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Whitney Anderson is converting a former Methodist church in Michigan into a home, preserving historic features while addressing major repairs. The Hunker report, citing CNBC Make It, says she bought the church and an adjoining parsonage for $45,000 and has spent close to $200,000 on renovations so far. The project is still underway, and Anderson says its financial sustainability remains uncertain.
Whitney Anderson is renovating an abandoned 1898 church in Michigan into a home, a project she has documented through her Instagram account, @houseofvitrail. According to Hunker’s account of a CNBC Make It interview, Anderson bought the church together with a parsonage for $45,000 and has put close to $200,000 into renovations; she has said the project’s long-term financial viability is not settled.
Anderson, who is originally from New York City, told CNBC Make It that her interest in the project grew from a childhood love of stained glass. She found a Michigan parsonage listed with a church included in the sale. Hunker reports that the original asking price was $125,000 and Anderson negotiated it down to $45,000, paying cash for the purchase.
The former Methodist church was built in 1898 and still had features including an altar, pews and a bell tower. Anderson’s renovation involves both preserving parts of the building’s history and dealing with structural problems. Hunker reports she carried out demolition and much of the flooring work herself, while hiring professionals for work she could not manage, including repairs to water damage.
Hunker says Anderson had saved $250,000 over several years before starting her property search. Her renovation spending reached close to $200,000, with the report attributing some of the project’s support to income and sponsorships connected to her Instagram presence and an appearance on the Magnolia Network show Home Reimagined. It also reports she received some materials and labor at no cost.
The Cost of Reusing a Church
Anderson’s project shows the difference between a low purchase price and the full cost of making an unusual property livable. The reported $45,000 purchase covered a church and parsonage, but repairs and renovations brought the project’s reported cash flow close to $200,000. The building’s historic character is a draw, while its condition adds work that a conventional home purchase may not involve.
The project is also a reminder that its financing depended on circumstances that may not apply to other buyers: years of savings, a cash purchase, substantial do-it-yourself labor, and support generated through online attention and television exposure. The source report cites mortgage rates of 6.6% to 7.3% at the time it was written, but does not establish the current rate environment. Anderson’s experience is therefore an example of one renovation, not a typical cost estimate or a guarantee that similar projects can be funded the same way.
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From Parsonage Listing to Chouse
Anderson uses the word “chouse” for a church-house. She told CNBC Make It that she pursued the project because of her longstanding interest in stained glass. The property came to her attention as a parsonage for sale with a church included, giving her a chance to adapt a former place of worship rather than start with a standard residential building.
The church’s 1898 construction places it in the late Victorian period, according to Hunker. Its surviving altar, pews and bell tower make the building’s former use visible, but the report also describes an extensive list of structural issues. Anderson has shared the process on Instagram, and the account of the project has expanded through media exposure, including the Magnolia Network program Home Reimagined.
““It’s still 50/50 if this is going to be a sustainable chouse … or if it’s going to be what bankrupts me.””
— Whitney Anderson, in an interview with CNBC Make It, as quoted by Hunker
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The Project’s Final Cost Is Unknown
The source report describes the renovation as ongoing, and it does not give a final budget, completion date or full account of the remaining repairs. Anderson’s quoted assessment that the project may or may not be sustainable also means the report does not establish whether the home will ultimately meet her financial expectations.
The materials provided do not detail permits, inspection results, the building’s current residential status, or the precise division between cash spending, sponsorships and donated labor or materials. They also do not give a room-by-room account of the completed work. Those details should not be assumed from the reported purchase and renovation totals.
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Repairs and Spending Continue
Anderson’s renovation remains in progress, with the next steps dependent on the building’s repair needs and her available budget. Hunker’s report does not identify a scheduled completion date or a specific upcoming milestone. Readers following the project can look to Anderson’s @houseofvitrail account for updates she chooses to share, while later reporting would be needed to confirm the finished home, its total cost and whether the project proved financially sustainable.
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Key Questions
Who is renovating the abandoned church?
Whitney Anderson is renovating the Michigan church as a home and shares the project on Instagram as @houseofvitrail.
How much did Anderson pay for the property?
Hunker reports that Anderson negotiated the price of the church and parsonage down from a $125,000 asking price to $45,000 and paid cash.
How much has the renovation cost?
The report says Anderson’s cash flow for renovations reached close to $200,000. It does not provide a final total because the work is ongoing.
What parts of the church are being preserved?
The 1898 former Methodist church had features including stained glass, an altar, pews and a bell tower. The source describes an effort to preserve the building’s history while addressing structural problems, but does not specify which features will remain in the finished home.
Is the renovation finished?
No completion date is given. The source describes the project as still in progress, and Anderson’s final costs and the renovation’s financial outcome remain unknown.
Source: rss
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