Finally, some affordable real estate in New York — only, you’ll get what you pay for.
An abandoned house in New York with a long family history is on sale for only $2,000.
Located in Syracuse, the city took ownership of the home after it was left abandoned for years.
Photos taken by David Haas and posted to the Instagram account “SyracuseHistory” show early snaps of the home that date back to 1959.
“The land bank’s mission is to return tax-delinquent properties to productive use,” Haas told The Post. “Typically, the process from being tax-delinquent to the point it ends up in the care of the Land Bank is a couple of years — which is how the properties deteriorate.”
Haas revealed that he had been contacted by Shirley Hojnacki, whose family had lived in the home from the 1950s to the 1970s when the property first went up for sale.
“[She] shared several older family photos with me,” Haas said. “After getting the photos, I returned to the house to line up the new/old photos.”
The home has three bedrooms and one bathroom. Courtesy of Realtor.com
Photos show before and after of the hallway entry to the kitchen. Courtesy of @syracusehistory; David Haas
The kitchen today. Courtesy of Realtor.com
Photos show the before and after of the breakfast area. Courtesy of @syracusehistory; David Haas
Photos show the before and after of the family room which leads to the formal dining room. Courtesy of @syracusehistory; David HaasSpanning 1,344 square feet, the home was built in 1910.
Records show the property was turned over to the Greater Syracuse Land Bank in November 2019.
“It isn’t always abandoned when the city receives the property — it may actually be lived in or rented and still become tax delinquent,” Haas said. “It usually takes some time to clean out the properties and prepare them for a sale.”
Hojnacki lived in the home until she got married in 1969 and moved out, according to Haas. Hojnacki’s husband was transferred out of state for work, and she left Syracuse in 1974. Her family remained in this house a few more years. She now resides in Madison, Wisconsin.
“The Land Bank prioritizes local buyers, contractors and owner occupants to take on the projects,” Haas added. “We obviously sell them for cheap due to the amount the renovation will cost.”
While not much is known about Hojnacki’s family, they had once submitted a blurb in the local newspaper about their son, Ensign Harry R. Bailey, being attached to Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 6 off Southern California.
A blurb in a local Syracuse paper. Syracuse The low price tag is due to the home having experienced significant fire and water damage, according to the listing.
But even with the damage, $2,000 still appears to be a great bargain. As expected, there is a catch.
The Land Bank revealed that any prospective buyers of the three-bedroom, one-bathroom property, located at 103 Glahn Ave., must be “owner-occupied or renovated and resold to an owner-occupant.”
In addition, renovation costs are estimated to run as high as $98,000, and the buyer “must show proof of funds in the amount of $100,000.”
Photos show the formal living area during its heyday (left) and today. Courtesy of @syracusehistory; David Haas
The formal living area. Courtesy of Realtor.com
Before and after photos of a bedroom. Courtesy of @syracusehistory; David Haas
One of three bedrooms. Courtesy of Realtor.com“Property needs work and being sold as-is without warranty or representations,” the listing notes.
And that is not all. To make an offer, it should be submitted no later than the first Tuesday of each month for consideration at the Greater Syracuse Land Bank’s Board of Directors meeting.
“This home offers lots of natural woodwork and original features,” the listing describes.
“Since 2014, they [Land Bank] have sold more than 1,130 properties. This one we hope will be the next!” Haas said.
