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Who will you call when you need a real estate agent?
Greg Rapp ~ 704.213.6846
July 31, 2013
Who You Gonna Call? 704.213.6846
Looking for a Realtor® in Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina? Need credentials?
July 29, 2013
The Historic 1893 Mary Steele Scales House ~ For Sale ~ $144.9K!
Note (10/15/2014): This home is now priced at $119,900. Call Greg Rapp at 704.213.6846 for more info.
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| The Mary Steele Scales House, circa 1893, in 1987 |
Salisbury's historic Mary Steele Scales House, circa 1893, is for sale! These photos depict the meticulously restored home as it appeared in 1987 when it was featured in the Historic Salisbury Foundation's annual October Tour of Historic Homes.
This wonderful 2089~square foot Victorian, is the last 19th century house built by the descendants of General John Steele on his once extensive plantation, 'Lombardy'. In 1983, the great-granddaughter of Steele, Mary Steele Scales, erected this picturesque Victorian just south of the original Steele house (circa 1799, still standing at 1010 Richard Street ~ walk two blocks north on N. Lee/Richard Street to The John Steele House). Restoration began in 1984 by Dr. Peter Dixon and was completed in 1986 by renowned Salisbury preservationist Edward Clement (present owner of the John Steele House).
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| The Historic Mary Steele Scales House ~ pictured here in 1987 ~ for sale at $149K |
The home, at the corner of E. Steele Street and N. Lee Street, is in immaculate condition, freshly painted, with an amazing property with outbuildings, a large garden gazebo, and mature landscaping ~ all encircled with white picket fencing.
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| The Mary Steele Scales House ~ 126 E. Steele Street, Salisbury NC ~ today. Call 704~213~6846 to make an appointment for a showing! |
July 28, 2013
Antique, Vintage, AND Historic Home for Sale ~ The Mary Steele Scales House, circa 1893 ~ $144,900
UPDATE (10/15/2014): The Mary Steele Scales home at 126 E. Steele Street in Salisbury NC is now priced at $119,900!
Ah, the joys of aging! Everything you purchase — furniture, rugs,
lighting, artwork . . . and even buildings and homes — can be plotted on an
historical timeline and affixed with labels like "contemporary",
"antique", "vintage" or "retro". An item's age is a key determinant of its
value, considered alongside its condition, quality, and relative rarity. And
the age of an item is evaluated not only in terms of its actual date of origin
but also in the context of contemporary fashions and socioeconomic trends. For example,
in lean economic times there may be nostalgia for decades associated with
comfort and stability.
When a home is considered
antique, it is defined as "a relic or object of ancient times"
or "a work of made at an earlier period and according to various
customs laws at least 100 years ago." Most authorities consider the actual definition of the term 'antique'
to mean an age of at least 100 years. If a home is not definitively datable to
100 or more years in age, it should not be directly referred to as an antique.
If antiques are things that are 100 years old or older, what are vintage pieces?
People use the term "vintage" , often loosely, just to mean "old", but there is more to vintage homes than that. One way to define vintage is "representing the highest quality of a past time". Maturity and a sense of appeal that withstands the test of time characterize vintage homes. A vintage home is usually very well made with a great attention to detail. A wide range of architecture styles can be considered vintage. Some agents use this term to refer to all sorts of older home styles, including modern, using the word to describe originals and reproductions that cannot be identified as antique. A home or building described as 'vintage' should speak of the era in which it was built. Vintage can mean an item is of a certain period of time, as in "vintage 1950's" but it should always mean that the item exhibits the best of a certain quality, or qualities, associated with or belonging to that specific era. In other words, for the term vintage to accurately apply to an older home, that structure should be somewhat representational and recognizable as belonging to the era in which it was made.
To be considered
"historic," a property must have three essential attributes:
sufficient age, a relatively high degree of physical integrity, and historical
significance.
Integrity: In
addition to having sufficient age, a property must retain its historic physical
integrity. For a building, structure, landscape feature, historic site,
or historic district, this means that the property must be relatively
unchanged. An historic home’s essential character-defining features
relative to its significance must still be present, meaning that its character
and structure must be relatively undisturbed, with its patterns and layers of historic
evidence relatively intact. For a traditional cultural property, integrity
means that the site must be recognizable to today's affiliated cultural group,
evidenced through tradition, and still used or revered in some way.
The Mary Steele Scales Home at 126 E. Steele Street in Salisbury, North
Carolina sits on 
nearly a 1/2 acre lot that was once part of the ‘Lombardy’
plantation of John Steele*, (November 16, 1764 – August 14, 1815). John Steele,
born in Salisbury, North Carolina (www.salisburync.gov) in 1764, was a
member of the United States House of Representatives from the state of North Carolina between 1790 and 1793, and On July 1, 1796, Steele was appointed Comptroller of the Treasury by
President George Washington. Mary Steele Scales, whose name graces this
historic home at 126 E. Steele Street, was great-granddaughter to John Steele & Mary Nessfield. Mary
Steele "Minnie" Lord was born to John Bradley Lord and Ann Nessfield
Steele Ferrand in 1840. Minnie married
Major Nathaniel Eldridge Scales, and the couple lived in the home they constructed
in 1893 close to "Lombardy" (John Steele's plantation) ~ now known as The Mary Steele Scales House. Mary Steele “Minnie” Scales died in 1919 at the
age of 80 years and is interred at the Chestnut Hill Cemetery in Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina, USA.
This fine antique, vintage, historic home retains much of its original
1893 exterior and interior features. Each room has 10-foot ceilings,
characteristic of the era, southern heart-of-pine and oak floors refinished to
a smooth patina, and the four fireplaces boast original mantle pieces. The original millwork
is in place throughout the home.
The home boasts an enormous
nearly 19 x 17 foot kitchen with tons of
cabinet space with stained glass cupboard doors, loads of ceramic tile-topped countertop,
& a center work/eat island. The kitchen sink overlooks the gorgeous (a
source of neighborhood pride!) nearly half-acre, very private yard ~ a gardener’s
paradise filled with garden beds, mature maples, and a large latticed gazebo .
. . all surrounded with white picket fencing.
Another fabulous feature, typical of the 1800’s Victorian architectural style, is the nearly 500 square foot wraparound front porch ~ perfect for entertaining, enjoying meals, or for just relaxing, enjoying the crepe myrtle lined streetscape, and taking in summer breezes.
This two-story, 2089 square-foot home features three bedrooms off a large second floor mezzanine, a great place to showcase antique furniture!
The circa 1893 Mary Steele Scales House is located in the North Main (NOMA) historic district. In John Steele’s
day (the late 1700’s-early 1800’s), the area was largely plantations. A period of extensive development in the
North Main Street area occurred between 1920 and 1930. It was during this
decade that the entire area along both sides of North Main Street was developed
and streets to the east of North Main such as Miller, Lee, Scales, Steele, and
Eleventh Streets were first developed. Much of this building activity came
about through the development of "Steele Park," a beautiful
residential section, developed on land
comprising the old John Steele Plantation, which had descended through the
Steele-Henderson family until its sale to developers in 1923.
National Register of Historic Places:
One of the most important ways in which we determine which properties
are historic and which are not is through the National Register of Historic Places. Since its creation by an act of Congress in 1966, the National
Register has been one of the foundations of historic preservation across the
country and in North Carolina. It provides uniform standards, a public
process, and a national perspective for determining the significance and
preservation worthiness of properties. Although the criteria for
determining National Register eligibility are essentially unchanged since 1966,
their interpretation and application to properties are continuously clarified
and updated through published guidance, bulletins, and precedent-setting
National Register listings. Listing in the National Register or
determining National Register eligibility are among the clearest statements of
public policy about what is historic and worthy of being preserved. The Mary
Steele Scales House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Historic Salisbury Foundation covenants
and restrictions convey with deed and are recorded on Rowan County deed book
630 page 530.
When real estate agents talk to you about ‘vintage’ or ‘antique’ homes, let them. . . but do not let them fool you into buying a ‘historic’ home without the credentials to back it up. There are a plethora of very fine vintage and antique homes in Salisbury, NC (ask Greg Rapp ~ the area’s premier purveyor of older homes ~ 704.213.6846), and a wonderful selection of historic neighborhoods, but not all homes in these districts are historic. The Mary Steele Scales House, circa 1983, at 126 E. Steele Street, is the real deal. And at just $144,900 ~ is a STEAL!
*John Steele’s land was known as the "Lombardy Plantation". His house, Steele House, still stands in Salisbury, N.C., just one block from the Mary Steele Scales House. The circa 1799 John Steele House has undergone major renovation and restoration and
is on the National Register of Historic Places. The national significance of Lombardy, the John Steele House, ultimately rests on its association with the life and career of John Steele. Constructed for him while he was Comptroller, the place at which he wrote his letter to Thomas Jefferson resigning the position, and the
place to which he retired and ended his days, the house is associated with his six-Year career as the Comptroller of the Treasury, the second highest position in the largest, and most important administrative branch of the federal government.
Ah, the joys of aging! Everything you purchase — furniture, rugs,
lighting, artwork . . . and even buildings and homes — can be plotted on an
historical timeline and affixed with labels like "contemporary",
"antique", "vintage" or "retro". An item's age is a key determinant of its
value, considered alongside its condition, quality, and relative rarity. And
the age of an item is evaluated not only in terms of its actual date of origin
but also in the context of contemporary fashions and socioeconomic trends. For example,
in lean economic times there may be nostalgia for decades associated with
comfort and stability.
But not everything for sale has
a certified date of origin. Instead, we have to rely on the often dubious
claims put forth by a seller. A quick scan of Craigslist or eBay reveals that
terms like "antique" and "vintage" are bandied about
interchangeably and often illogically. How do you define these words? What
comes to mind when you hear "antique", "vintage", or even "historic"?
What is antique?
What is vintage?
If antiques are things that are 100 years old or older, what are vintage pieces?
People use the term "vintage" , often loosely, just to mean "old", but there is more to vintage homes than that. One way to define vintage is "representing the highest quality of a past time". Maturity and a sense of appeal that withstands the test of time characterize vintage homes. A vintage home is usually very well made with a great attention to detail. A wide range of architecture styles can be considered vintage. Some agents use this term to refer to all sorts of older home styles, including modern, using the word to describe originals and reproductions that cannot be identified as antique. A home or building described as 'vintage' should speak of the era in which it was built. Vintage can mean an item is of a certain period of time, as in "vintage 1950's" but it should always mean that the item exhibits the best of a certain quality, or qualities, associated with or belonging to that specific era. In other words, for the term vintage to accurately apply to an older home, that structure should be somewhat representational and recognizable as belonging to the era in which it was made.
But if you are looking for either a vintage or antique home, you will often also hear the word ‘historic’ thrown in the mix. Here is where the cream rises to the top, and where the Mary Steele Scales house rises to the top of the real estate market in Salisbury, North Carolina.
What is historic?
Age: A property
must be "old enough" to be considered historic. Generally
speaking, this means that a property must be old enough to have been studied by
historians, architectural historians, or archaeologists so that its place in
history is clear. This latter perspective allows some types of properties
that are only 50 years old or less to be considered "historic".
Integrity: In
addition to having sufficient age, a property must retain its historic physical
integrity. For a building, structure, landscape feature, historic site,
or historic district, this means that the property must be relatively
unchanged. An historic home’s essential character-defining features
relative to its significance must still be present, meaning that its character
and structure must be relatively undisturbed, with its patterns and layers of historic
evidence relatively intact. For a traditional cultural property, integrity
means that the site must be recognizable to today's affiliated cultural group,
evidenced through tradition, and still used or revered in some way.
Significance:
Finally, and most importantly, a property must be significant to be considered
historic. Historians define significance in three ways:
- Through direct association with individuals, events, activities, or developments that shaped our history or that reflect important aspects of our history;
- By embodying the distinctive physical and spatial characteristics of an architectural style or type of building, structure, landscape, or planned environment, or a method of construction, or by embodying high artistic values or fine craftsmanship; or
- By having the potential to yield information important to our understanding of the past through archaeological, architectural, or other physical investigation and analysis
The circa 1893 Historic Mary Steele Scales home embodies all of the above: At
120 years old, definitely an antique home; vintage in that the home exhibits the best of the
specific qualities associated with era, and historic.
The Mary Steele Scales Home at 126 E. Steele Street in Salisbury, North
Carolina sits on 
nearly a 1/2 acre lot that was once part of the ‘Lombardy’
plantation of John Steele*, (November 16, 1764 – August 14, 1815). John Steele,
born in Salisbury, North Carolina (www.salisburync.gov) in 1764, was a
member of the United States House of Representatives from the state of North Carolina between 1790 and 1793, and On July 1, 1796, Steele was appointed Comptroller of the Treasury by
President George Washington. Mary Steele Scales, whose name graces this
historic home at 126 E. Steele Street, was great-granddaughter to John Steele & Mary Nessfield. Mary
Steele "Minnie" Lord was born to John Bradley Lord and Ann Nessfield
Steele Ferrand in 1840. Minnie married
Major Nathaniel Eldridge Scales, and the couple lived in the home they constructed
in 1893 close to "Lombardy" (John Steele's plantation) ~ now known as The Mary Steele Scales House. Mary Steele “Minnie” Scales died in 1919 at the
age of 80 years and is interred at the Chestnut Hill Cemetery in Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina, USA.
The home boasts an enormous
nearly 19 x 17 foot kitchen with tons of
cabinet space with stained glass cupboard doors, loads of ceramic tile-topped countertop,
& a center work/eat island. The kitchen sink overlooks the gorgeous (a
source of neighborhood pride!) nearly half-acre, very private yard ~ a gardener’s
paradise filled with garden beds, mature maples, and a large latticed gazebo .
. . all surrounded with white picket fencing.
Another fabulous feature, typical of the 1800’s Victorian architectural style, is the nearly 500 square foot wraparound front porch ~ perfect for entertaining, enjoying meals, or for just relaxing, enjoying the crepe myrtle lined streetscape, and taking in summer breezes.
Visitors to the Mary Steele Scales House will immediately note the
extensive use of stained glass in the home ~ another feature of the 1890 Folk
Victorian. Both the upstairs and
downstairs full baths feature stained glass windows (the upstairs bath is
positioned in a unique step-down from second floor level). The stairwell landing
features another stained glass panel, and stained glass trims all the cabinetry
in the kitchen. And speaking of windows,
the new home owners at 126 E. Steele street are sure to love the bay window in
the large romantic first floor parlor.
This two-story, 2089 square-foot home features three bedrooms off a large second floor mezzanine, a great place to showcase antique furniture!
There is a one-car garage on the property that over time has lost its
street access, but makes for a marvelous workshop or artist’s studio . . . or
just additional storage space. The exterior of the 1893 Mary Steele Scales House
has just (July 2013) been repainted and the home is in mint ~ move-in condition.
National Register of Historic Places:
One of the most important ways in which we determine which properties
are historic and which are not is through the National Register of Historic Places. Since its creation by an act of Congress in 1966, the National
Register has been one of the foundations of historic preservation across the
country and in North Carolina. It provides uniform standards, a public
process, and a national perspective for determining the significance and
preservation worthiness of properties. Although the criteria for
determining National Register eligibility are essentially unchanged since 1966,
their interpretation and application to properties are continuously clarified
and updated through published guidance, bulletins, and precedent-setting
National Register listings. Listing in the National Register or
determining National Register eligibility are among the clearest statements of
public policy about what is historic and worthy of being preserved. The Mary
Steele Scales House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Historic Salisbury Foundation covenants
and restrictions convey with deed and are recorded on Rowan County deed book
630 page 530.
When real estate agents talk to you about ‘vintage’ or ‘antique’ homes, let them. . . but do not let them fool you into buying a ‘historic’ home without the credentials to back it up. There are a plethora of very fine vintage and antique homes in Salisbury, NC (ask Greg Rapp ~ the area’s premier purveyor of older homes ~ 704.213.6846), and a wonderful selection of historic neighborhoods, but not all homes in these districts are historic. The Mary Steele Scales House, circa 1983, at 126 E. Steele Street, is the real deal. And at just $144,900 ~ is a STEAL!
*John Steele’s land was known as the "Lombardy Plantation". His house, Steele House, still stands in Salisbury, N.C., just one block from the Mary Steele Scales House. The circa 1799 John Steele House has undergone major renovation and restoration and
is on the National Register of Historic Places. The national significance of Lombardy, the John Steele House, ultimately rests on its association with the life and career of John Steele. Constructed for him while he was Comptroller, the place at which he wrote his letter to Thomas Jefferson resigning the position, and the
place to which he retired and ended his days, the house is associated with his six-Year career as the Comptroller of the Treasury, the second highest position in the largest, and most important administrative branch of the federal government.July 06, 2013
10 Cool Things To Do With Your New Warehouse! $59K!!!
(Editor's Note 10/22/2014: This property is now listed at just $44,000!)
We have a small warehouse on a great piece of property
for sale in a great location:
And the options are endless for this warehouse space on
Long Street, a well traveled corridor and a potential forefront of opportunity in
Salisbury, North Carolina. And at just $59,000 ~ you'll have spare cash to do cool things with your new warehouse!
You ask, "What will I do with my new warehouse"? Here are just a
few cool ideas...
1) Store stuff in it. Cool stuff.
2) Use it as a carpenter's workshop or an artist studio,
or open a gallery.
3) Remodel into a live/work space like a groovy movie star in NYC.
4) Divide it into condos and sell like a real estate
guru.
5) Rent it out and become a landlord and possibly become
a millionaire. You never know.
6) Host a killer party in it and gain the respect and
admiration of all of your friends. They'll be tweeting about it for days.
7) Knock it down and build a 60-story skyscraper or 3-story
row houses . . . whatever works.
8) Film a music video inside like 'OK Go' (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qybUFnY7Y8w) which will become
viral and seal your fate for fame.
9) Build a brewery in it and have free beer forever. Or
open a speakeasy, and please, invite us.
10) Use it as a topic of conversation at dull cocktail
parties and tell them about your skyscraper idea.
Or you could do something totally practical and use it as
extra storage or for band practice, but we just couldn't help ourselves!
Want
to come scope out this warehouse investment opportunity? Give Greg Rapp a shout
today at 704.213.6846.
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