A bidding war broke out this week over a stone cottage for sale in Veazie.
The home on State Street will be familiar to those who frequently drive between Bangor and Orono. The 1,150-square-foot cottage looks to be ripped from the pages of a fairytale book. Despite the quaint appearance, the home is not in great shape, needing a new roof and windows as well as upgrades to its electrical system and plaster.
Despite that, a half-dozen “strong” offers and some calls from curious passersby came during the one week it was on the market for just under $300,000, listing agent Sheldon Anderson of Realty of Maine in Bangor said. It went under contract Thursday over its asking price.
“I didn’t realize that a pile of rocks with a roof on it would be so appealing,” Anderson joked. “It is an iconic little place. It’s such a unicorn. You don’t see these stone houses.”
Anderson received at least 50 inquiries from interested buyers in the last week, he estimated. Many had stories and personal connections to the home, he said. One of them told the agent she had dreamed of owning the home since she was a child.
Much of the home’s appeal is in its history. The house, which has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, was built in 1928. The interior hasn’t changed much in that time. While the home still has its original fireplaces and hardwood floors, some of the old stonework needs to be pointed. There is also rotted wood around the windows that needs to be replaced.
“It’s a great renovation project for someone,” Anderson said.
Those upgrades posed too much of a challenge for the stone house’s aging owner, Anderson said. She decided to sell the home. The prospective buyer is a man from South Carolina who bought the property “sight unseen” with plans to renovate it and live there year-round.
“There were people who inquired locally, but they just couldn’t compete,” Anderson said. “I hope this guy does what he says he’s going to do with it, because I would think a lot of people will be glad to see it revived.”
