Here are the top 10 old houses under $50K still on the market ~ April 2020 edition.

c.1900 Concrete Block Handyman Special

431 McKinley Ave, City of But Northwest, PA 16001 $39,900 ~ Pending

OHU50K NOTES

This c.1900 concrete block handyman special is situated on a corner lot in a low-crime neighborhood. The front porch overlooks the large yard of a house on a hill and mountains can be seen beyond.

I love the double front doors that open into a spacious foyer with hardwood floors and lovely staircase. Original doors and trim, built-ins and mantels also grace the home. The kitchen needs updating but is serviceable.

City of But NE is actually the city of Butler (pop. 13,757), about 35 miles north of Pittsburgh. It ranked 7th for best small town in America by Smithsonian magazine in May 2012.

For those who are strictly interested in homes with acreage, we have a new site up and running. Please “like” our Facebook page Country Life Dreams.

And to window shop spectacular old houses of all price ranges, visit our sister website at oldhousecalling.com or Facebook page Old House Calling.

5bed
1bath
Build date 1900
Google Map
Property Listing
Realtor: RE/MAX ALLIANCE (855) 720-1840

REALTOR COMMENTS

Opportunity knocks! This grand Victorian style handyman special home is just waiting for a visionary to come along and return it to all its splendor. As you make your way through the double doors and into the foyer, the charm of yesteryear will make your imagination run wild. The high ceilings carry throughout into the living room and formal dining room.

The kitchen needs some updating, but there is great potential to have the kitchen of your dreams! Upstairs you will find three large bedrooms and a full bath on the second floor. The third floor has two additional rooms that can be used for a multitude of purposes.

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c.1919 Iowa Bungalow w/Original Woodwork

112 1st Ave NW, Oelwein, IA 50662 $49,900 ~ Off Market

Screen Shot 2020-04-07 at 8.55.51 AM — Photo before bushes were chopped down.

OHU50K NOTES

What a sweet fixer upper Craftsman bungalow! It not only boasts original woodwork, coffered ceilings and transoms, but it is located in a low-crime neighborhood of older homes.

With three bedrooms, three baths, 2,284 square feet, the home’s size is deceiving. I only wish the kitchen was larger.

For those who are strictly interested in homes with acreage, we have a new site up and running. Please “like” our Facebook page Country Life Dreams.

And to window shop spectacular old houses of all price ranges, visit our sister website at oldhousecalling.com or Facebook page Old House Calling.

3beds
3baths
2,284sq ft
7,500sqft lot
Build date 1919
Google Map
Property Listing
Realtor: David Sondrol with Re/Max Oelwein Realty

REALTOR COMMENTS

New Price…Reduced! Unbelievable woodwork in this 1814 SF living space of this fixer upper home built in 1919. Ceiling beams, wall panels, fireplace, leaded windows and more. Second floor..possible apartment or teen hangout. Large front porch.

Single car detached garage with carport. In walking distance to downtown. Needs TLC, but diamond in the rough. Call today for your personal showing! Motivated Seller!

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Old Stone Cottage in France Under $40K

La Souterraine, Limousin, France $39,900 ~ Off Market

OHU50K NOTES

Old stone cottage in La Souterraine, Limousin, France, may be small, but the tiny house sure has appeal.

For those who are strictly interested in homes with acreage, we have a new site up and running. Please “like” our Facebook page Country Life Dreams.

And to window shop spectacular old houses of all price ranges, visit our sister website at oldhousecalling.com or Facebook page Old House Calling.

*1 bedroom
*2 shower rooms
*549 sq ft.
*2,800 sq ft lot
*Google Map
*Property Listing
*Realtor: Naudon

REALTOR COMMENTS

Nice stone cottage, situated in a hamlet, attached to a old house (shed). It comprises: at the ground floor: a main room with kitchen, a room, shower room. Upstairs: a bedroom and shower room. Land attached.

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c.1904 Bungalow in Macon Georgia $50K

2286 Napier Ave, Macon, GA 31204 $50,000 ~ Increased to $54,500

OHU50K NOTES

What curb appeal this c.1904 Macon, Georgia, bungalow has! When you open the front doors into the wide central hall, it gets even better. So many wonderful original elements.

The home is located in the Napier Heights Historic District, just a few houses down the street from the house of renowned architect Alexander Blair (1867-1931), whose house is also currently on the market.

Napier Heights has a great building stock of historic homes with a number of them dating back to the late 1800s and early 1900s which make it a great candidate for revitalization. The community is trying to have the neighborhood placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

For those who are strictly interested in homes with acreage, we have a new site up and running. Please “like” our Facebook page Country Life Dreams.

And to window shop spectacular old houses of all price ranges, visit our sister website at oldhousecalling.com or Facebook page Old House Calling.

2beds
1.5baths
0.28acres lot
Build date 1904
Google Map
Property Listing
Realtor: Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage – Alpharetta/North Point

REALTOR COMMENTS

This bungalow investor special in Macon, Georgia, is waiting to be bought and renovated. This home occupies a large, leveled, corner lot with tons of potential. It has a very wide front porch and was built in a quiet subdivision a stone throw off of Highway 75. Each of the rooms feature a designated fireplace.

On the rear of the home you will find a backside storage space and a fenced in backyard. Situated in a great location with ample parking, this large lot grants easy accessibility to Mercer University Law School ( less than 10 mins away) and is in close proximity to downtown Macon. Central High School is walking distance from the home.

Previously used as a rental property, this can provide serious cash flow in rental income for any landlord or a great Airbnb location. Unlimited potential with this home… just looking for an investor with a magic touch. Visit this property today and bring us an offer.

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c.1916 Maine Fixer Upper w/ 1 Acre + Beautiful Views $45K

39 Pleasant St, Phillips, ME 04966 $45,000 ~ Off Market

OHU50K NOTES

The side deck of this fixer upper provides beautiful views of the countryside and mountains beyond. The property provides plenty of room for gardens and farm animals.

Town History

A long, winding stretch of the Sandy River passes through the quaint village of Phillips. The river powered a sawmill, grist mill, and a carding mill around the turn of the century. Manufacturing activity centered on lumber, horse carriages and harnesses, furniture, and clothing.

Today the quintessential Maine village houses the Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad museum which offers train rides and a walking tour of its buildings and restored railroad cars. It really is a lovely place.

For those who are strictly interested in homes with acreage, we have a new site up and running. Please “like” our Facebook page Country Life Dreams.

And to window shop spectacular old houses of all price ranges, visit our sister website at oldhousecalling.com or Facebook page Old House Calling.

3beds
1.5baths
1,500sq ft
0.9acres lot
Build date 1916
Google Map
Property Listing
Realtor: Realty of Maine – Bangor (207) 942-6310

REALTOR COMMENTS

This spacious & sunny 3 bed 1 1/2 bath fixer upper home in Phillips, Maine, is ready for it’s new owners! This beautiful homestead features many unique details giving this 1900’s home true character including tin ceilings, decorative chandelier medallions, & pine wood floors and trim.

This home is being sold ”as-is”, and needs someone who will restore it’s charm. Located on almost an acre of fields overlooking local hills and mountains including Mt. Blue State Park, this home is in an excellent location for those looking for the convenience of in-town living with the room for rural amenities. Easy access to all the town of Phillips has to offer, and less than 25 minutes to even more amenities in Farmington. Plenty of potential for farm animals, gardens, and more. Also less than an hour from Saddleback Mountain for those looking for recreational adventures!

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Save This Old House ~ c.1828 NC Historic Riverside Home 40 Min. to Ocean Beaches

113 Main St, Pollocksville, NC 28573 $50,000 ~ Pending

OHU50K NOTES

Save this old house. Located on 3/4 of an acre along the banks of the Trent River, the home is also only 40 minutes to ocean beaches. More importantly, this Federal-style fixer upper is a rare opportunity to restore a rare riverside landmark.

According to Preservation North Carolina, “The Bryan Lavender House is a late Federal-style home and was built around 1825 for Bryan Lavender, who lived there for approximately 10 years. Locally, the house is known as the Roscoe Barrus House. Barrus owned the home from 1835 until 1870 and was a prominent merchant and pharmaceutical salesman.

While Barrus’ business grew and expanded to Baltimore and New York by the mid 1850’s, the Civil War would disrupt those businesses. With the destruction of his warehouse and all merchandise during the war, Barrus sold all of his holdings in order to repay debts in 1867, including selling his house to his daughter. The house remained in the Barrus family until 1888.”

If you would like to see more information, visit Preservation North Carolina.

For those who are strictly interested in homes with acreage, we have a new site up and running. Please “like” our Facebook page Country Life Dreams.

And to window shop spectacular old houses of all price ranges, visit our sister website at oldhousecalling.com or Facebook page Old House Calling.

3baths
3bedrooms
1,673sq ft
0.74acres lot
Build Date 1828
Google Map
Property Listing
Realtor: COLDWELL BANKER WILLIS-SMITH (252) 638-3500

REALTOR COMMENTS

Save this old house. The Bryan Lavendar House, ca. 1825 is a landmark historic property. This home is a blank slate ready for a complete restoration to bring it back to it’s former glory. A beautiful covered front porch and balcony on the banks of the Trent River will continually amaze you with it’s every changing seasons and nature at every corner.

The home lends itself to a Charleston style architecture with the enclosed end porch and walk up access to the 2nd floor sleeping quarters with a full bath and 2 bedrooms. The house was quickly remediated after Hurricane Florence maintaining it’s prominent location as an impressive historic riverfront home in the community. Amazing heart pine floors are still intact.

The attached cottage would make a wonderful in law suite, master bedroom ensuite, live/work apartment or BnB suite. The moldings remain, fireplace surrounds remain and original doors. This truly remarkable home is a one of a kind with details rarely seen in eastern NC. Pollocksville is a picturesque and quaint town within a short 20 minute drive to the charming town of New Bern, NC.

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Old Kentucky Farmhouse For Sale w/1+ Acre $42K

1407 Cartwright Loop, Albany, KY 42602 $42,000 ~ Off Market

OHU50K NOTES

This old farmhouse for sale in Albany, Kentucky, perches on a lush, green acre. The home is indeed a fixer upper, but it offers a welcoming front porch, outbuildings, stone fireplace and old mantel.

While the rural setting is lovely, there are trailer homes nearby. Taxes and crime rates are super low, though.

For those who are strictly interested in homes with acreage, we have a new site up and running. Please “like” our Facebook page Country Life Dreams.

And to window shop spectacular old houses of all price ranges, visit our sister website at oldhousecalling.com or Facebook page Old House Calling.

4bed
1.5bath
2,508sqft
1.03acres lot
Google Map
Property Listing
Realtor: Mark Neal with Neal Realty

REALTOR COMMENTS

2 Story Farmhouse for sale with 1.03 acres in the Cartwright Community of Clinton County. Home offers kitchen, Living room, den, utility room with commode, 1 bedroom, full bath on first floor, 3 bedrooms upstairs. Bathroom will need ceiling replaced. This property needs some TLC but offers spacious rooms.

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Save This Old House ~ c.1891 KY Abandoned Castle-Like Mansion For Sale “The Mooreland Mansion”

712 E. Lexington Road, Harrodsburg, Kentucky 40330 $49,500 ~ Off Market

OHU50K NOTES

Save this old house. Thank you to Christopher Slevin for submitting this historic abandoned castle-like mansion for sale on 2.96 acres in Harrodsburg, Kentucky.

Family History

The Mooreland Mansion, also known as Ashfeld Manor, is a Romanesque Revival beauty that originally sat on 45 acres. It was constructed by Colonel Daniel Lawson Moore (1847-1916) in 1891 for second his wife, Miss Minnie Ball, whom he married in the same year.

Moore’s first wife was Henrietta “Retta” McBrayer Moore who died at the young age of 31. They had three children together, May, Wallace and William, before she was summoned to eternal life in 1882. Moore’s second marriage to Minnie Ball (she was 15 years his junior) sired two daughters, Anita and Minnie, a pianist and artist also known as Minerva.

Moore was a man of many hats. Not only was he a colonel, but he earned his law degree, he served as state senator, owned D.L. Moore Distillery, was President of Mercer National Bank, owned a sawmill in Mississippi, a cattle ranch in Colorado, and several cotton plantations in Mississippi. On one plantation , The Mounds, sat Moore’s magnificent winter mansion.

He was also a philanthropist. Among his many charitable works was paying off the Harrodsburg Library debt. As a nature lover, Moore made many trips to the Rocky Mountains where he appreciated the spiritual uplift of the region’s solitude.

Upon her husband’s death, the second Mrs. Moore, took over all the business dealings of the Mississippi, Colorado and Kentucky properties. Much of her time was was taken up with the exacting duties of the Mooreland Mansion Farm, where they grew Burley tobacco and fine livestock.

Architectural History

The limestone and brick mansion took five years to complete. The front facade is entirely made of stone, each block tooled and laid with pink mortar. The front features a large veranda on arches carried by short pillars of polished granite and ornately carved limestone capitals. A four-storied tower crowned by an entablature and parapet forms at the south end of the veranda.

The property sits in neglect and decay and is a foreclosure on the market for $49,500 with Todd Hyatt of Lois Ann Disponett Real Estate. Thank you to the Bluegrass Team for the photos. You may also view more photos of the mansion at the Bluegrass Team.

For those who are strictly interested in homes with acreage, we have a new site up and running. Please “like” our Facebook page Country Life Dreams.

And to window shop spectacular old houses of all price ranges, visit our sister website at oldhousecalling.com or Facebook page Old House Calling.

*2.96 acres
*Build date 1891
*Google Map
*Property Listing
*Realtor: Todd Hyatt of Lois Ann Disponett Real Estate

REALTOR COMMENTS

Save this old house. We had every intention of being a contending bidder on this Historic Castle Ashfeld Manor – and to do a full renovation/restoration on it, revitalize the Castle and have some sort of AirBnB, event center, small farm winery, etc in Harrodsburg, KY. Something that would make the community proud and promote tourism to the area.

Needless to say, it was quite a shock for us when we checked out the property on the way to the Foreclosure Auction — wow, we had no idea it had been out in the elements like this for so long. There were doors that were wide open (how we got these images) and doors that were chained and locked or screwed shut (see the images we took through the glass or screen doors). We are so appreciative they left some of the doors open – wide open for us to see, so we didn’t bid on something that looked quite different from what was available online.

It was also interesting to find out this 45 acre property was subdivided to now only include the Castle and 2.947 acres.

I think it is fair to say it needed significantly more work than most people anticipated. I think it is also safe to say, we all pray someone with a love for old homes – and access to a King’s ransom will come to this property’s rescue. Once a crown jewel – it is begging to be helped.

Screen Shot 2020-04-20 at 11.48.29 AM — On the porch, which also features hunting trophies, a woman with a long white apron stands, while a man, possibly Colonel Moore , sits with a young girl on his lap.

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c.1898 NY Greek Revival Foreclosure on 2.9 Acres

259 Main St Unit Ns, Oriskany Falls, NY 13425 $49,900 ~ Sold for $38k

OHU50K NOTES

This c.1898 Greek Revival is a foreclosure in Oriskany Falls, New York. It sits on 2.9 acres in a beautiful area of the state.

Family History

I was only able to go back as far as 1930. According to the 1930 US Census, Terry Thomas owned the home with his wife Maud. Terry came from England in 1884 and was a salesman for a grocery store. In 1930, the home was valued at $5,000.

The home passed through several owners and was purchased in 2002 for $90,000. Perhaps the exorbitant real estate taxes may be one reason the owners were not able to keep the house?

For those who are strictly interested in homes with acreage, we have a new site up and running. Please “like” our Facebook page Country Life Dreams.

And to window shop spectacular old houses of all price ranges, visit our sister website at oldhousecalling.com or Facebook page Old House Calling.

4bed
2.5bath
2,496sqft
2.9acres lot
Build date 1898
Google Map
Property Listing
Realtor: Howard Hanna Manlius (315) 682-9500

REALTOR COMMENTS

Wonderful opportunity to own a large village home on a divided street. Foreclosure offers a lot of rich natural woodwork, handrails, and hardwood floors. Large eat-in kitchen, breakfast bar, and a formal dining room. Spacious room throughout including a cozy first floor family room. Four bedroom and two and a half baths. Home needs some updating and improvements, but has such potential. There is also an oversized two car garage/carriage house all set on a 2.9 acre lot.

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Kansas c.1903 Queen Anne Handyman Special w/ Original Woodwork

1707 Belmont Ave, Parsons, KS 67357 $50,000 ~ Sold

OHU50K NOTES

Here is a Queen Anne handyman special with a turret. The home is located opposite the library in downtown Parsons, Kansas.

What a beauty for $50,000! It has so many original features, including rounded front porch, pocket doors, doors and trim, fireplace mantel with tiger oak and gorgeous tile work, hardwood floors. Did you notice the egg-and-dart beading around the door header and door panels?

Family History

The Queen Anne was built in 1903, but I was only able to trace its history back to 1920 when Harry E. Brown and his wife, Sarah, owned the home. Harry was a conductor for the railway, but he died in his 50s sometime between 1920 and 1930. According to the 1930 US census, the house was worth $6,500 and Sarah owned a radio set. She was still living alone in the home per the 1940 census (the last census ancestry.com offers), so I assume she lived there until her death.

For those who are strictly interested in homes with acreage, we have a new site up and running. Please “like” our Facebook page Country Life Dreams.

And to window shop spectacular old houses of all price ranges, visit our sister website at oldhousecalling.com or Facebook page Old House Calling.

4bed
1.5+bath
2,122sqft
0.28acres lot
Build date 1903
Google Map
Property Listing
Realtor: Stephanie Reitemeier with Wood-Dulohery Real Estate

REALTOR COMMENTS

Victorian handyman special with a front and side wrap porch that was converted to a business several years ago. Several Victorian features including some original hardwood floors, solid wood pocket doors, decorative fireplaces, some original woodwork, trim and light fixtures.

Updated features include cabinets with pull out shelves and beautiful granite counters. Could be converted back to a home, four bedrooms upstairs with the option of 1-2 additional bedrooms on the main level. May also be used as a business, or a business on the main floor with living quarters upstairs. Ample parking for a business.

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And one more for good luck!

c.1860 PA Fixer Upper Italianate Under $15K

331 S 2nd St, Pottsville, PA 17901 $14,900 ~ Sold for $39k and Relisted for $69,900

OHU50K NOTES

OHU50K cannot resist Italianates, whether a fixer upper or not. The style was popular between 1840 to 1885, with this one built in 1860. Like our home today, many Italianates were built with an addition of a two-story bay window to the basic cube shape.

I was pleasantly surprised that many of the interior elements are still intact in this oldie but goodie. It is getting harder to find these beauties, especially under our under $50K price constraints. This one still has its beautiful mantels, pocket doors, original double front doors and gorgeous staircase, but, of course at this price, must need a tremendous amount of work.

For those who are strictly interested in homes with acreage, we have a new site up and running. Please ‘like” our Facebook page Country Life Dreams.

And to window shop spectacular old houses of all price ranges, visit our sister website at oldhousecalling.com or Facebook page Old House Calling.

4beds
2baths
2,282sq ft
5,663sqft lot
Build date 1860
Google Map
Property Listing
Realtor: David Sweeney with US REALTY .com

REALTOR COMMENTS

Fixer upper property is sold in ~as is~ condition and ~where is~. Seller does not prorate taxes or pay delinquent taxes. Buyer pays all closing costs including, but not limited to any and all transfer taxes, title, legal, and recording fees. Seller has no knowledge of condition. It is the responsibility of the buyer to do all research pertaining to this property.