2 St. Cloud Area Women Bringing New Life To Old Homes [VIDEO]

ST. CLOUD - Two St. Cloud area women have made it their business to rescue old homes in the area and make them new again.

Marla Waseka and Jessica Town-Gunderson started their business "Moxie Ladies" in 2008.  So far they've remodeled two homes, with a goal of at least 26.

Town-Gunderson says the homes are worth saving. She says, "we love homes back to life. It's like we adopt them, we learn about them, we give them their life back."

Waseka says they keep as much of the original character as they can, but at the same time make the home more efficient. She says, "we do a sensitive restoration. We don't typically come in and gut a whole house."

The women do a substantial amount of the work themselves, but they also bring in professionals for specific jobs.  Careful attention is made to their design choices, so they match the home and don't get outdated in a few years.

Their first project is a 1913 craftsman style home located at 211 Ramsey Place in St. Cloud.  The women plan to name each of their homes from A-to-Z. This home has been named "Annabelle".

"Annabelle is a modest two-story Craftsman dwelling clad in stucco, and built circa 1913 by Reynold Johnson, a Quarryman, and his wife Margaret. With her charming front-facing gable roof, wide overhanging eaves and flared verge boards, she is an unpretentious home nestled among larger and more dramatic houses on Ramsey Place.

Annabelle welcomed a number of residents until 1935 when Clifford O. Bemis, chairman of the St. Cloud State College Math and Science Division, moved in.  He remained until his death in 1962, after which his widow Margaret continued to live here for many more years."

They've also finished a second home in St. Cloud that was saved from being condemned. That house has been given the name "Bea".

Both homes are on the market for sale.

The women say they often get compared to HGTV star Nicole Curtis of the show "Rehab Addict".  She does similar work in the core neighborhoods of Minneapolis.