ca. 1900 Victorian Vernacular Home in Historic District For Sale ~ $100,000 for 2200 Square Feet

There are plenty of reasons to invest in a historic home. Older homes have character that’s hard to replicate in a newly constructed home. From charm and aesthetics to the value of long-lasting materials and workmanship, purchase an antique home with a long, unwinding story . . . and you have your own piece of history to which you can add your own chapters.

Anyone who appreciates a good antique can understand the nostalgic appeal of an ancient home whose walls are filled with history. Older homes have amazing character traits and historical features that most new homes simply do not have. Oh! Those pretty coal-burning fireplaces, the wood trim and moldings, and those high ceilings — these are all the amazing features that usually do not come in today's mass produced homes. Most of today’s builders do not take the time to dove-tail wooden joints, or hand-scrape large wooden ceiling beams. The custom, hand-crafted qualities of an older home usually mean long-lasting value and a durable structure that one cannot find in today's newer structures. These are the qualities that make us fall in love with a historic home.

There is a reason that older homes are still standing — they were built to last. If you're in the market for a house with a bit of history, Realtor® Greg Rapp knows exactly where you should look:

Circa 1883 Heilig-Wright House

Enter 305 E. Bank Street in the Historic Brooklyn South Square District of Salisbury, North Carolina. This 2,014 square-foot, 3-bedroom/2-bath Victorian farmhouse is nestled up a cobblestone and brick drive into its 200' deep lot amassed with large shade trees. Through its picket fence gate and down through terraced landscape (with HUGE garden potential) sits this striking, freshly painted home. A deep veranda welcomes you to the front door surrounded by sidelights.

This solid home, a restoration in progress, greets you with original wood floors, all freshly refurbished, and vintage coal-burning fireplaces in most rooms. Enter to a large front parlor with original shiplap ceiling and chair rail, and fireplace outfitted with a wood stove.

Beyond the parlor is a darling formal dining room with exposed brick fireplace chimney creating a focal point. You'll be surprised that 305 E. Bank Street is equipped with an extra large kitchen for a home of this era, complete with a center work island. A kitchen side-door exits to a sweet little porch to the brick driveway. Beyond this highly functional kitchen, with another exposed brick fireplace and loads of cupboard space, you'll find a converted rear porch that is now a nice 1st floor laundry and utility/hobby room. Another side door exits to a sweet little brick patio and the fenced back yard. The home's second modernized bath is in this rear portion of the home.

To the left of the front parlor and handsome staircase ~ a large first floor owner's suite awaits. The master bath is newly remodeled with adorable bathroom with claw foot tub, modern shower, and large walk-in closet.  The vintage dresser is re-purposed as a wonderful single-sink vanity that just exudes charm, as does the triple paneled antique mirror above.





Upstairs, flanking a small center landing, you'll find two charming dormered-ceiling bedrooms with 4-over-4 mullioned windows and more shiplap ceilings.




The Norfolk-Southern Railway

An ever-present feature of Salisbury NC is the interlacing of Norfolk Southern rail track. Emanating from the historic Train Depot, the trains and track are part of the rhythm of everyday life in this southern town. The Heilig-Wright House cozies up to a historic ravine where the trains traverse in rhythmic sequence. The ravine and track here predate the Civil War. The neighborhood, in fact, is the site of a Confederate prison, and many homes in the district also saw the war come and go.

Most folks in the neighborhood are accustomed to the sound of trains, both passenger and freight, as well as the occasional steam engine on its way to the North Carolina Transportation Museum to the north in Spencer, NC. 

Norfolk-Southern recently designated the neighborhood a 'quiet zone', which means the passing trains no longer blow whistles or sound horns, but the rumble of the 'iron horse' is still a presence.  We paraphrased this about living near railroad tracks:

"Directly across the street from my parents house, where I lived for 23 years, are train tracks. There are weeks where a train passes every 2 hours night or day, and weeks where it passes only 1-2 times night or day. It is definitely loud, and will cause the house to vibrate. The noise never bothered me. As a child and adult I was able to sleep through it. It may take awhile to get used to it, though. The house is in an ideal location, besides having train tracks for a neighbor, minutes from downtown, easily accessible from 2 major highways, schools, banks, and grocery stores just a mile or so away." (Kelly Toupal, Home Buyer, Milpitas CA - https://www.trulia.com/voices/Home_Buying/Home_value_next_to_a_train_track)





This relayed story of living by rail tracks reminds us of this vintage 2014 square foot Victorian at 305 E. Bank Street in the Brooklyn South Square neighborhood, just blocks from Salisbury's award winning downtown, vibrant with nightlife, restaurants, breweries, and a thriving arts and theater district. 

305 E. Bank Street, in addition to its quality construction, features a deep lot with mature shade trees, the rear yard encircled by high stockade-style privacy fencing. While sharing a driveway with another vintage home next door, there is ample multi-vehicle parking.

Wide-plank wood floors, solid wood craftsman doors, deep front porches … the list of reasons to love an elderly home could go on forever. To a certain extent, you can replicate these characteristics in a newly built home, however; a new home usually comes with a young neighborhood that is still developing...which means no big century-old oak tree in the front yard, and unpredictable neighborhood developments. A tree-lined street and quaint neighborhood do not happen overnight, hence the appeal of older neighborhoods where everything is in place and established.




You have to love an antique home for what it is — old. It will consume you (and your wallet) if you try to completely modernize an antique home. Yes, 305 E. Bank Street is a restoration work in progress. Complete modernization can be done, but are you sure you want to?  Often, the very reason you fall in love with a vintage home in the first place is its aged character. There are certain quirks that you may want retain. The creak of the floors, the door that won't stay closed on dry days and then sticks on humid days — all are quaint characteristics of an old home that add a certain charm and lived-in feeling. Remodel what you absolutely have to, but think about keeping some of the original historic appeal. (Adapted from: Shelley Little, June 17, 2014 in Freshome's Very Best, http://freshome.com/2014/06/17/10-things-nobody-tells-buying-older-home/#ixzz4oRhparXR)



The custom, hand-crafted qualities of a vintage historic home translate to long-lasting value and a durable structure. There is a reason these older homes in Salisbury NC are still standing — they were built to last, and these are the qualities that make us fall in love with a historic home. 

If you're in the market for a house with a bit of history, Realtor® Greg Rapp at (704) 213-6846 / GregRappRealtor@gmail.com, knows exactly where you should look:

305 E. Bank Street
Salisbury, North Carolina 28144
CMLS#3382885
$100,000

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




#GregRappRealtor #OldHouseGuy #SellingSalisbury #HomesforSale #RealEstateSalisbury

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