A famed home in Boston’s North End has sold for $1.25 million despite its notably small stature.
While the neighbourhood features some of the US city’s oldest buildings and a number of historic sites, it’s the unique shape of the newly sold house that’s always been its main attraction.
The four-storey home was built in 1862, according to a plaque on the facade, and is about 108.3 square metres (1,165 square feet) – even though it is about three metres wide at its widest point and narrows in the back to about 2.81 metres.
Nicknamed the “Skinny House", the narrow property has two bedrooms, one bathroom and includes a private deck with views of Boston Harbour. However, it does not have a front door and residents need to enter the house through a door on the side.
It’s also famed as many tourists pass it as part of Boston's Freedom Trail, a four-kilometre path that stops at more than a dozen historic sites, including Copp’s Hill Burying Ground, a historic cemetery located directly across from the house.
In addition to its small size, the quirky home is also known as the “Spite House,” according to its plaque.
Local lore claims that two brothers inherited some land. When one of them joined the army, the other built a large house that took up most of that land. When the other returned, he built the Skinny House to block the brother’s view and sunlight.
After receiving several offers, the house was sold to a family of four after it was first listed on August 10, said Carmela Laurella, president of CL Properties, which sold the property. The deal was finalised on Thursday for $50,000 above the original asking price.
"It's certainly unique," said Travis Sachs, executive vice president at CL Properties. "There's nothing else like it that we have here. It's really a landmark in Boston."
The home last sold for $900,000 in 2017.
