3 historic homes that sold for under $1 million

"An older home is not for everybody," said Jennifer Goren, of Exit Realty Island Elite in Port Jefferson Station. "An older home does settle a little bit, or might require a little bit more maintenance than a brand new home."

But local real estate agents agree that old homes on the market are still drawing eager history buffs and vintage lovers into their buyer pools, while the sellers often work hard to maintain original details and classic charm.

Goren recently sold a home in Mount Sinai that was built around 1828. "I think it attracted all the right people that it was supposed to," she said.

Here are three vintage homes that sold for below $1 million in January on Long Island.

Greenport gem with ship-like features

A three-bed, two-bath home in Greenport sold for $820,000. The taxes were listed as $4,530, and the property is in the Greenport Union Free School District.

According to building inventory records, the farmhouse was constructed around 1913. It sits within the Greenport Village Historic District on Park Street. Some standout, original features: Windows that go up and down using a pulley system that involves a chain and a counterweight, and the old-fashioned doorbell.

"The doorbell is actually an old door knob that's rigged up, with wire and chain, to a captain's bell," said William McIntosh, of Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty. He co-listed the property with Katie Schimpf. "So when you come up and turn the knob, the bell chimes two or three times as you twist it."

The house boasts a wraparound porch, which is screened-in and shaped like an L, with a rounded corner. One of the bedrooms contains an alcove built into the wall for a bed, Schimpf said.

"It kind of felt like you were in a cabin on a ship, which I thought was a cool feature," she added.

The property was originally listed at $799,000. "We put it on the market and had two open houses, and we had an accepted offer in two weeks," McIntosh said.

The previous owners lived there for more than 70 years, Schimpf said.

"The home needed renovations, but these rooms were large so your imagination could really run wild with whatever you wanted to renovate or restore," she said.

Many homebuyers are looking to restore these gems to their former glory, without actually changing too much along the way, McIntosh said.

"My advice is, don't get too far away from what it is and what you bought," he said.

Secret stairs to a hidden room

A Colonial in Patchogue sold for $605,000, with taxes listed at $9,702. Built in 1910, the house sits on a half-acre lot on South Prospect Avenue.

From its original stained glass to a hidden room, the house has plenty of character, said listing agent Margaret Nenos, of Realty Connect USA.

"There was a secret in the house," Nenos said. "There was a staircase in the primary bedroom going up to this huge, full attic with the original beams."

The seller had used it as an office, she added. "It was right in the primary bedroom, so you would think it'd be a closet."

There is also a built-in cabinet in the dining room that was original to the home, Nenos added. The house features three bedrooms and 1½ bathrooms.

It was first listed at $579,000, and the property is in the Patchogue-Medford School District.

Renovations were completed from 2018 to 2024, which included updating the kitchen, cesspool and driveway, Nenos said.

The "renaissance of Patchogue," with its vibrant restaurant, shopping and nightlife scene, has led to more Long Islanders trying to buy in the area and stay there, she added.

"The buyer pool was mostly first-time homebuyers," Nenos said. And while historic homes may require extra attention, she added, "you just have to maintain it, and treat it with respect."

200 years of Mount Sinai history

The John Platt Hutchinson House in Mount Sinai closed for $720,000, with taxes listed as $12,359. The property is in the Mount Sinai School District.

Built around 1828, the house contains three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The house sits on a 0.83-acre lot, against a preserve of 60 acres.

Goren helped the previous owners buy and later sell this house, located on Shore Road.

"The homeowners did a beautiful job restoring the original molding and beams, and there's this gorgeous hand-carved wood railing going up the stairs," Goren said. "And they rebuilt the staircase going to the upper level, and it's not too modern, so it matches."

The sellers did some renovations from 2021 to 2023, which included updating the bathrooms, adding oak flooring to the third level, installing heated floors and expanding the driveway. The house was originally listed for $650,000.

"They put a lot of work into it," Goren said.

The first owner, John Platt Hutchinson, is believed to have been "involved in shipbuilding and philanthropic endeavors," Goren said.  

Additionally, a scrapbook has been passed down from owner to owner of old newspaper clippings left in the home that might date back to the 1930s, Goren said. It is believed to belong to previous homeowners who were performers, and kept photographs and old advertisements of their shows in a collection for the home's next family.

While showing the house to potential buyers, she flaunted its vintage details.

"Some of the things I loved to point out during the showings: First, there's the original millwork. They kept the original bedroom doors with the hardware, and I loved pointing out the crystal doorknobs," she said. "I have a very special place in my heart for this home."

By Rachel Weiss

rachel.weiss@newsday.com@RachMWeiss

Rachel Weiss joined Newsday in 2016. As a real estate/living multimedia reporter, Rachel writes feature stories and contributes to and appears in on-camera video packages. She was the lead reporter on Newsday’s LI Acts of Kindness series.