Bells Mill Road - Pine Knolls - $1,895,000

This home has been on the market for a few years now. A local builder bought these two lots at the corner of Bells Mill and Falls Road in November of 2003. They started this home well before the real estate market turned and are now stuck with it in a difficult market. The corner lot has not been developed yet, and remains filled with construction debris much to the chagrin of the neighbors.

The house itself is not bad looking. It is not quite finished, but the interior is very well appointed. Very beautiful mouldings, lovely floors and high ceilings are striking upon entry. Although the appointments are "mansion like" the interior square footage, especially on the second floor, is not very expansive. The bedrooms upstairs are decent size, but the attached baths are tiny. For the price, this home does not offer much value. The only saving grace in this home is the Master Bedroom and bath. It is very nicely designed. The bathroom has dual sinks, dual commodes and multiple walk-in closets.

To sell this home, the builder needs to take some time to clean up the adjacent lot. It is a mess, with weeds, construction materials and other debris. Why not spend the time and a few dollars to grade and hydro-seed the lot to make it much more attractive. It will be a much better reflection on the home for sale, and will also provide a much more attractive look for the lot which is also for sale.

The builders should invest in some brass house numbers to install above the front door to identify the home. Do you really think someone will consider paying almost two million dollars for a property that has the house number sloppily painted above the entry? Just a thought....

This home will sit on the market for a long time at this price. It is on a busy road next to an eyesore of a lot. If someone was to make an offer, it will be at a few hundred thousand less then list price. To be honest, even at $300,000 less, the home on Nantucket Terrace, just up the street blows this home out of the water. My instincts tell me I will be seeing this home on the market for some time to come.