Places + Travels

For sale, Newburgh.

I walk past this house every day while walking the dogs, and I adore it. I love the wraparound porch, the clapboard siding, and the stained glass windows. It even has a driveway (a rarity here) and a cute, fenced-in yard. It’s a block away from the bluff that overlooks the Hudson River. Such a special house.

Oh yes, it needs work, sure—plumbing, electric, and heating to start. The interior looks like it was subjected to a really slapdash sheetrock-fest “renovation” once upon a time, but those angled ceilings make me think that there must be fabulous crown moldings hiding underneath. I’ll bet all of the window casings are under the sheetrock, too. A good plumber, a good electrician, a lot of sweat equity (OK, and maybe a really good plasterer!), and this house would be absolutely stunning.

I hope someone comes along and saves this house before it falls into total disrepair. At the moment, the roof is intact and the house still looks sound. The longer it remains vacant, though, the greater the possibility it will just rot and fade.

Yours for $95,000.

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32 Comments

  • Reply amy September 23, 2008 at 8:45 pm

    it always cost more than you want it to- but sometimes it is worth it. It is kinda what we do- take old uglies and make em shine. It is thriling!
    xo

  • Reply kay* September 23, 2008 at 8:46 pm

    oh my – how lovely. it takes someone with a great imagination to see the absolute potential in this home – and potential it has. why oh why are there no fixer uppers like this, with the same price tag, in toronto. this exact home in my city would go for, at the least, $450,000. seriously.

  • Reply jenn September 23, 2008 at 9:10 pm

    95,000? Did I read that correctly?

  • Reply chrispito September 23, 2008 at 9:10 pm

    Ack…I wonder the same thing, kay. Where I live it’d probably go for a million and a half. And 8 years of permits from the city to sand the floor.

    Wow, I’m cynical. Heh. Sorry about my attitude folks. Enjoy the pictures of this beauty’s potential!

  • Reply Adam September 23, 2008 at 9:39 pm

    I want it!!! I need a teaching job near you!

  • Reply Belinda September 23, 2008 at 10:09 pm

    patrick thinks it’s really cute. me too!.

  • Reply Benita September 24, 2008 at 12:49 am

    Omg! I wish I could sell up my house and come over to do that one up. I love porches. Not many of those around here…

  • Reply ashley September 24, 2008 at 7:27 am

    What incredible potential! You don’t find gems like that much anymore. Here in Asheville, a fixer-upper such as this would probably start at $225,000, especially if it was in an historic neighborhood.

  • Reply erin@designcrisis September 24, 2008 at 10:08 am

    $95,000???! In any neighborhood with homes that old in Austin, that would cost at least $500k to start. Makes me want to pack my things and hop on over…

  • Reply joanna goddard September 24, 2008 at 12:28 pm

    oooh, it is lovely! 🙂

  • Reply heather September 24, 2008 at 12:38 pm

    Just look at the stone under the porch! What an amazing house. There is a house across the street from me that is very similar, with the same columns on the porch. Now I’m wondering if the stucco under their porch is hiding stone like that.
    Someone buy that house quickly – it’s a steal and it needs happier times!

  • Reply Ani September 24, 2008 at 12:50 pm

    God what a house! Why did you show me. I love the stones. I want it!!

  • Reply Alicia September 24, 2008 at 12:57 pm

    I know it is against the best interests of this country, but if we can just keep this housing slump for another year or two until I’m ready to buy (lol – can’t now, still in school), I could get a steal like this… *sigh* frustration.

  • Reply lizbeth September 24, 2008 at 1:45 pm

    So what is the neighborhood like?

  • Reply Cupcakes and Cashmere September 24, 2008 at 2:14 pm

    it really does have a lovely feel to it. i’d paint it calm colors to really focus on the nice floors and the construction.

  • Reply Anna at D16 September 24, 2008 at 2:18 pm

    lizbeth: This neighborhood (Washington Heights) is really quite lovely. As a resident, I am admittedky biased, but it is one of the few parts of the city that has managed to hold on over the years, with most of the houses occupied and relatively few having fallen into total disrepair. You have to take this in context, though, and remember that Newburgh is a city that has seen some very hard times in the past 40 years, and is still (as they say) “in transition”. This is a subject far too involved for me to get into in a blog comment, but please feel free to email me directly if you’re interested in knowing more about Newburgh and what it’s like to live here.

  • Reply karly September 24, 2008 at 3:39 pm

    after seeing what you have done with the bathrooms in your house, I KNOW you could make this place amazing!!!! And for $95,000, why not?

  • Reply Anna at D16 September 24, 2008 at 3:46 pm

    Karly, I think the answer to the “why not” question is that I really don’t need two houses a block apart. 😀

  • Reply Vicki September 24, 2008 at 4:28 pm

    Come on! it’s the perfect situation! You can live in your current home while you work on this one! You have to save it from being bought by an investor and split into rental apartments! Just a little pressure… 😉

  • Reply melissa September 25, 2008 at 3:15 am

    i live in orange county california, and the only things we have that are that beautiful are in “old towne orange”– the foundation of our great land of silicon and mercedes-benzes. and one of these, as a fixer-upper, would run close to one million! (if not more!) the ones out here have dandy little plaques on them, purporting them to be built in 1912, or 1897, or 1907, or whatever year, and when each house turns 100, the city of orange sends them a dandy little sign to put in the front yard. how quaint!

    do you think $5000 is an acceptable down payment? i’m moving to new york right now! (the other $5000 i have in savings will have to accommodate my inability to function in cold environments– another blessing [outside of unattainable housing] that california has bestowed on me) now to find a job! oh wait, i can’t even get one of those out here. hm!

  • Reply read me... September 25, 2008 at 3:37 am

    HOW MUCH… (thud – me falling off my chair). I can’t begin to tell you what a house like that would command in the UK. If the US gov would let me in, I’d happily pay this to be your neighbour and take the train/boat to work everyday!!

  • Reply read me... September 25, 2008 at 3:37 am

    HOW MUCH… (thud – me falling off my chair). I can’t begin to tell you what a house like that would command in the UK. If the US gov would let me in, I’d happily pay this to be your neighbour and take the train/boat to work everyday!!

  • Reply minxlj September 25, 2008 at 7:11 am

    $95,000??? I second all the comments from fellow Brits – that would be several times the price in the UK, at least.

    It depresses the hell out of me that I had to pay more than twice that amount for a small (albeit 2 floored) apartment this year, which will require almost as much work. Ouch. I’d happily buy that house and renovate it back to its former glory!!

  • Reply eleanor September 25, 2008 at 11:46 am

    ummm… I live in Brooklyn, probably have an equivalent commute to the city and we will pay 95k in RENT over the next three years!!!

  • Reply Anna at D16 September 25, 2008 at 11:55 am

    Eleanor, that’s why I left Brooklyn! 🙂

  • Reply lisa September 25, 2008 at 12:58 pm

    The link provided shows more interior shots 🙂
    I would love to know what the kitchen plaque says???
    And whats up with the creative attic papers???

    Love it!

  • Reply Kris September 25, 2008 at 1:49 pm

    I love that front porch. Such potential. I hope someone buys who will restore it well.

    If you’re looking for inexpensive older homes, Rochester has a billion of them. Sure, there’s not very many jobs, but you can get this house for $83500.
    http://homesteadnet.com/advancedsearchresults.asp?mls=822273&mode=view

  • Reply Down Comforter September 28, 2008 at 2:46 pm

    That is a cute house. Too bad it would be impossible to get a low down payment mortage anymore 🙁

    I do love the porch/stone bottom area and the stainglass windows – too cute.

  • Reply Paper Dolls for Boys September 29, 2008 at 7:46 am

    I wish that house was near Boston! People are buying 400,000+ “wrecks” to knock down and build new. Ugh. Needless to say, we’re renters.

    Glad I found your blog via The Brick House.
    Cheers,
    Tracey

  • Reply kristy September 29, 2008 at 9:30 pm

    Ach yes I too have to balk at the price like the rest of the commenters here. Over here in Australia, you really can’t buy a house close to the cities for under $300k now – even the ones that need a lot of work.

    This one is so cute and has such potential. Oh how I wish for a green card!

  • Reply Lauri October 18, 2008 at 9:06 am

    maybe if you keep advertising houses here you’ll have even more like-minded people in the neighbourhood 🙂

    a lovely house btw!

  • Reply Susan October 29, 2008 at 2:53 pm

    $95,000???!?!?!?!?!?!

    You can’t even buy a double wide trailer where I live for that (San Francisco)!!!! I would kill for that house!

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