Pontiac home that went viral for $1 listing goes through renovations, sells for $140,000

Remember the two-bedroom house in Pontiac that was listed for sale at $1, touted as the world’s cheapest home, and gained viral attention after being showcased on Zillow Gone Wild?

Well, the attention-grabbing marketing strategy paid off for listing agent Christopher Hubel from Good Company Realty in Royal Oak. He successfully sold the vacant property, which had been sitting idle for several years, for $52,000 last August.

Following a complete renovation and expansion, the property at 70 E. Ypsilanti Ave. in Pontiac listed at $140,000 on March 6 and received a surge of interest. The property changed to pending status on March 11, just seven months after its purchase.

There were multiple offers the first couple of days, according to Hubel.

“We accepted an offer that was over asking price,” Hubel said. “It’s roughly 5% over asking price.”

“It'll set a new high for comps in that neighborhood,” he remarked.

The original description of the house in the listing last August offered a playful perspective on its condition: “The roof might have seen better days, but hey, it's not leaking yet — it's just keeping you on your toes, providing an unexpected shower of excitement when you least expect it,” reported by the Detroit Free Press.

The latest listing maintains its playful tone, describing the property as “Nestled on a humble crawl space; makeover so thorough, you’d think it was witness protection for houses.”

According to public records, the house, initially a 2-bedroom structure spanning 724-square feet, has now been expanded to 960-square feet and features three bedrooms.

Renovations at the house include a comprehensive overhaul, comprising of a new roof, new vinyl siding, new windows, exterior paint on the foundation, new plumbing, new electrical, new furnace, new hot water heater, new flooring, new bathroom, new kitchen, and new light fixtures, Hubel confirmed.

Brendel Hightower is an assistant editor at the Detroit Free Press. Contact her at bhightower@freepress.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe to the Detroit Free Press.