Midpriced Missionary Ridge homes offer prestige of the historic neighborhood

photo A home is show on Missionary Ridge, where residents are preparing for the 150th anniversary of the Civil War battle on the ridge in 2013.

Homes for sale on historic Missionary Ridge start at $2.9 million and date to the late 18th century.

As homes on the site of the Civil War battlefield go, three midrange buys are just babies, compared to existing homes there that date to 1883. But they offer the cachet of the neighborhood as well as a variety of styles and amenities for those who want to move to the area in time for the 150th anniversary of the battle in 2013.

The dwellings, each of which has four bedrooms and at least three bathrooms, include a 1949 brick-and-stone colonial, a 1973 stone-and-cedar rancher and a 2012 brick-and-vinyl siding cottage with Craftsman features.

They range from $300,000 to $349,500 and from 2,774 square feet to 4,430 square feet.

Two of the homes on Crest Road will require updating by most people who buy them, according to Realtor Steven Sharpe, who is not the listing agent for any of the homes. The third, on the eastern slope of the Ridge, offers good space, "but you have to figure what you want to do with it," he said.


Price: $349,500.

Address: 14 N. Crest Road.

Schools: East Ridge Elementary, East Ridge Middle, East Ridge High.

Size: 4,430 square feet.

Bedrooms: 4.

Bathrooms: 3 1/2.

Lot size: 120 feet by 462 feet.

Description: The home needs some serious updating but offers lots of space, lots of handy storage (such as dining room and closet built-ins), entrances from two streets, plenty of parking and a pool. A few of the home's amenities include wide main-floor hall and wide stairway, a gas fireplace, rear deck, wet bars upstairs and down and a master-bedroom bidet. The home affords a winter view of downtown.

Sharpe: "It was a great house in the '70s when it was built. [Now] you've got to update. If [a more modern home] is your personality, it's a great fit. It has good-sized bedrooms [and] good recreation space."


Price: $348,900.

Address: Merrydale Drive at Brownwood Drive.

Schools: Hardy Elementary, Dalewood Middle, Brainerd High.

Size: 2,800 square feet.

Bedrooms: 4.

Bathrooms: 3.

Lot size: 170 feet by 239 feet.

Description: New construction home is on the east side of the Ridge but still within the Missionary Ridge Neighborhood Association. Open great room with gas fireplace flows into kitchen and breakfast nook on main floor. Split-bedroom plan features two-bedroom, one-bath suite at front of house, tray-ceiling master off great room and additional bedroom on second floor. Additional large second-floor space could be playroom, recreation space or home office.

Sharpe: "It sits well on the lot." ... Features such as crown molding and wide baseboard molding are "replicating the charm of other houses in the neighborhood. ... Nice-sized [rear] deck."


Price: $300,000.

Address: 254 N. Crest Road.

Schools: Hardy Elementary, Dalewood Middle, Brainerd High.

Size: 2,774 square feet.

Bedrooms: 4.

Bathrooms: 3.

Lot size: Not available.

Description: Soundly built home has been in the King family of Moore & King Pharmacy since 1949. All-original kitchen, with built-in breakfast nook and top-loading dishwasher, is either a retro lover's dream or will require updating. Crystal doorknobs with skeleton-key locks throughout. Even two buzzers for calling domestic help remain. Wooden panel doors, two tiled porches, hardwood floors, crown molding and swinging kitchen doors add to the original custom look. Two-entrance driveway affords parking for many cars. Property is eight lots, including four across Crest Road, and almost five acres total.

Listing agent Susan Jensen: "Homes were [just] built better then."

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