Minnesota residents, if you're in the market for a free house and you've got some connections, this article might just make your day.
A woman in the Jordan/Minneapolis area is giving away her grandmother's historic home for free; but it comes with a whole lot of catches. Firstly, the owner Barbara Kochlin says, it's "godawful ugly" on the inside.
"The architecture is pretty outside, but it doesn't have Old World charm inside. It's godawful ugly with a cork backsplash, horrible wallpaper and fake brick — from some era when nobody had any taste."
Accurate description is accurate.
Secondly—and here's where things get complicated—the entire house has to be moved from it's current location. The original owner, the Kochlin's grandmother, had the house moved to its current location in 2002.
"She was in her mid-80s when she moved this house and wasn't thinking 100 percent logically at the time."
That lapse in logical thinking is perhaps why she selected that location.
There's literally no parking and the home was never hooked up to sewer or water. For those reasons, the city won't even allow Ms. Kochlin to use it for storage. It's just sitting there being beautiful and entirely useless. (We kind of feel that in our souls...)
Also, it's on the highway. Not near the highway, not convenient to a highway exit. Kochlin's grandmother selected to put the house practically where a guard rail would be.
Like ... right there.
Barbara Kochlin just doesn't have the money it would take to move the house from its current problematic location and make the necessary repairs to make the house livable, so it's been sitting vacant for about twenty years. The city would like to demolish it since it's not usable - but they are willing to allow Ms. Kochlin some time since the house has historic value.
Ms. Kochlin's grandmother may not have been thinking clearly when she moved it in her late 80's - but in her younger years she was busy making history. Her grandmother, Gail Anderson, was the town's first female mayor. She had the house built in the 1900's.
Barbara doesn't want any money for the house. She's willing to sign it over for free to someone with the funds to move it, restore it, and make use of the home her grandmother loved so much. Ms. Kochlin already has quotes prepared.
"It's gonna cost $50,000 to move it, and $150,000 to fix it up."
The city has given her 90 days to find a new owner willing to move the property. That was ten days ago. She's aware the clock is ticking, so she's trying everything she can think of to find someone willing to make it theirs. If you think that might be you, reach out to her at: breeproperties@yahoo.com
