Maine woman devises very unusual method to try and sell historic fixer-upper home for modest price

A woman has listed her 120-year-old house for sale on Facebook Marketplace for $100,000 in hopes of reaching more potential buyers.

Owner Rebekah Peterson lovingly refers to the four-bedroom, two-bathroom home in Lincoln, Maine, as 'the Lady' and insists it is structurally sound despite its dilapidated façade.

The house, likely built in 1905, sits on about a half-acre of land with a barn behind it and includes original wood floors, staircase, and trim. The electrical system is intact, and the pipes are winterized.

'You cannot buy the lumber this house is made of anymore,' Peterson told Bangor Daily News. 'It'd probably cost $1 million to build this house today.' 

Despite its charming original features, the property requires substantial renovations. The slate roof leaks, one wall exhibits water damage, the exterior needs repainting, and several windows are broken.

Although Peterson has received over 50 inquiries within two days of listing the house on Facebook, no formal offers have materialized. 

Peterson chose to list the home on the social media outlet due to its broad reach which can attract a buyer passionate about restoration and willing to invest in the property's potential.

The homeowner acquired The Lady in a 2016 auction and shared it with her children until 2022.

After divorcing her husband, she retained ownership but said she lacks the resources for necessary renovations.

Having never sold a house before, Peterson turned to Facebook Marketplace to connect with potential buyers who value historic homes. She also said listing her house on Facebook gives her the power to hand-pick a buyer who will appreciate and restore the property.

'I want to see something wonderful happen to this house,' Peterson said. 'It deserves to be cherished, loved and brought back to life, and I want it to go to someone who will do that. I wasn't able to do that, but this is my chance to honor this monument of a home.'

Peterson initially was open to offers made by the public, but when an interested party offered $8,000 and other parties wanted to know what she was willing to sell it for, she settled on $100,000.

While she realizes her offer is higher than what most people can afford in her small northern Maine town, especially given how much work the house needs, she hopes the right person will recognize just how special the house.

'The right person will see what I see and agree that it's absolutely worth $100,000,' Peterson said.

But since setting the price to $100,000,, she has yet to receive a formal offer.

The homeowner is currently living in a rental and hopes the money she makes from selling the Lady will afford her the opportunity to purchase the house she's in now.

Peterson said if the house wasn't located in Northern Maine, it would fly off the market for more than her price offer, disrepairs and all. 

Lincoln County, Maine is estimated to have a population of 36,729. The average annual household income was around $41,000, and quarter of the homes in were valued between $100,000 to $149,999, per the most recent US census