Hidden Gem, Fireplace, Finished Basement
2,118 sq ft Ranch Backing Jones Park, 33% Below Median — $129,000
6
out of 10
HousesUnder150K Score
Property Merit 50% · Condition 25% · Price/Sq Ft 15% · Market 10%
| Category | Wt. | Score | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property Merit | 50% | 7 | 2118 sqft ranch, gas fireplace, screened porch, park view, cul-de-sac, partial basement |
| Condition | 25% | 6 | "Ready for you" language but no system dates; 1979 build, unknown HVAC/roof age |
| Price / Sq Ft | 15% | 5 | $61/sqft listing; zip median PSF unavailable — scored neutral at 5 |
| Price vs. Market | 5% | 8 | $129K vs $192K zip median — approximately 33% below median |
| Market Conditions | 5% | 7 | 91.8% sale-to-list, 41.2% price drops, 36-day DOM — clear buyer's market |
At $61 a square foot, this is a lot of house for Emporia. The zip median sits around $192,000, and this one is priced at $129,000. That gap is wide enough to matter whether you are buying with cash, stretching a budget, or looking for room to absorb some unknowns.
The house is a ranch, built in 1979, at 2,118 square feet. Three bedrooms, two baths, and a partial basement that doubles as a storm shelter. The layout includes a family room with a gas fireplace and a kitchen the agent describes as open. The primary bedroom has its own bath and a sitting area, which in a three-bedroom ranch is a meaningful amount of private space.
The screened porch is probably the best thing about this house on a day-to-day basis. It looks out over Jones Park, and that view does not require maintenance, a mowing schedule, or any future negotiation. It is just there. A screened porch with a park view is a genuinely pleasant thing to have, and it makes the backyard feel bigger than the lot line suggests.
The house sits on a cul-de-sac, which means low traffic and, typically, neighbors who chose to be there.
Here is what the listing does not tell you: the age of the roof, the age of the HVAC, or when anything mechanical was last touched. The agent uses "ready for you" language without a single date to back it up. That is the gap you need to close before you commit. A 1979 build with no system history is not a dealbreaker, but it is a line item you should price out before you negotiate, not after.
Emporia is running a buyer's market right now. About 41 percent of listings have seen price drops, and homes are sitting for 36 days on average. That context means you have room to ask questions and make an offer that reflects what you find. At this price, even a new roof and HVAC in the same year leave you well below what comparable square footage is selling for in the zip.
