The George Grimsley House and a Sometimes Shocking New Reality for Home Sales

December 15, 2023

Higher interest rates are inflicting pain on home buyers and sellers alike. Sellers are having to lower their prices, but any benefit to buyers is largely, perhaps totally, cancelled out by higher mortgage payments. This week’s closing on the George Grimsley House in Greensboro is a striking example of the impact.

The Grimsley house is a big Queen Anne/Colonial Revival in the Fisher Park Historic District, built in 1907. It’s named after a historic figure almost synonymous with the city through Grimsley High School. I wrote about it after it was listed — it’s an outstanding house. The initial price in February was $1.295 million ($363/square foot). That was definitely at the high end, but it didn’t seem unlikely for a top-of-the-line home in a high-demand historic district. It was for sale for 10 months, longer than you might expect. The closing price was $805,000, a stunning $490,000 below the initial price (38 percent).

Continue reading “The George Grimsley House and a Sometimes Shocking New Reality for Home Sales”

The Five Most Interesting Houses Sold in November

December 2, 2023

109 E. Haywood Lane, Mount Gilead, Montgomery County
The Harris-Caffey House

  • Sold for $440,000 on November 16, 2023 (listed at $439,000)
  • 4 bedrooms, 4 1/2 bathrooms, 4,034 square feet, 0.54 acre
  • Price/square foot: $109
  • Built in 1898
  • The property includes a gazebo and a fountain, both in the front yard; a two-car garage; and a small storage building. The house is the only residence among 10 structures listed as “cultural resources” in the town’s comprehensive plan (p. 12).
Continue reading “The Five Most Interesting Houses Sold in November”

The Four Most Interesting Historic Homes Sold in the Triad in October

November 2, 2023

4118 Oak Ridge Road, Summerfield, Guilford County
The Alexander Strong Martin House

  • Sold for $85,000 on October 30, 2023 (listed at $110,000)
  • 2,694 square feet, 0.66 acre
  • Price/square foot: $32
  • Built circa 1835
  • Preservation North Carolina: “The Alexander Strong Martin House is an early, modestly rendered example of the Greek Revival style featuring solid brick construction and finely crafted details …”
Continue reading “The Four Most Interesting Historic Homes Sold in the Triad in October”

An 1860 Cabin in Stokes County, on 29 Acres With a Conservation Easement

October 13, 2023

The Piedmont Land Conservancy is selling 29 acres in Stokes County that includes a “very rustic” 1860 cabin.

“Our intent is to sell the property subject to a conservation easement via a request for proposals process,” the organization says. “This will allow us to conserve these 29 acres and use the proceeds to further other land conservation projects.” The deadline for proposals is October 30. Click here for details and contact information.

Continue reading “An 1860 Cabin in Stokes County, on 29 Acres With a Conservation Easement”

Huntlyholme, A 1924 Mansion in Winston-Salem, $3 Million

October 7, 2023

The rise of Charlotte and Raleigh as nationally prominent cities makes it easy to overlook Winston-Salem’s status 100 years ago as North Carolina’s biggest and richest city. Its heyday is long past, but an outstanding collection of historic mansions is a legacy that lives on. A particularly remarkable example now for sale is Huntlyholme, a 9,300 square-foot mansion in the Westview neighborhood.

Built in 1924, the house was designed by architects Charles Barton Keen and William Roy Wallace with original landscaping by Thomas Sears, all prominent names in Winston-Salem architectural history. The address is 2900 Country Club Drive.

Continue reading “Huntlyholme, A 1924 Mansion in Winston-Salem, $3 Million”

A Mayor’s Monumental 1894 Queen Anne in Mount Airy, $675,000

June 22, 2023

Update: The house sold for $615,000 on September 14, 2023.

You never saw anything like this in Mayberry. Andy and Barney didn’t seem to have much to do with the fancier side of town, if there was one. In Mount Airy, though, there definitely is one, and when you see the James A. Hadley House, you know you’re there. The Hadley house is not only one of the most impressive in town, it’s one of the grandest Queen Annes in the region.

“A large two-story structure, the house displays a wealth of Queen Anne characteristics,” the National Register nomination for the Mount Airy Historic District says. “It is composed of a rich variety of materials, details and forms. The foundation, first story, and window sills and lintels are of granite, the second story and three-story bell-cast roof central tower are brick, the gables are sheathed in decorative wood shingles, and fancy wood brackets support the eaves.”

Continue reading “A Mayor’s Monumental 1894 Queen Anne in Mount Airy, $675,000”

Demolition Permit Issued for the 1883 Joseph Bason Whitsett House

May 31, 2023

Update, June 12, 2023: Demolition is under way.

Correction, June 13, 2023: The house wasn’t designated as a landmark by Guilford County. That reference has been removed.

The City of Gibsonville has issued a demolition permit for the Joseph Bason Whitsett House, an 1883 mansion built by the patriarch of the nearby town that bears the family’s name. The Whitsett House is on the north side of U.S. 70 just east of N.C. 61; the address is 7241 Burlington Road. It’s easily recognizable by the cellar built into a hill at the front of the property.

The property was bought in January by Ardmore Gibsonville LLC, a unit of Ardmore Residential of Greensboro. The Business Journal (paywall) reports the company plans to build 335 apartments on the site. A Gibsonville city official confirmed today that a demolition permit has been issued for the house.

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An Eye-Catching 1940 Cottage in Winston-Salem’s Ardmore Historic District, $250,000

May 26, 2023

The Long-Robbins House at 626 Knollwood Street in Winston-Salem is an almost-perfect-looking little 1940 cottage. Get rid of that aluminum screen door, and the exterior is about as charming as any you’ll find.

Among listings in the Ardmore Historic District these days, the $250,000 price is a real attention-getter. It reflects the relatively small size, 1,426 square feet. That comes out to $175 per square foot, which puts it in line with other bungalows and cottages for sale in the neighborhood.

Continue reading “An Eye-Catching 1940 Cottage in Winston-Salem’s Ardmore Historic District, $250,000”