Going for $250,000
These three homes offer possibilities for first-time home buyers.
$249,900
261 West Street, Randolph
Square footage 1,401
Lot size 23,800 square feet
Bedrooms 4
Baths 1 full
2009 taxes $3,309
Last sold for $25,000 in 1974
PROS This cute Colonial with a large manicured lawn and newer roof, siding, and furnace has lots of potential. The first floor needs minor updating but has a good layout, with living and dining rooms open to each other, a large office, and a kitchen big enough to comfortably fit a table for six. Bonuses include a nonworking fireplace in the living room that could be brought back to life, a full bath that could be reworked to double as a laundry room, a porch, and a detached garage. CONS The second floor should be reconfigured to include a bathroom. CONTACT Kim Curtin, Todd A. Sandler Realtors, Randolph, 781-799-6979, toddsandler.com
$250,000
29 Sutton Street, Peabody
Square footage 1,757
Lot size 11,761 square feet
Bedrooms 3
Baths 1 full
2009 taxes $3,730
Last sold for $6,500 in 1949 (estimated)
PROS With a little work, this 100-year-old home could be a gem, with its wraparound porch, period details, built-ins, and unfinished walk-up attic. The kitchen is huge, allowing space for a half bath where the pantry is now, a washer and dryer, and still plenty of cabinetry. The double parlor and other downstairs rooms are all generously sized. Upstairs, three spacious bedrooms share a time-capsule hall bath, with original black-and-white tiles in excellent condition. There's a brick grill in the big, flat yard. CONS The house does need cosmetic fixes. CONTACT Jeffrey Carter, Century 21 North Shore, Salem, 978-836-6562, c21northshore.com
$250,000
150 Beech Street, Lowell
Square footage 1,761
Lot size 6,763 square feet
Bedrooms 3
Baths 1 full, 1 three-quarter
2009 taxes $2,721
Last sold for $352,000 in 2007
PROS This 1955 bungalow has had many updates and includes some surprises, including a bathroom with a bidet and a large yard with stone walls in front and a patio in the fenced back. The main floor has a large, fireplaced living room and two big bedrooms, one of which could be made smaller to add a dining room. The former kitchen is now an office with sun porch, and the lower floor, a walk-out finished basement, contains a three-quarter bath, laundry room, and kitchen with L-shaped breakfast bar. CONS The layout is a bit unusual. CONTACT William Bonnell, Exit Professional Realty, Haverhill, 978-388-3353, exitrealty.com 