Sale of Note: Grace Kelly House in East Falls

Elfant Wissahickon Realtors would like to thank the Principality of Monaco and the Kelly family of Philadelphia for placing their trust in Elfant Wissahickon and allowing us to act as their agent on this meaningful purchase. East Falls’ Grace Kelly House is a Philadelphia cultural landmark. It has long been a place that delights people when they pass by.

 

This past summer, John O’Connell was asked to represent Prince Albert of Monaco (the son of Princess Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier) and his interest in taking title to the ancestral property. The prince and his many Kelly cousins have for some time wished to return the handsome brick colonial at Henry Avenue and Coulter Street to family ownership and to see to it that both the home and its grounds are restored to their original condition, the storied property enjoyed during Grace Kelly’s childhood.

 

Even a property with historical significance can be affected by a fast-paced real estate market. For the Kelly Family to acquire the property, they had to compete with other buyers. As a result of the skill and patience of John O’Connell and the Kelly family, the sale was successfully negotiated and this historic landmark was returned to the family.

 

The day after settlement, the flags of the United States, the Republic of Ireland, and Monaco flew over the main doorway fronting Henry Avenue.

 

“I have no doubt,” said John O’Connell, “that Philadelphians, and especially the people of East Falls, will be pleased to see this magnificent house restored and reunited with its elegant past.”