Character Home, Garage, Finished Basement, New Roof, Historic
1946 Hampton Two-Bed with New Roof, Garage, and Basement Bath — $139,900
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 | 1634 sqft, 2BR/2.5BA, gas fireplace, deck, detached 2-car garage, finished basement potential |
| Condition | 25% | 7 | New roof 2025 is strong; HVAC/windows unknown; partially finished basement adds value |
| Price / Sq Ft | 15% | 7 | Listing $86/sqft vs zip median $119/sqft — ~28% below median; 8 comps, directional signal |
| Price vs. Market | 5% | 4 | At $139,900 vs $147,500 median — within 6%, near market rate |
| Market Conditions | 5% | 6 | DOM 52 days, sale-to-list 95.7%, price drops 15.8% — mild buyer advantage |
The basement is what makes you stop. It already has an egress window and a 3/4 bath, which means the work of turning it into a third room, a primary suite, or a proper second living space is mostly done. You are buying the rough version of a finished lower level, not starting from scratch. For a two-bedroom house, that matters.
Built in 1946, the house sits on the southeast side of Hampton near Southside Elementary. It runs 1,634 square feet across the main floor and basement, with 2 bedrooms and 2.5 baths total. The layout is galley-style in the kitchen, which is tight but functional, and it opens into a dining area with a gas fireplace. That is a good combination in Iowa winters. Main-floor laundry is included, which saves you from hauling anything downstairs. One of the main-floor baths has a mobility-accessible tub.
The deck is 16 by 10 feet, faces west, and has a detached two-car garage behind it. The garage alone is worth attention at this price. Permanent siding, and a new roof put on in 2025. That is the kind of capital improvement you want already handled when you are buying.
At $86 per square foot, the price comes in about 28% below the zip code median. The median sale in the area is around $147,500, so $139,900 puts you close to market rate overall, but the per-square-foot number suggests you are getting more house than average for what you are paying. The market here has mild movement in a buyer's direction, with some price reductions on comparable listings and a 95.7% sale-to-list ratio.
The honest gap is HVAC and windows. Those ages are unknown, and in a house from 1946, that is a real variable. Get them inspected before you commit.
What you have here is a solid two-bedroom with a finished-enough basement to grow into, a two-car garage, and a new roof. The bones of a small family home with room to make it more.
