5424 Catharine St

A magical block, original charm galore and lovely outdoor space make the West Philly trifecta that give this one ?forever home? potential. Located on a nice wide tree-lined stretch of Catharine St, this pretty porchfront is set back from the street, giving you a deep front garden and a bit of privacy when relaxing on the porch. Inside there?s tons of original millwork (some unpainted!), gorgeous just-refinished floors, oversize arched doorways and crown molding throughout the bright and airy rooms. A vestibule with original tile, leaded glass transom, wainscoting and solid oak doors welcomes you into the spacious living room, where an added set of built-ins blend nicely with the original details: inlayed floors, another leaded glass arch over the front window, a pretty turned staircase and decorative tiled fireplace with mantel. There?s a large dining room with wainscoting through French doors and a bonus room beyond? use it as a butler's pantry, home office or den for now and expand the kitchen when you?re ready for a major upgrade. The bright kitchen with double exposures is not fancy but fully functional, with white cabinetry, clean and neutral formica countertops and linoleum floors, and a workhorse of a Kenmore five-burner stainless steel range. It overlooks the rear garden, which just needs one weekend of love to be utterly charming. There are four nice-sized bedrooms upstairs; the one at the front features a pretty bay window and dual closets and connects to one of the two middle rooms, where you could create your dream en suite down the road and still have three true bedrooms. The second-largest room at the rear has a stately unpainted original-in armoire. The vintage-chic bathroom, complete with clawfoot tub and original half-wall tile surround, has a large frosted window and newer pedestal sink and ceramic tile flooring. There?s a linen closet in the hall and of course the full basement with laundry is available for everything else, though with good ceiling height it could also be finished down the road. In a great location convenient to Baltimore Ave, this ideal home is also a stone?s throw from Cobbs Creek Park, with its biking and hiking trails, baseball, basketball and ice skating rink.