Looking for a house? This one is free.
If you can move this house, it’s yours, says the Blue Hill Public Library. Photo by Tricia Thomas.
By Tricia Thomas
Looking for a house? The Blue Hill Public Library has one for you, ready to go.
The library is offering a home it owns at 13 Parker Point Road for free to anyone who’s interested in relocating it. Moving the one-story Cape Cod will allow the library to begin work on an expansion of its parking lot and outdoor space. Those interested in moving it only need to cover the cost of its relocation, said library director Rich Boulet.
“It’s a great house,” Boulet said during a recent tour. Situated on a half-acre lot next door to the library, the circa-1960s house has two bedrooms, a full bath, a brick fireplace and a large, eat-in kitchen. Appliances in the house, including a refrigerator, dishwasher and washer and dryer, also could be included in the deal, Boulet said.
“There’s a lot of value here for someone who’s interested, particularly when we have a housing shortage here on the peninsula,” he said.
The library purchased the property in 2021, and has since been renting it out while deciding how best to use it.
“In 2024, following a strategic planning update, the board and staff determined that the best use of the property for the library was to expand the outdoor space for library programs and services and to relocate the residence,” the library states on a webpage devoted to the potential relocation. “The board of directors considered renovating the house for library use but determined that it would not be feasible to do.”
Boulet estimated that it would cost $35,000 to demolish the house. While the library already will need to pay about $15,000 to $18,000 to demolish and remove the basement, money saved from not demolishing the house itself can be put toward planned improvements there, including more parking spaces and green space.
The appliances come with the deal. Photo by Tricia Thomas.
According to library board member and local real estate agent Jill Knowles, 10 homes of similar size to the 13 Parker Point Road property have sold in Blue Hill in the past year. Of those, the average price per square foot of these 10 sales was $280, and the average sale price was $325,461, Knowles said.
Boulet said that he’s received “a couple of nibbles” of interest in the home, but no takers as of yet. Since a renter moved out earlier this fall, the house is ready for tours, Boulet said. If the library receives multiple offers, first priority will be given to those who will use the house as a primary residence, Boulet said.
“We’ve tried to prioritize somebody who would use it on a year-round basis, not as a seasonal home or as an Airbnb. Having said that…we won’t rule out other uses,” he said.
Boulet hopes to have the house moved by next April. Until then, the library will winterize and continue to pay property taxes on it while moving forward with more detailed plans for the campus expansion.
Those interested in touring the home can contact Boulet at the library, he said. Additional information, including interior and exterior photos and conditions of the offer, is available at https://www.bhpl.net/library-house-available/.
“I think it’s a cool house,” Boulet said, looking around the expansive living room. “If I needed a house, I would be happy to live here.”
The house boasts a working fireplace. Photo by Tricia Thomas.
