For Sale – Piedmont Historic Homes

2 Extraordinary Restoration Opportunities

August 19, 2024

It’s no surprise that it’s taking a while to find buyers for these two grand houses. Both are large projects that will require a lot of effort, vision and money. Neither, however, appear to be absolute, falling-down wrecks, and they both have the potential to be well worth the investment.

They both have stories. The Merry Oaks Hotel in Chatham County was once the center of a small but lively railroad community. The Charles T. Sinclair House in Carthage was built in 1904 and has never been sold. And with some luck and hard work (and money), they may have glorious futures ahead of them as well.

6 Historic Houses, All Still For Sale After 6 Months or More

July 7, 2024

Even though interest rates have chilled the housing market, there are still historic homes that sell as soon as they’re put up for sale, sometimes at irrational prices (like this one and this one — great houses, quick sales, wild prices). And, then, there are those that don’t. Here are six historic homes that have been listed for more than six months, all unsold.

In some cases, it’s easy to see why. Some of these are mansions — houses 4,000 square feet and up. They typically take longer to sell than more reasonably sized homes, although a few here and there sell quite quickly (especially in Winston-Salem). Sometimes price is an obvious reason, even in these days of $350 or $400 per square foot for bungalows. In other cases, it’s impossible to tell from the listings what the problem is. And with old houses, there’s no end to the possibilities.

Click on the links for more information about each house.

Mebane on a Million-Dollar Budget

June 18, 2024

*301 S. 5th Street, for sale at $1 million*

Mebane has been discovered. The small Alamance County town has become one of the hottest real-estate markets in the region as the Triangle’s sprawl pushes homebuyers west. A good indication of Mebane’s popularity is the number of million-dollar historic properties for sale. That number is currently three, which may not seem like a lot, but Mebane is still a pretty small place. And not too long ago, it wasn’t a very promising place to sell a million-dollar house.

Here are Mebane’s current million-dollar listings. Two are in the Old South Mebane Historic District; the other is outlying a bit from town and comes with 52 acres. As it happens, all were owned by notable figures in Mebane’s industrial and government history. And if what you’re looking for is a $3 million mansion on 29 acres with marble floors and intricate wall moldings that “set the stage for opulence,” keep going for one more listing that was withdrawn earlier this year after just four months. They shouldn’t have given up so quickly. Opulence is becoming a hot item in Mebane.

A Prominent Millwright’s 1880’s Home in Gibsonville, $400,000

January 12, 2024

Berry Davidson had a remarkable career as a 19th-century millwright and mill owner, and we know all about it because he had the rare impulse to write it all down. Davidson’s house in Gibsonville is for sale for $400,000. It’s an impressive structure with a wrap-around porch and widow’s walk, built in 1881 or 1887 (accounts differ). The house stayed in the Davison family until 1975, when the current owner bought it from Berry’s descendants.

Someone Really Needs to Save the O. Max Gardner House in Shelby

January 5, 2024

(The first photo above is by Mike Hensdill of The Gastonia Gazette via The Shelby Star.)

The home of one of North Carolina’s most prominent governors is in sad shape. Although it’s listed on the National Register, the mansion has fallen into disrepair. It’s for sale at $396,700, a lot of money but a reasonable $58 per square foot. It’s a landmark worth saving.

Oliver Max Gardner was one of the most significant governors of North Carolina in the 20th century, and the house “is one of the most distinguished residences in the town of Shelby,” its National Register nomination says. Built around 1850, it has 6 bedrooms, 8 full bathrooms and 1 half-bathroom in 6,813 square feet (per county records). It sits well back from the street on a large 2.43-acre lot. In addition to being on the National Register in its own right, it’s in the Central Shelby Historic District on the National Register.

“The house is an early twentieth century overbuilding of a mid-nineteenth century Italianate dwelling, and though remnants of the earlier structure can be seen in places, the house is of thoroughgoing Colonial Revival character … here fully developed in one of the most striking examples of the style in western North Carolina,” its National Register nomination says.

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.”

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.

‘A Rare Survivor’: A Circa 1800 Log House In Rockingham County, $69,000

May 20, 2023

From Preservation North Carolina, here’s the King House, an “early and important” property that’s been on their list for a while. It’s a great opportunity to give a historic structure a total restoration. Here’s how PNC describes it:

“Early log house with large stone chimneys, exposed beaded ceiling joists, wide wall planks, hand-forged door hardware, and a rear wing, once an early separate kitchen. All situated on a scenic ridge between Wentworth and Reidsville.

A 1907 Greensboro Landmark: The George Grimsley House

April 5, 2023

Update: The house sold for $805,000 on December 13, 2023.

One sure way for your name live on is to have a high school named for you. Today, there may not be many people who could tell you who George Grimsley was (or even what his first name was), but most everyone in the area knows his name is on Greensboro’s oldest high school. Few people associated with the city have had a greater impact on Greensboro and North Carolina than he did as an innovative school superintendent, promoter of public libraries and an early president of Jefferson-Standard Life Insurance.

Grimsley’s suitably impressive house is now on the market for $1.295 million. One of the most prominent homes in the Fisher Park Historic District, it has 4 bedrooms and 2 1/2 bathrooms. It’s a spacious 3,568 square feet, sitting on just over a half-acre. The price works out to $363 per square foot, which is in the range of what the most high-end historic homes are going for in elite neighborhoods.

7 Historic, Small-Town Bungalows That Are at Least Relatively Affordable

February 24, 2023

Update: By March 1, three of these houses were under contract.

The best place in the Triad to find an affordable starter or smaller home these days may be in the area’s smaller towns (actually, this may always be true). Here are five move-in ready bungalows and cottages priced under $200,000 and two more priced just a bit more.

The houses are spread out from Mount Airy to Ramseur. All but one were listed since January 1. They were built between 1900 and 1948. One is a stone cottage, one has remarkable brickwork. One is now an Airbnb short-term rental, none are restoration projects. Several have pretty substantial lots, up to just under an acre.

Piedmont Historic Homes

Historic homes for sale in the Piedmont Triad

Tag: For Sale