She had been living and working in West Philadelphia, but was eager to leave the neighborhood for a place where it was possible to be outdoors and have a garden.
Her real estate agent and the other professionals Houston consulted did what they could to discourage her from buying this "handyman's special," which had been vacant for a number of years even though it was bargain-priced.
"The view I saw through that tiny opening leading to the shed in the back sealed the deal," she says.
Despite the counsel of her advisers, Houston bought the house in 1989.
Former inhabitants of the 700-square-foot dwelling, which was built in 1891, had been part of the Italian community that headed for Belmont Hills in the late 19th century to work in the quarries nearby, she discovered.
"I learned that there was a family with eight children living here at one time, and one with 12 kids living next door," she says.
Houston had just begun renovating the property when a structural engineer thought he might have found foundation problems. Ultimately, he recommended specific structural repairs.
Then rot was discovered, further delaying refurbishing efforts. Undeterred, Houston had the entire first-floor exterior wall removed. The second floor, it turned out, was sound.
All told, it took Houston about 12 years, in stages, to complete the renovation of the house, whose size by the end had more than doubled, to 1,700 square feet.
She moved in after completion of the first stage of the work, which took about six months. A kitchen and two bathrooms had been added, all the electric and heating systems replaced, and air-conditioning installed.
