This week’s Amish home comes from Wisconsin. It is a 3-bedroom and 1-bathroom home of about 1600 square feet, sitting on almost 3 acres of land. It last sold for just $45,000 in 2018. This is in Waushara County, in central WI.
This place is pleasant-ish inside, but I will not pretend that this is the most beautiful Amish home I’ve ever seen. You can see it is unfinished in places, and is an awkward fusion of more than one structure. But this gives you an idea of the variation in real estate prices – and wealth level – across Amish communities. On the other extreme, in Lancaster County I think $45,000 might get you a tool shed on a half-acre in one of the county’s back corners.
There’s not a lot of details on the realtor.com listing so I’ve had to pull some info from other sources. I had a bit of trouble piecing it together, but it looks like the home is an odd combination of this older-looking grey home and the newer addition (visible in above photos but not below):
The newer part actually looks more like a workshop or garage. There is also this red barn as well as some other buildings:
A chicken log cabin coop?
You can see there is not much fancy about this home.The decor and some of the furniture has a dated appearance. For example in the kitchen:
This is not as plain a group as some we’ve been seeing lately, as they have plumbing, and use the SMV triangle on the buggy. Sections of the home interior resembles a mobile home, going by the wall materials and the low ceilings. Some Amish do live in mobile homes/trailers.
There are oil lamps and other Amish notes including the hickory rocker. Children’s bunk beds in the living room suggest this family really outgrew the place:
The stove appears a bit odd in this setting and sort of dominates the space of this low-ceilinged room:
Bedroom, or at least a piece of it:
A child’s room in what looks to be an attic space:
Bathroom:
Looks like an enclosed porch.
Washing machine:
Back outside, the buggy shack and fishing boat:
Finally, a wide view of the property taking in both barn and home:
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Another bargain for a starter-home or a bachelor’s project. One detached house could be made into a guest cabin. The land alone should be worth a negotiation on the prize. Plenty of smaller buildings for various farm animals and nice green grass. I wonder if Realtors are embarrassed to show this property, and some families would be embarrassed to call this home.
I think with some interior updating it would be a pretty nice place. I’m not a fan of the wall materials or cabinets for example. But home sweet home applies and to each his own. The main takeaway I had here is that this might be a good example suggesting the variance in prosperity among the Amish. There are some very wealthy Amish people (usually business people in larger settlements) and there are a lot of smaller settlements which tend to be relatively poorer. This could also be the home of a young couple (my guess) and people are usually in lower wealth categories earlier in life.
Eric, it always amazes me how the very young Amish boys must find a wife to be considered a man, then immediately become the main provider, pay for a starter home and start a family. I can only imagine how difficult this must be, unless the young Amish man goes into the English world for employment and stays in the Amish world at home. All my respect to the owner of this property. I’m sure he is doing the best he can with what he was taught by his father, the Ordnung, and his education. I think it is a blessing if the son can apprentice at his father (father in law) business, as did Jacob to earn the right to wed Rachel.
And the young wife must have complete trust in her husband, and meekness when things are not as she has hoped. In the Amish Romance Novel’s: Submission to God always triumphs over earthly love and earthly love always triumphs over material things. I thing that makes the Amish very fascinating!
Correction
* oops, I think … my apologies.
Hi there! Is it still for sale? I am looking for small amish home but some of them sold.
Home sweet home
I’d rather own it as my home than live in a picture perfect rental. Just sayin. That cookstove looks like the formidable black locomotive of a stove where my Mother baked all our bread. Many a winter dsy I warmed my feet on the open oven door. The buildings all look nice and straight but for that leaning shed. I wouldn’t park a good buggy in there till I shored it up. It’s grey all right, matching the typical Wisconsin sky.
Geo, I agree with you. Home ownership warms the heart more than a rental. I was just trying to say that the necessary home repairs might be a bit overwhelming for some husbands. Some wives measure the worth of the man by what he can afford and provide. While other wives love their husband regardless if the family is rich or poor.
Very Fascinated by the Amish life style
Looks like a nice simple Amish home God Bless them. I am sure they are happy.
Very Fascinated by the Amish life style
Not everyone needs a million dollar home.
I agree Robert, the Amish are excellent about living on a budget without credit cards or government assistance while caring for their community. My grandmother shared the work planting, weeding and harvesting a large “community” veggie garden and her homemade spaghetti sauce was the best!
Inside A $45,000 Amish Home
Sure wouldn’t want to sleep or spend much time in that attic bedroom; especially in summer—even in Wisconsin!
Attic bedroom
My childhood bedroom was in the attic similar to the picture, however our home had very good central AC and heater. These were happy years for me although our family lived far from relatives, yet we were able to visit about 1-2 times per year. I wonder if Amish Carpenter’s use the best rated insulation for their homes, otherwise, the child would have to content with extreme temperatures, especially in the winter. The house seems small enough for the large iron stove to warm it quickly.
Small Amish Home
I’d have taken that attic room when I was a kid. I lived with my older brother, my mother and father in a one bedroom apartment; all of 700 square feet. I slept on the living room sofa – not a sofa-bed, a plain old sofa – until I was 18 years old. My brother slept in luxury, a folding cot with a mattress. I had a childhood buddy who slept in the attic – unheated, until the summer, and then it was too hot. But, I’d have given my left arm to sleep in a real bed in any room or even a basement. That $45 grand house, other buildings and land mean the world to that young couple and they’ll fix it up for a large family one day. Good luck to them.
Move next to Amish
I am interested in moving next to the Amish. They are peaceful and loving people. Would like to rent or buy a home in their community. I am not Amish but love the way they live. Please let me know how I can obtain a home.
Lela Kirby