Lisa Lynch didn't see it. Her husband, Ted, saw it. But try as she might, Lisa just couldn't see it. "I don't have the eye like he does," she said.
"It" was potential. As they looked for homes in the Northern Virginia area, Ted Lynch was consistently drawn to a simple brown brick 1920s home on Elden Street in the historic downtown district of Herndon.
The two-story "English Cottage" style home was, by all accounts, in horrible shape. "I was shocked that somebody had actually lived there," said Ted Lynch, "The floors, the walls, the ceilings— everything. It was just that bad."
But for some reason, Ted Lynch kept coming back. "Our family members were aghast that we were seriously considering it," he said.
Ultimately, Lisa Lynch entrusted her husband's faith in this textbook fix-er-upper.
In 1999, the Lynch family bought the home that nobody else seemed to want. In the home's 76-year history, Ted and Lisa Lynch were only the fourth owners of the property. "The only reason we could afford a home of this size in this area was that it was in such bad shape," Lisa said.
Once moved in, Ted Lynch, who works for a commercial contracting company, embarked on six-month journey, to not only salvage their new investment but to restore his new home to its original beauty.
The six-month journey turned into a 10-month odyssey. "And yes," he said, "we spent a lot more money than we had originally planned, because it was in worse shape than we had dreamed."
From termite infestation to falling plaster and other structural damage, the prognosis was not good. The previous owner, Annie Belle Gibson Martz, had purchased the home in 1936. Martz was a teacher in Herndon for several years, but she died in 1995 and the house was vacant for nearly five years.
<b>WHAT A DIFFERENCE </b>a vision makes. "I saw a lot of potential in it, it had a really neat layout," Ted Lynch said. "I kept wanting to take another look."
Now three years later, the Lynch family has grown with the addition of baby Katherine. And their home at 910 Elden St. will be one of six historic Herndon homes featured in next month's 17th Annual Herndon Homes Tour.
Carol Bruce was very excited when the long-abandoned cottage home was purchased three years ago. Bruce, the Herndon vice mayor, is the co-chair of the tour and a nearby neighbor of the Lynches. "Before they moved in, it was in such a state of neglect," she said. "Honestly, it defied description."
For three years, the Lynches politely declined to take part in the annual tour of homes. "Almost as soon as we had moved in, though, we got calls from tour representatives," Lisa Lynch said, laughing. "I think they were excited that there was somebody who was going to show an interest in this house."
Show an interest, they did. "We had to completely gut it," Ted Lynch said. "But it was worth it."
The Lynches said it was important to them to preserve the essence of the original home. "We wanted to stay true to its historical features," Lisa Lynch said, opening up the original French doors that divide the entry way from the front-facing dining room.
"About the only thing that we did to change it was to raise the ceiling in the kitchen," he said.
Ted Lynch said he is looking forward to showing off his refurbished home to the rest of the community. "They saw it falling apart, so I am excited to reveal the results of our efforts," he said. "It should be fun. I am just glad that there are still some communities, like Herndon, that appreciate the importance in preserving a town's history and charm."
Bruce, whose 1894 frame house on Locust Street will also be featured in next month's tour, said it is success stories like the Lynch's home that make the annual tour so special and sets the Town of Herndon apart from other communities.
While the renovation is now complete, Ted Lynch's work is not done. "I wish the landscaping had been done in time for the tour," he said. "That project is next. Right now, I am content with the satisfaction that we saved this house."