I’m not sure what the cutoff is for “affordable” these days when it comes to buying a home. What I do know is that older homes are becoming more unaffordable every day, like every other sort of home. So it caught my eye when a little group of at least relatively affordable homes popped up this week. They’ll probably sell quickly — one already has, in a single day — but their appearance on the market does confirm that such houses exist.
None of these appear to require major restoration work. They’re all essentially move-in ready, as far as one can judge from the listings. They’re mostly smaller places in smaller towns. For the moment, at least, these look like the best opportunities for buyers looking for affordable historic homes in the Piedmont Triad.
500 Acadia Avenue, Winston-Salem, $150,000
The least expensive, the only non-bungalow and the one that looks like it needs the most work, although a buyer probably could do what needs to be done after moving in. It’s conspicuously underpriced for its neighborhood, so that’s something to think about.
150 Acadia Avenue, Winston-Salem
The William and Lillian Forcum House
Update: Sale pending May 15, 2022
- $150,000
- 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,680 square feet, 0.13 acre
- Price/square foot: $89
- Built in 1925
- Listed May 11, 2022
- Last sale: $100,000, June 2019
- Neighborhood: Washington Park Historic District
- District NRHP nomination: “Narrow gable-front frame house with shed-roofed porch supported by replacement ‘wrought iron’ posts.
- “Paired 6/1 window centered in second floor front facade. Side shed ell. Vinyl siding, vinyl shutters and vinyl at soffits.
- “Forcum (wife Lillian) was a driver for Quality Cleaners.”
- Forcum (1900-2002) had two wives, both named Ruby (Ruby Lillian Hooker Forcum, 1905-1973, and Ruby Magalena Kiser Anderson Forcum, 1915-2009).
246 Coleridge Road, Ramseur, $156,900
Recently restored and perhaps a bit overdone on the exterior. Ramseur’s proximity to the suddenly booming Greensboro-Randolph Megasite will help sell this one (and lot more homes in Ramseur, Siler City and the surrounding area in the years to come).
246 Coleridge Road, Ramseur, Randolph County
Update: Sale pending May 20, 2022
- $156,900
- 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,530 square feet, 0.57 acre
- Price/square foot: $103
- Built in 1910
- Listed May 13, 2022
- Last sale: $84,000, October 2019
- Note: The house has been substantially renovated, including new siding in the front gables. How the house looked when it was sold in 2019:
1302 Randolph Avenue, Greensboro, $165,000
Maybe the best of the bunch. So its no surprise the owners accepted an offer the day after they put it on the market.
1302 Randolph Avenue, Greensboro
The Earley and Lizzie Apple House
Sale pending May 13, 2022
- $165,000
- 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 bathrooms, 1,554 square feet, 0.30 acre
- Price/square foot: $106
- Built in 1918
- Listed May 12, 2022
- Last sale: $80,000, March 2021
- Neighborhood: Arlington Park
- Note: Currently a rental
- The original owners were Earley Walker Apple (1891-1982) and Elizabeth Louvella Gorrell “Lizzie” Apple (1888-1970). Earley was a carpenter and then became a building contractor. They owned the house until 1964.
509 Atwater Street, Burlington, $175,000
426 Parkview Drive, Burlington, $185,000
509 Atwater Street, left, and 426 Parkview Drive
They aren’t quite twins, but they’re at least siblings. 509 Atwater is a little bigger; 426 is a little more expensive. 509 has twinned wooden columns on the front porch; 426 has brick columns. 426 has a chimney; 509 doesn’t. They’re in similar neighborhoods. If you miss out on one, think about the other.
509 Atwater Street, Burlington, Alamance County
Update: Sale pending May 15, 2022
- $175,000
- 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 1,318 square feet, 0.17 acre
- Price/square foot: $133
- Built in 1939
- Listed May 12, 2022
- Last sale: $115,000, May 2019
426 Parkview Drive, Burlington, Alamance County
- $185,000
- 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 1,094 square feet, 0.37 acre
- Price/square foot: $169
- Built in 1932
- Listed May 13, 2022
- Last sale: $48,000, June 2022
- Neighborhood: Central Heights Historic District (National Register study list)
- Note: Located across the street from Williams High School
704 S. 8th Street, Mebane, $212,000
OK, this one is a bit over $200,000, but it’s been on the market for almost 10 days in what may be the hottest market in the Triad, so the sellers may be getting desperate.
704 S. 8th Street, Mebane, Alamance County
Update: Sale pending May 16, 2022
- $212,000
- 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 989 square feet, 0.48 acre
- Price/square foot: $214
- Built in 1930
- Listed May 6, 2022
- Last sale: $63,000, August 1994
Piedmont Historic Homes 