Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs A couple in Detroit have breathed new life into a 1927 home that’s been vacant for nearly a decade, turning the neglected property into their dream home through a careful restoration spanning five years.Images of the home’s transformation were shared in a post on Reddit by Miranda Suman under the username u/mopedgirl. The post captivated thousands, garnering 113,000 upvotes since it was shared on March 5.Titled “Before and afters of turning our formerly abandoned 1927 Detroit home into our forever home,” the post features striking before-and-after images of the transformation.
Images of the staircase in the 1927 home before and after the renovation work.
Images of the staircase in the 1927 home before and after the renovation work.
Miranda Suman
The viral post comes as home renovation spending in the United States was reported to have surged in recent years, with the median spend increasing by 60 percent between 2020 ($15,000) and 2023 ($24,000), according to a survey of 32,615 users, including 17,713 renovating U.S. homeowners, conducted by Houzz, a home design website.Suman, a car designer, and her husband Brandon, who also works in the automotive industry, purchased the home in 2016 after it had been vacant for more than seven years.Located near the University of Detroit Mercy, the house had belonged to one of Suman’s college professors.”We purchased the home from my college professor. He grew up in the home, and his mother lived there for many years. She moved out after having medical complications, and the home fell into disrepair after seven years of vacancy and burst plumbing from frozen pipes,” Suman told Newsweek.
An image of a bathroom in the 1927 home before (left) and after (right) it was renovated.
An image of a bathroom in the 1927 home before (left) and after (right) it was renovated.
Miranda Suman before image); Suzy Poling (after image
The couple took on an extensive restoration project to bring the home back to life.”Started with no heat, water, or electrical, and burst pipes having taken out about 30 percent of the interior,” Suman said. “We’ve restored all the original windows, restored the steam heat system, completely upgraded electrical wherever possible, and all new plumbing.”The three-floor home originally featured six bedrooms and 3.5 baths, spanning about 3,800 square feet.”It is now five-bedroom, 3.5-bath—we turned a bedroom into a master bath suite—and about 4,000 square feet now with the sunroom addition,” Suman said.The couple dedicated about five years in total to the restoration and renovation of the home. “Took us about a year to complete the original three-floor interior before we could move in with help of a father/son carpentry team and ourselves doing whatever didn’t require permits,” Suman explained.
An image of a dining area in the 1927 home.
An image of a dining area in the 1927 home.
Suzy Poling
The work didn’t stop there. “Exterior, landscaping, hardscaping, new garage, sunroom, and mudroom took about 3.5 years over COVID. The final frontier is the basement, which has beautiful terrazzo floors, full-height windows looking toward the double lot, plaster walls and ceiling, and an electric fire,” she said.While bringing the house into the modern era, the couple was committed to preserving as much of the original craftsmanship as possible.”We kept as much original plaster as was savable, all the windows are original (outside of the new sunroom), the chandeliers are all original except for two. The radiators have all been restored, almost all the flooring is original,” Suman said.
An image of a lounge area in the 1927 home.
An image of a lounge area in the 1927 home.
Miranda Suman
The couple originally purchased the home for $127,000, but property values in the neighborhood have since skyrocketed. “Homes in this neighborhood go for between $400,000 to $600,000 now, and we’ve spent much more than that on this renovation,” Suman noted.But for them, the investment is about more than just market value. “We don’t intend to leave or flip anytime soon. This was built as a forever home for us.”Reflecting on their journey, Suman and her husband now cherish the spaces they have restored and built together. “Our favorite part of the home is the garden and sunroom now. We love spending time at our firepit with neighbors,” she said.Their transformation of the abandoned house into a warm and welcoming home is a testament to their dedication—and proof that even the most neglected properties can be brought back to life with patience, skill, and a vision for the future.
Exterior shots of the 1927 home.
Exterior shots of the 1927 home.
Suzy Poling left image); Miranda Suman (right image
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