. This porch is a classic, the kind that encourages neighborliness. No doubt you’ll enjoy just sitting here in a rocking chair with a tall cool drink on a warm summer day as you take in the sights and sounds around you.

Just past the front door is a large living room with a built-in display shelf, and beyond it is a handsome dining room with alcove. The kitchen will take you back in time, though, with its still functional coal stove next to the modern electric range. You could press this into service for a large party, but we’d recommend against it because of all the smoke you’d be sending out into the atmosphere. The kitchen’s cute breakfast nook opens onto a large redwood deck that’s perfect for relaxation and more private entertaining.

Both the powder room on the main floor and the hall bath on the second floor have been updated with attractive fixtures, and the hall bath has a tile-topped double vanity. There’s room enough to convert the powder room to a full bath if you so desire.

The third-floor loft is currently used as a sitting room, but its two storage closets give you the option of using it as a bedroom.

There’s plenty of space to play or relax in the backyard of this home’s 1.1-acre lot, which also contains a cute storage shed and has lots of shade trees.

The sum of all these parts is a picture-postcard-perfect place for anyone looking to start their homeownership experience in a tranquil rural setting.

THE FINE PRINT

BEDS: 2

BATHS: 1 full, 1 half

SQUARE FEET: 1,200

SALE PRICE: $225,000

OTHER STUFF: The basement contains the laundry hookups. The first- and second-floor windows are brand new, and the furnace in the basement was installed in 2011. You have public sewer service but draw water from a private well.

410 Rosehill Rd., West Grove, Pa. 19390 [L. Robert Frame, Jr., Esq. | Coldwell Banker Preferred]