Historic Tudor-Style Cottage!
Price: $70,000
Location: Washington, NC
Contact: Maggie Gregg, Preservation North Carolina, 252-689-6678
The History: Just two blocks from the Pamlico River, this Tudor-style cottage was built in 1930 by Henry Clay Carter III, son of a physician, and his wife, Marjorie Hoyt Carter, daughter of the city’s leading clothier. This seaport’s bustling maritime activity may have been what attracted the Carters, who moved from New York in the early 1900s. While the river still draws residents, visitors, and business owners alike, the house, located downtown, has fallen into disrepair.
Shown: A short walk to the riverbank, the three-bedroom, two-bath Tudor-style cottage has 1,852 square feet of living space, a storybook roofline, and vintage brick veneer.
Colonial Mantel
Why Save It? The house is a contributing building to the town’s registered historic district, a collection of antebellum through early-20th-century structures. But after several devastating fires and some recent demolition in the district, it is the last of its type to survive, and Preservation North Carolina is working to create a restoration plan. Plenty of original features remain, including woodwork and hardwood floors, French and paneled doors, glass doorknobs, six-over-one windows, light fixtures, and a fireplace mantel.
Shown: The large living room features original wood floors, tall baseboards, and a Colonial Revival-style mantel.
Arching Sunroom
The Tudor-style cottage was built in 1930 by Henry Clay Carter III, son of a physician, and his wife, Marjorie Hoyt Carter, daughter of the city’s leading clothier. The Carters moved from New York in the early 1900s, likely drawn by the seaport’s bustling maritime activity along the Pamlico River, just two blocks away. While the river still draws residents, visitors, and business owners alike, this house—a contributing building to the town’s registered historic district—is the last of its type to survive after several devastating fires and some recent demolition in the district.
What it needs: The structure is stable but needs all-new systems, a roof, a kitchen, and bathrooms, as well as cosmetic carpentry and plaster repairs. State tax credits are available. It is also zoned for mixed use, with additional federal tax incentives available if the new owner wants to set up shop—joining a brewery, a distillery, and an indoor farmers’ market that have opened nearby. Either way, the house is in dire need of someone willing to get it back in business.
Prospective buyers should note that the mixed-use zoning and historic district status open the door to layered financial incentives. As This Old House Magazine has reported, the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentive Program allows owners of income-producing homes listed on the National Register to take 20 percent of qualified rehabilitation costs as a tax credit. Combined with available state tax credits, a new owner who sets up a business or rental use on the property could defray a significant portion of renovation expenses. Enlisting a tax attorney or accountant to analyze which incentives apply is a smart first step before starting any work.
Shown: A side porch was converted to a sunroom in the mid-20th century, with windows and a second entry door inserted in the arched openings, but a new owner might prefer to open it back up.
Graceful Volute
Just off the entry hall, the original staircase’s handrail ends in a gracefully curved volute.
Side Porch Archway
An exterior view of the enclosed side porch’s six-panel door and the arched brickwork.
Blank Slate Kitchen
The existing kitchen is a blank slate for customization. An adjacent dining room provides space for sit-down meals.
Tudor Alcove
An alcove under the stairs mimics the curved lines of the Tudor-style cottage’s exterior architecture.
Stairs Showing Tread
The original hardwood floors and stair treads show some wear but are in good enough condition to be refinished.
For floors in this condition, sanding and refinishing can bring them back to life. On a similar restoration, the This Old House team sanded and refinished parquet floors that were “pretty beat-up” and even had to patch in inlay at the corners — but the results looked as though they’d always been there.
Side Porch Profile
Located on a .12-acre city lot, the house is next door to the public library. The district features a mix of residential homes and businesses.
Shed Needs to be Shedded
A shed addition on the rear of the home will need to be either removed or rebuilt by the new owner.
Thanks to: Maggie Gregg, Preservation North Carolina
