Driving slightly off my usual route, I spotted this dignified 114-year-old Fairmount Craftsman and knew I had to write it up because Fairmount listings are scarce, right?
Wrong.
Upon investigation, I found no fewer than 17 active listings in this cherished Fort Worth neighborhood. But prices are through the roof, right? Not exactly. True, gone are the not-so-long-ago days when a Fairmount fixer-upper could be had for less than $300,000 with a median price now north of $550,000. However, I noticed something interesting. Of the 17 properties on the market, 12 have had price reductions, including this house at 1800 Hurley Avenue — down $20,000 from its original listing price last month.
Nevertheless, I’m not calling it a trend. I think this is more about a market on the move, in search of accurate pricing.
A Fabulous Fairmount Craftsman
Set on three lots on the corner of Hurley Avenue and Park Place, the four-bedroom, two-and-one-half-bath house is large by Fairmount standards clocking in at 2,636 square feet. The house retains most of its 1908 vintage details such as the impressive original front door framed by decorative art glass side lights and transom windows. The front vestibule gives access to the living room at the left and the imposing staircase with landing windows.
The living room, or should I say parlor, is anchored by the original millwork chimney piece. Original oak floors run throughout the residence. The ground floor includes a formal dining room and a secondary living room.
The kitchen. Yes. Well, this isn’t the completely renovated and updated Fairmount Craftsman we’ve been accustomed to seeing lately. An obvious partial kitchen solution would be to reconfigure the cooking arrangement, replacing the cooktop and double oven with a 48″ dual fuel range.
The kitchen isn’t the only place in the house that’s a bit rough around the edges. However, there is some good news. Most of the unseen and unsexy infrastructure has been replaced including the underhouse plumbing, water heater, and HVAC system.
The bedrooms upstairs are generous in scale. Both full baths are located on the second floor including a recently renovated one and a vintage bath with a claw-footed tub.
The house has what the listing describes two-and-one-half-car garage. Another fillip is a recently installed irrigation system. Curiosity will entice me to attend the open house on Saturday afternoon, August 26, from 1 to 3 p.m.
Angela Lawliss of Keller Williams Realty has priced 1800 Hurley Avenue at $599,000.
