Hidden Gem, Garage, Historic, Finished Basement, Income Potential
1940 Chilton Four-Bedroom with Exposed Brick and Big Garage — $149,900
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 | 1940 build, hardwood floors, exposed brick, 4BR, 2.5-car garage, deep lot |
| Condition | 25% | 5 | AS-IS, vacant rental history, bathroom incomplete; cosmetic work plus unknown systems |
| Price / Sq Ft | 15% | 9 | Listing $104/sqft vs zip median $295/sqft (65% below; thin 5-comp data but directional signal is strong) |
| Price vs. Market | 5% | 9 | $149,900 vs $321,261 median — 53% below zip median; zip median likely skewed by larger/newer homes |
| Market Conditions | 5% | 6 | DOM 61 days, sale-to-list 99.4%, price drops 37.4% — mixed; price drops favor buyer |
The seller's own estimated value on this one is $172,500. The asking price is $149,900. That gap is where the conversation starts.
The house is an 84-year-old two-story on Wall Street in Chilton, four bedrooms, one bath, 1,448 square feet. The hardwood floors are original. The living room has an exposed brick wall, which in a house like this gives the main room something to anchor it. These are the kinds of details that cost real money to add to a house that doesn't have them and feel hollow when they're replicated. Here they're just part of the place.
The bathroom is unfinished. The listing says it needs a vanity to complete it, which sounds minor but puts the house firmly in the camp of properties that require work before they're fully livable. It's been a rental, it's been sitting vacant, and the seller is moving it as-is. That means the systems, whatever state they're in, transfer with the sale. You'd want eyes on the furnace, the electrical, the roof before you commit. The condition score here is the honest part of this deal.
What you get for absorbing that risk: four bedrooms in Wisconsin under $150K, a 2.5-car garage on a deep lot, and a house with actual character in its bones. The price per square foot comes in around $104. The zip median runs closer to $295. Even accounting for the condition discount and the thin comparable data, the directional signal is hard to ignore.
The garage alone has real utility. If you want storage, a workshop, or just somewhere to park two cars and still have room to move around, this delivers. The deep backyard gives you room, which matters if you're a family or a gardener or just someone who wants some separation.
This went on the market and sat 61 days, which in a market where most things close near asking price suggests buyers are pausing on the condition question. That pause is the price of entry. If the inspection comes back manageable, $149,900 is a strong starting position.