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Whitney Anderson is renovating an abandoned 1898 Methodist church in Michigan into what she calls a “chouse,” combining a church and a house. She bought the property for $45,000 and has put close to $200,000 in cash flow toward renovations, according to Hunker’s account of a CNBC Make It interview. The project is ongoing, and Anderson has said its financial sustainability remains uncertain.
Whitney Anderson is renovating an abandoned 1898 Methodist church in Michigan into a home she calls a “chouse,” after buying it alongside a parsonage property for $45,000. The project has drawn attention through her Instagram account and an appearance on Magnolia Network’s Home Reimagined, but the renovation remains underway and its 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 affection for stained glass. She found a parsonage house for sale in Michigan that included a church. According to Hunker’s report, the property had been listed for $125,000; Anderson negotiated the price down to $45,000 and paid cash.
The church retains features including its altar, pews and bell tower. Built in 1898 as a Methodist place of worship, it also came with substantial repair needs. Anderson has done demolition and much of the flooring work herself, while hiring help for work she could not take on, including repairs to water damage.
Hunker reports that Anderson spent years saving $250,000 before she began looking for a property. Her renovation cash flow has since reached close to $200,000, according to the report. Attention from Instagram and the Magnolia Network program helped her obtain sponsorships, materials and labor, though the source does not give a detailed breakdown of those contributions or the project’s current completion status.
The Costs Behind the Church Renovation
Anderson’s project shows how the purchase price of an unusual property can be only one part of a major renovation’s cost. The church’s age and structural problems have required substantial additional spending, while the combination of self-performed work, savings and outside support has helped fund the project.
Her experience is not a cost estimate that other buyers can rely on: the article provides no itemized budget, and sponsorships and donated materials or labor affected her finances. It does, however, give readers a concrete example of the financial and practical demands involved in adapting a former religious building for residential use. Anderson herself has publicly left open whether the project will become sustainable or create serious financial strain.
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From Parsonage Listing to Chouse
The property came to Anderson as a combined opportunity: a parsonage house and a church were offered together in Michigan. The church’s Methodist history and surviving interior elements make preservation part of the undertaking, alongside the work needed to make the building suitable as a home.
Anderson has shared progress through @houseofvitrail, and the attention helped lead to sponsorship support and a television appearance. Hunker describes the project as ongoing; it does not provide a completion date. The report also notes that undertaking a renovation on this scale generally calls for significant savings, but Anderson’s particular budget and support cannot be assumed to apply to other properties.
““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 a CNBC Make It video interview, as quoted by Hunker
Project Budget and Finish Date
The available report does not specify when the renovation will be complete, which repairs remain, or the final total cost. Close to $200,000 is described as renovation cash flow, not as a fully itemized final bill. It is also unclear how much of the support tied to Anderson’s social media and television exposure came as cash, donated materials, or labor.
Anderson’s remarks indicate that the project’s financial outcome is still uncertain. The source does not establish whether the church has completed any required inspections or approvals for residential use, or provide details about the building’s current condition and intended living arrangements.
Repairs and Financial Viability
Anderson’s renovation remains in progress, with further work needed to address the church’s condition and adapt it for home use. The source material gives no public schedule for completion or list of upcoming construction milestones.
The next key developments are whether the remaining work can be completed within Anderson’s available resources and whether the finished property will be financially sustainable. Updates may come through her @houseofvitrail account or further coverage, but no specific announcement or deadline is confirmed in the report.
Key Questions
Who is renovating the abandoned church?
Whitney Anderson is renovating the former Michigan church into a home she calls a “chouse.”
How much did Anderson pay for the property?
Hunker reports that Anderson negotiated the price from a $125,000 listing to $45,000 and paid cash for the property, which included a parsonage and church.
How much has the renovation cost?
The report puts Anderson’s renovation cash flow at close to $200,000. It does not provide a final, itemized project budget, and the renovation is still underway.
What work has Anderson done herself?
According to Hunker, Anderson handled demolition and much of the flooring work. She hired help for tasks including water-damage repairs.
When will the church renovation be finished?
No completion date is reported. The project is ongoing, and the source does not set out a timetable for finishing the remaining work.
Source: rss
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