Inarvis Ramos hugs her partner, Hector Soto, in the backyard of the newly rehabilitated home that she is under agreement to buy in the Fairhill section of Philadelphia.Aidan T. Gallo / Staff Photographer
The Turn the Key program in Philadelphia subsidizes sales of single-family homes built on city-owned land. Through a pilot initiative, existing homes are renovated to sell at lower prices.
Published Nov. 5, 2026, 5:01 a.m. ET
Christmas will look different this year for Inarvis Ramos’ family.
They will have left the small North Philadelphia rowhouse they rent and be living in a larger one with room for a big tree — exciting for her two children under 10 — and nice sofas that aren’t from Ikea — exciting for her.
Ramos and her 23-year-old son will close next month on the three-bedroom house, which was recently renovated after standing vacant for a decade. Their monthly mortgage payment will be about $1,000 — less than their rent.
“I’m happy,” said Ramos, a 43-year-old first-time homebuyer who works at a nearby school. “Excited for a new step, sort of new beginning.”