Preservation doesn't always pay, though I'm glad someone took the effort here

640 Round Hill Road, a 1725 home on four acres, has been asking $2.850 and today is reported as pending. The house last sold for $3 million back in January, 2006, and underwent a complete transformation, as described by its current listing agent, David Ogilvy:

ABSOLUTELY STUNNING TOTAL RENOVATION OF ONE OF THE MOST WONDERFUL ANTIQUE FARMHOUSES ON SUPERB LEVEL PROPERTY WITH MEADOW ACROSS FROM CONSERVATION PROPERTY WITH AMAZING COUNTRY FEEL. FABULOUS WIDE BOARD FLOORS - CHARMING FIREPLACES - SUPERB NEW MASTER WING WITH CATHEDRAL CEILINGS AND TALL WINDOW WITH ELECTRIC SHADES, LARGE DRESSING ROOM & CLOSETS, PLUS STAIRS TO ATTIC. GREAT LOWER LEVEL PLAYROOM WITH FIREPLACE, BEDROOM, BATH, AND EXTERIOR ACCESS. PARTY ROOM IN BARN ADJOIN POOLHOUSE WITH BATH. RENOVATION DESIGNED BY SAM FITZGERALD AND BUILT BY JOHN DESMOND.

Those improvements included adding central air, a pool, a new kitchen and even an addition to accommodate a master bedroom. My guess is that it will be used as a weekend home, but it could certainly work as a full time residence, albeit one quite distant from town.

Interesting that David Ogilvy, not known for underpricing his listings, set this one below that $3 million 2006 price, thus writing off all the expense incurred by the owner in bringing it up to date. When even Ogilvy recognizes that the bloom is off the back country rose …. (of course, the market for antique weekend homes, way up on the NY border, has always been slim, so this one sale doesn’t define the full back country market, but it fits the trend).