“As is.” “Needs TLC.” “Investor special”—and for hundreds of thousands of dollars, it could all be yours.
Of course, some fixer-uppers may be special enough to invest in. Judging primarily from photos, here are five that might be worth it, on the market right now.
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4 Fairview Ter, Derby
7 bd | 3 ba | 3,327 sq ft | 0.20 ac | $375,000
This gambrel Victorian dating to 1892 has old heating infrastructure, a light sag in the roof, damaged flooring, warped kitchen cabinets, appliances to replace, bathroom issues and a lot of vintage wallpaper you’ll probably want to remove, however painful it may be (and whatever further projects its removal may reveal). But it’s also got tons of beautiful millwork, a grand windowed staircase, endless hardwood, show-stopping parlors, a luxurious wraparound porch, a separate two-story workshop/carport and a cute surrounding neighborhood.
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262 Sherman Ave, New Haven
10 bd | 1 ba | 4,598 sq ft | 0.18 ac | $385,000
Outside, this Queen Anne Victorian has impressive whimsical detailing, a wraparound porch, a pencil-point turret, a brownstone base and a gum drop paint job. Inside it has “inlaid hardwood floors, a classic fireplace, an updated kitchen and bathroom, and two well-proportioned bedrooms—perfect for immediate use or income while completing the upper levels.” Catch that? The second and third stories are a “blank canvas,” or close to it: “fully gutted and partially framed”—part of the way toward being converted into a four- or, with a reapplication for a now-expired permit, five-family complex.
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25 Summer Pl, Milford
3 bd | 2.5 ba | 1,540 sq ft | 0.22 ac | $450,000
There’s work to be done on this hilltop home: fixing wonky wooden entry steps, pruning overgrown foliage, refinishing or replacing the siding, ensuring the two-level deck is sturdy and safe, renovating the bathrooms and mitigating what appears to be water infiltration along the roof and possibly the top floor as well. But it’s got skylights and a stone fireplace with a floating hearth, and this could be Milford’s most affordable path to homeownership high above a salt marsh, with long outdoor views and just a quarter mile’s walk to the beach.
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700 Bantam Rd, Bantam (Litchfield)
7 bd | 5 ba | 3,265 sq ft | 2.73 ac | $485,000
This one, built in 1982, is in really rough shape. You have to wonder what happened to it. But it’s also undeniably compelling. From the curb (pictured at top), planes of stone, wood and steel combine into what you might agree is a kind of dark, monumental postmodernism—part medieval fortress, part colonial mill, part modern factory. The blending more or less continues inside, with both old-world and industrial features and dynamic topographies connected by curvy staircases. Jumbles of dirty and broken elements actually make the place appear as if it had been thrown into some massive blender. Floors and ceilings are often stripped away, sometimes completely. A handful of features appear to have been added recently; my guess is someone tried to save this place before giving up. Presented as multi-family but apparently not yet permitted as such, the home has a “steel beam structure throughout,” suggesting an underlying endurance that convinced me to include it. Here’s something else that doesn’t need fixing: its location, a quick walk to downtown Bantam, which, among other assets, boasts Arethusa Farm Dairy’s flagship creamery and its neighboring restaurant.
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685 Kent Rd, New Milford
0 bd | 6 ba | 5,952 sq ft | 1.21 ac | $750,000
This residentially zoned property is only a fixer-upper because, if you want to live in it, you need to convert it from a steepled 1854 church to a 21st-century home. The nave with its high and ironically non-cathedral ceiling could make quite the great room, and the church has already got a kitchen, though at some point you’ll probably want to revise the modest institutional flooring. Same goes for the carpeting throughout much of the rest of the church’s square footage, which could number either 3,000 or 6,000 depending on how you read the listing. The property also features a separate three-bedroom, 3,000-square-foot rectory house, which is currently partially rented and could potentially house you in a more turnkey fashion.
But unless you want to start your own congregation, it’d be hard to resist pursuing the unique residential potential of the church itself, while praying that God won’t mind sharing one of His houses.
Written by Dan Mims. Images sourced from the relevant linked real estate listings.
