An Awesome Find!!! Super-Cute Country Post-War Cottage! $50,000!!

An awesome find!!! A cute-as-a-button post-war cozy cottage ~ on a quiet road with a country feel, yet just around the corner from town!  Greg Rapp has this wonderful little home for sale, now! 


At just under 900 square feet ~ these cozy 2-bedroom/1-bath cottages don't come along every day! In an era of the 'tiny house' fascination or the 'less-is-more' philosophy, 1000 Rowan Avenue fits the bill!

Home sizes vary around the world; while some families live in one room huts, others have gigantic homes which seem to never end. Since 1970,the size of the average new American home has grown by 50 percent, a growth trend is similar to most western countries. However, for every trend there is a counter-trend. In the case of home size, more and more people are choosing to live in small homes. Most downsizes opt for more modest quarters, while some homeowners take this trend to a new level, choosing to live in tiny homes (and we mean tiny!).  Some of these tiny homes can be as small as only 90 sq. ft. complete with bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms and living quarters, and run the gamut from fixed homes to those with wheels and everything in between. 
 

The small house movement is a return to houses less than 1,000 square feet, some as small as 80 square feet. Sarah Susanka has been credited with starting the recent counter-movement toward smaller houses when she published The Not So Big House (1997). Earlier pioneers include Lloyd Kahn, author of Shelter (1973). With the financial crisis of 2007–2010, the small house movement attracted more attention as it offers housing that is more affordable in acquisition and maintenance and ecologically friendly.
 
Welcome to 1000 Rowan Avenue in the Town of Spencer, North Carolina!  A post-war cottage built in 1947, this darling home is decidedly in town, but in such a wooded and country setting, you might forget that city amenities are just a stone's throw away!

In the Town of Spencer, just around the corner from this home, you will find Pinocchio's Italian Restaurant (yum!), the Green Goat Gallery with its wonderful art and knitting workshops, and the North Carolina Transportation Museum ~ a real treasure!  Just to the south you'll find the City of Salisbury, with its thriving arts and culture scene, including three theatre troupes, symphony performances, and a nationally accredited art gallery, as well as over 70 restaurants, and a variety of shopping choices.

This darling home has wonderful wood floors throughout.  The kitchen boasts apple green cabinetry ~ a nice change from the every-day and perfectly suited to this little charmer home that welcomes an artistic touch!  

And just look at that wood floor!  Oh, how wonderful not to have that awful laminate that you'd often find in a home from this era!

An enclosed front porch makes a wonderful sunroom.  In fact, nearly all the surprisingly amply-sized rooms stream sunlight and cheerfulness!

Stock up on bubble-bath!  

The bathroom has a vintage claw-foot tub, a lovely pedestal sink, and wonderful wainscoting and beadboard throughout!

This home offers an amazing amount of storage space.  It has a full (dry!) unfinished basement, perfect for storage AND workshop areas.  

A small shed in the rear of the home is almost like a small addition, and there is another small outbuilding, perfect for lawn mowers and garden tools, a carport AND a 1-car garage.

 
There is also a pull down stair case that leads to a finished room in the attic ~ offering even more storage or a complete other room.

1000 Rowan Avenue has a large fenced back yard backed by a thick woods.  We told you country setting, and it's marvelous!

1000 Rowan Avenue (and how cool is that address?!) is close to everything yet is nestled into the most peaceful country setting.  You'll want to call Realtor® Greg Rapp as soon as you can ~ (704) 213-6846 ~ to see this cozy cottage for yourself!  Mmmmmmm ~ home-sweet-home ~ and for just $50,000!

MLS #: R57142   
1000 ROWAN AVENUE
Spencer, NC 28159
List Price: $50,000 
 

Greg Rapp 
Wallace Realty Co. 
704 213 6846 Mobile 
704 636 2021 Office 
www.realestatesalisbury.net 

Picture Perfect ~ Turn-of-the-Century Cottage for Sale!

Editor's Note, May 5, 2015: The asking price for this 317 S. Shaver Street home is now $89,900!

In the heart of the Brooklyn South Square Historic District in Salisbury, North Carolina, sits this darling turn-of-the-century cottage ~ awaiting its new owners!

Built in 1900, 317 S. Shaver Street, is picture-perfect, a vintage cottage that exudes warmth and country cottage style. But don't let this charmer fool you! This home's renovations have kept it up-to-date while retaining its historic charm.

In 2008, the home was totally renovated and updated to include all new mechanicals: new HVAC, plumbing, electric, and a new roof. Kitchen and baths were also completely redone with new cabinets, fixtures, and ceramic tile floors. The home has new energy-efficient windows and has been freshly painted, both inside and out!  The home retains one original Victorian style mantle and most of its original hard wood floors, which have been refinished to a soft gleam.

Ample room sizes in 317 S. Shaver Street offer the best in living AND entertaining space!

This spacious single-story home, with over 1500 square footage, includes a 3 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms (with plenty of storage space), laundry room, a highly-sought-after eat-in-kitchen with dark walnut cupboards and gorgeous ceramic tile flooring, and a warm and wide-open living room with fireplace.

The living room includes one of the home's two fireplaces that introduces comfort, luxury and warmth to the room. The new wood paneling along the fireplace wall adds depth and a special warmth to this room, with those wonderful high ceilings that only vintage homes boast. A wonderful touch to the living room is the inviting, and space-saving, brick banquette -- also known as a bench seat -- that spans the entire width of the fireplace wall, offering a smart solution to guest seating and decorating touches. In this home, one will have the exceptional opportunity to sit near the fireplace every day with family and friends.

The front porch, in typical turn-of-the-century style, offers a quiet reprieve and cool breezes in summer. And the white picket fenced yard is the picture of Americana, with neatly trimmed and planted garden beds ~ again, a picture-perfect setting.

A covered back porch and new sun-deck overlooks an expansive back yard, a terrific artist's canvas waiting to be filled with gardens, patios, and outdoor living spaces. The staircase leads to a new brick patio.  A new shed, the current owners affectionately call 'Bartertown', wired with 220 and 110 electric, fills the need for workshop and additional storage space. A 2-car portico keeps your autos sheltered and out of sight from the road.

317 S. Shaver Street is located in the center of Salisbury's Brooklyn South Square Historic District, placing it just blocks from Salisbury's Historic Downtown area, which offers an award winning theater complex, shopping, restaurants, Public Library, and the Farmers Market (seasonal). The Brooklyn South Square neighborhood sits on a Civil War history-rich site that once the location of the Salisbury Confederate Prison Grounds. More information on the Brooklyn South Square neighborhood, visit Brooklyn-South-Square-Historic-District.

This stretch of Shaver Street was the first location to be awarded the City of Salisbury's BlockWork designation, an nationally recognized program for neighborhood revitalization. The street is lined with similar turn-of-the-century cottages such as this fine home at 317.

Post by BlockWork, Salisbury, NC.

Location~Location~Location! 317 S. Shaver Street and the Brooklyn South Square neighborhood is centrally located in North Carolina, minutes from Interstate-85, and roughly 45 minutes from Charlotte, Greensboro, Winston-Salem and High Point. You will be just 4-5 hours from the Carolina beaches or a short 2-hour drive to the artsy Asheville area and the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.

And the best news of all?  Price~Price~Price!  The owners are moving out of state and have priced this 3-bedroom, 2-bath home to sell!  You might not think you'd find a house with this kind of cottage style yet completely updated for under $100,000, yet here it is!

Greg Rapp is the real estate agent to call for 317 S. Shaver Street!  Greg's well-established record for experience with the character and charm of vintage homes makes him the #1 agent in the Salisbury NC area to contact!  Call (704) 213-6846 to get the jump on this fine cottage home!

317 South Shaver Street
Salisbury NC 28144
MLS#: R57119
$94,900

Greg Rapp 
Wallace Realty Co. 
704 213 6846 Mobile 
704 636 2021 Office 
www.realestatesalisbury.net 

National Register of Historic Places ~ Myths & Facts

There is so much misinformation floating around listing a property with the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). This interesting article, posted to the Preserve West Virginia website on November 11, 2014, debunks some of the myths related to homes listed on the NRHP.  Many people are confused about what happens to the property once it is listed, and this post highlights the top three myths. 

What is the National Register of Historic Places?

The NRHP is an honorary listing recognizing our nation’s most historic places. According to the National Park Service’s website, the NRHP “is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.” There are 90,540 listings in the NRHP.

Myth 1: Placing a building on the NRHP restricts use or sale of a property.

FACT: NRHP Listing does not place any property restrictions on the owner. Many NRHP properties, such as historic schools or commercial buildings, have changed ownership and maintained the historic listing.

Myth 2: NRHP listing requires the owner to give tours of the property or open it to the public.

FACT: Public property listed in the NRHP often is open to the public for tours and other educational initiatives, but there are no requirements to do this.  Many residences and commercial buildings are listed in the NRHP, and the owner can do what he/she wants with the property.

Myth 3: When a building is listed on the NRHP, the owner cannot change the look of the building or demolish it – or must follow certain guidelines for rehabilitation.

FACT: There are no special protections or government regulations to stop demolition or preserve NRHP-listed properties. A property owner can change the windows, paint the building any color, or demolish it. The property owner can also choose not to have the property listed in the NRHP.

However, if a property owner is awarded grant funds or historic rehabilitation tax credits to preserve her building, then she has to follow the Secretary of the Interior Standards for Rehabilitation.

There are several benefits to having a property listed in the NRHP. Listing opens up funding opportunities for historic preservation grant funds and historic rehabilitation tax credits. The listing also recognizes that you own a special place that had an impact on the development of our state and country. It’s a listing that invokes pride and should be valued not avoided. (National Register Myths Debunked, Preservation Alliance WV, November 11, 2014)

Salisbury Realtor® Greg Rapp is known for representing Rowan County's historic properties with the highest integrity.  He can show you historic properties that are in listed NRHP historic districts, or some that have the same history but lie outside the designated districts so that you can make up your own mind when purchasing a wonderful old home.

The City of Salisbury has 10 nationally registered historic districts, and 5 locally designated districts.  In some cases one may overlap the other.  The local districts may have differing protective restrictions for changes to properties.  Ask Greg Rapp ~ he will know.

One thing is for certain.  They don't make them like they used to!  Historic homes, whether registered with the NRHP or not, are built with quality materials, design, and workmanship that is rare to find in a newer home.  And Greg's historic home listings run the gamut from move-in perfect to those diamonds-in-the-rough that need a little TLC.  

Give Greg a call to debunk your myths about owning a historic home.  Call 704.213.6846 today! 

Greg Rapp 
Wallace Realty Co. 
704 213 6846 Mobile 
704 636 2021 Office 
gregrapprealtor@gmail.com
www.realestatesalisbury.net 

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Greg Rapp, Realtor® with Wallace Realty,  runs fun contests, posts current listings and photos, and in general ~ 

has a conversation with friends, clients, and future clients. 

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you can also stay current on your mobile device!  
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Join Salisbury Real Estate on Facebook!  See you there!

Greg Rapp 
Wallace Realty Co. 
704 213 6846 Mobile 
704 636 2021 Office 
www.realestatesalisbury.net 

City Life ~ The Opportunity is NOW in Downtown Salisbury, North Carolina

What attracts us to city life? 

A new survey offers some insights. A thousand urbanites - young and old - across major cities in the U.S. were contacted by Sasaki Associates, a planning and design firm based outside of Boston. The survey confirms what many of us who live in major cities already know to be true - there are so many opportunities to eat great food, see new things, and people watch, why would you want to live anywhere else? Who needs the lull of the country when you have the run of the arts & music scene, street festivals, awesome restaurants, and basically something different every night?

 

What do you love most about your city?

More than 40 percent cited the restaurants and food; while 32 percent said local attractions; 24 percent said historic places and landmarks; 21 percent said cultural offerings; 17 percent said parks and public spaces; and 16 percent said fairs and festivals. Some 15 percent said "the people," while another 10 percent said they like the architecture the most, and 9 percent said the local sports scene. Clearly, big cities can support a diverse slate of restaurants - and in Salisbury, North Carolina there is a variety from Thai and sushi to Italian or Tex-Mex, so it's easy to understand that culinary adventures, which are affordable, draw the most love.

Where do your favorite experiences happen?

A majority of people (65 percent) remember their favorite city experience taking place outdoors, either in a park or on a street. Interestingly, a minority -- just 22 percent -- said their favorite experience happened in a building. This is perhaps because urbanites are constantly stuck indoors to begin with. Nearly a third prefer large open parks, while 14 percent prefer small urban spaces, and 8 percent love their city's trail system the most ~ Salisbury Greenway anyone?   

 
37 percent of those surveyed wish their cities would make streets more pedestrian/bike friendly; 36 percent support adding outdoor music and entertainment venues; and 31 percent desire more small urban parks." Salisbury has parks and green spaces ranging from beautiful little downtown pocket parks to our wonderful City Park and Hurley Park.  The City has a Bike Plan Proposal on the books! We can't wait to see it developed! And our outdoor street festivals happen monthly throughout the year!

What makes a city's buildings iconic?

While buildings appeal less than outdoor spaces, some 36 percent said the historic nature of the building, while 30 percent said "great architecture," and another 24 percent said a building's "unique design." A majority (57 percent) will stop and look at a historic building, while just 19 percent will do the same for a modern one. Those old buildings that have made it, that have fended off redevelopment, deserve some respect. And Salisbury is recognized nationwide for its preservation movement that has kept alive beautiful downtown architecture dating from the 1800s!

What do you like least about getting around in cities?

More than 40 percent said there's "too much traffic," while 23 percent cited the lack of parking.  These complaints reveal how Americans, even urbanites, get around: 58 percent use cars frequently, while 29 percent use public transportation. Another 10 percent try to walk everywhere and just 2 percent use bikes.  Salisbury NC does not have the fierce traffic snarls that many larger cities deal with on a daily basis.  While many will say parking is an issue, there are actually many municipal lots that for some reason go unused....an awareness problem city activists are working on!

Surveys like these are important so that we understand how to attract as many people as possible to cities, because urban life is central to a more sustainable future. In cities, per-capita carbon emissions and energy and water use are much lower. But beyond the metrics, cities can just be great places to live in -- if they are designed to be livable and beautiful, filled with outdoor spaces, things to do, and historic buildings. (Adapted from an article by Jared Green, New Survey Uncovers the Lure of the City, www.huffingtonpost.com, Posted: 09/25/2014)

The cities in the survey must be doing some of these things right: Some 60 percent of respondents said they will still be in their city five years from now. Now, we just need to increase those numbers for all cities ~ including Salisbury, North Carolina...and Greg Rapp, Realtor® with Wallace Realty, has just the solution!


Witness the Bernhardt Hardware Building on the 100 block of N. Main Street in Salisbury NC.  The circa 1882 Bernhardt Hardware building enjoyed a long history of being...yes!...a hardware store!  Recently purchased by Central Piedmont Builders, the multi-store front space is now enjoying a complete renovation.  

Retail spaces and restaurants are due to fill the 1st floor level . . . but upstairs ~ WOW! 

New second-story residential apartments are creating that much desired urban living space ~ in the center of downtown overlooking the historic Main Street architecture and vitality of the cityscape.

Many others have started to live in Downtown Salisbury, and that number is climbing.  Of note is the restoration at  101 S. Main Street, once a tumble-down soccer shop on the street level with raggle-taggle apartments above . . . the space is now the stunning and award-winning 101 Pottery with high-style living space above.
  
 
The Kress Building on S. Main Street is a wonderful example of downtown living condos in Salisbury.  Second story apartments look down upon E. Innes Street above shops and restaurants there. 

And the Plaza Building, a landmark at the main intersection of Main Street and Innes Street in the center of downtown has a waiting list for its residential spaces!  When you lease one of the new apartments in the Bernhardt Hardware Building...you'll be in good company!


The time is right to escape the lull of suburban living, move to the city, and experience the urban lifestyle that is central to a more sustainable future.  The time is right to move to Downtown Salisbury, to be exact! It's time to call Greg Rapp at (704) 213-6846 to sign up for one of the new Bernhardt Building Loft Apartments ~ with city views, walk-ability, and have the run of the arts & music scene, street festivals, awesome restaurants, and basically something different every night!

 

Greg Rapp 
Wallace Realty Co. 
704 213 6846 Mobile 
704 636 2021 Office 
www.realestatesalisbury.net