In a national real estate climate where finding a single-family home on multi-acre acreage under $50,000 feels like an artifact of the distant past, encountering a 5-acre property with a standing residential structure priced at just $32,400 creates an immediate stir. Located at 6843 County Road 20, Friendship, NY 14739, this Allegany County estate property represents an ultra-low-cost opportunity for risk-tolerant contractors, house flippers, land-speculators, and extreme sweat-equity rehabbers.
Offering a 1,441-square-foot two-story structure situated on 5 acres across two pre-surveyed parcels, this 1900-built home is set against the scenic backdrop of VanCampen Creek. Featuring roughly 241 feet of natural water frontage, a durable metal roof, and close proximity to local town amenities, it packs undeniable raw land and structural potential.
However, when evaluating a property that has been abandoned for a extended duration carrying explicit safety warnings regarding collapsing porches, unverified utilities, and a partial dirt basement prospective buyers must look past the microscopic price tag to weigh the true rehabilitation liabilities. Let us dive deep into the property specifications, evaluate the unique pros and cons, break down the historical pricing shifts, and give you a definitive verdict on whether you should pursue this property.
Property Specifications at a Glance
Before examining the structural condition and land nuances, let us review the core data provided in the listing:
| Metric / Feature | Property Details |
| Listing Price | $32,400 (Priced at an extreme $22 per square foot) |
| Location | 6843 County Road 20, Friendship, NY 14739 |
| Total Lot Size | 5.00 Acres (2 Surveyed Parcels: 402 x 691 Irregular Lot) |
| Livable Footprint | 1,441 Sq. Ft. (Two-Story Historic Architecture) |
| Bedrooms / Bathrooms | 4 Bedrooms / 0 Functional Bathrooms (Formerly 1.5 Baths) |
| Year Built | 1900 (Historic Frame Construction) |
| Foundation / Roof | Stone Foundation with Partial Dirt Floor / Metal Roof Shell |
| HVAC & Heating | Forced Air Gas (Unverified Condition / Long-Term Vacant) |
| Waterfront Features | 241 Ft. Water Frontage on VanCampen Creek (River/Stream Access) |
| Water / Sewer Utilities | Private Well Water and On-Site Septic Tank (Functionality Un-Guaranteed) |
| Garage & Parking | Detached 1-Car Garage with Dirt Driveway |
| Annual Property Taxes | $1,424 (Based on a $35,200 Tax Assessment) |
| Special Sale Conditions | Estate Sale / Strictly “As-Is” / Rehab or Cash Financing Only |
The Pros: Why This Ultra-Low-Cost Acreage is a High-Equity Catch
For buyers armed with specialized rehabilitation crews, cash liquidity, and a desire for natural water assets, this Friendship parcel delivers remarkable entry-level value drivers.
1. Incomparable 5-Acre Waterfront Land Asset
The primary financial anchor of this listing rests entirely in the earth and water boundaries rather than the distressed building frame:
- Two Pre-Surveyed Parcels Included: The sale includes two distinct, pre-surveyed tax parcels (Parcels 02500018300500010120000000 and 02500018200000010210210000). Having two surveyed lots already recognized by the county provides future flexibility to divide, sell off a parcel, or build a secondary structure without paying thousands of dollars in land survey fees.
- 241 Feet of Creek Frontage: The acreage spans over 241 feet of direct, uninterrupted frontage across VanCampen Creek. This creates a built-in outdoor recreation hub for kayaking, fishing, or establishing a streamside camping zone right in your own backyard.
- Sub-Microscopic Per-Acre Price: At $32,400 for 5 acres, you are acquiring deeded waterfront land at roughly $6,480 per acre while getting a 1,441 sq. ft. framed structure, a detached garage, and utility drops completely bundled into the purchase price.
2. Intact Metal Roof and Solid Structural Framing
While the interior requires an absolute overhaul, the home possesses key structural baseline assets that prevent immediate weather erosion:
- Durable Metal Roof Shell: The home is equipped with a standing metal roof that shows no active leaks according to the listing. On a long-vacant property, a sound metal roof is a massive asset because it protects the underlying timber framing from internal water rot, ceiling collapse, and structural decay.
- Framed 1,441 Sq. Ft. Footprint: Rebuilding a 1,441-square-foot two-story frame from scratch in modern construction markets easily exceeds $150,000 to $200,000 in raw lumber and labor. Having the standing frame, subfloors, and metal roof already in place saves a flipper significant structural framing capital.
3. Extremely Low Holding Overhead
- Low Annual Tax Baseline: Annual property taxes sit at an unbelievably low $1,424 per year (roughly $118 per month) based on the official tax assessment of $35,200. With no Homeowners Association (HOA) fees or municipal encumbrances, the ongoing carrying cost to hold this asset while conducting a phased gut-rehab is virtually non-existent.
The Cons: The Harsh Realities of an Abandoned Estate Fixer
A disciplined real estate analysis requires looking past the $32,400 price tag to evaluate the severe environmental hazards, unverified mechanical infrastructure, and safety warnings explicitly detailed in the listing.
1. Severe Structural Safety Hazards and Abandonment
This property carries explicit physical safety warnings that highlight its advanced state of neglect:
- Unsafe Front Porch Warning: The listing explicitly cautions prospective buyers: “Please DO NOT try to use the front porch as it is not safe currently, and steps to back porch can be very slippery from moss and mold.” This points to structural joist rot on exterior decking that must be demolished and rebuilt immediately upon taking ownership.
- Long-Term Vacancy Impact: The home has been completely abandoned for an extended period. Unoccupied homes in Western New York endure severe freeze-thaw cycles that can cause subterranean pipe bursts, foundation shifting, and unseen mold blooms within interior wall cavities.
2. Zero Guarantee on Critical Utilities
Because the property is being sold as an estate under “As-Is” terms, the seller explicitly refuses to guarantee any utility functionality:
- Unverified Septic & Well Systems: The seller makes zero guarantees regarding the working status of the private well water, septic tank, furnace, or water heater. A buyer must budget under the assumption that the septic tank may require total replacement or leech-field excavation to meet modern Allegany County health codes.
- 1900s Stone Foundation with Dirt Floor: The basement features an original stone foundation with a partial dirt floor. Stone foundations of this era require continuous monitoring for water infiltration, mortar crumbling, and winter frost-heaving. Converting this space into a dry, modern utility basement will require sump pump installation and vapor barrier seals.
3. Missing Bathrooms and Total Interior Gut Required
- Zero Functional Bathrooms: Although originally configured as a 4-to-5 bedroom, 1.5 bathroom layout, the listing now formally rates the property at 0 functional bathrooms. The interior must be stripped down to the studs, re-plumbed from the main lines up, and completely re-wired to replace aging electrical panels.
Price History & Local Market Value Analytics
Analyzing the historical pricing arc of 6843 County Road 20 reveals a dramatic shift in seller strategy aimed at executing a rapid liquidation:
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| HISTORICAL PRICING TRAJECTORY |
+--------------------------+---------------+------------------------------+
| Date Event | Price | Price/Sq.Ft. |
+--------------------------+---------------+------------------------------+
| October 2023 Listed | $80,000 | $56/sqft |
| January 2024 Relisted | $75,000 | $52/sqft |
| May 2024 Relisted | $65,000 | $45/sqft |
| July 12, 2026 Relisted | $32,400 | $22/sqft (-50.2% Price Drop) |
| July 20, 2026 Status | PENDING SALE | $22/sqft (After 8 Days) |
+--------------------------+---------------+------------------------------+
Key Market Observations:
- Aggressive Liquidation Discount: The estate originally attempted to sell the home between late 2023 and mid-2024 for prices ranging from $65,000 to $80,000. Realizing that traditional buyers were turned off by the gut-rehab scope, the estate relisted the asset on July 12, 2026, for a deeply slashed price of $32,400 representing a massive 50.2% price cut from its 2024 listing line.
- Rapid Market Response: Driven by the sub-$35,000 entry point and the 5 acres of VanCampen Creek frontage, the property went under contract (Pending Sale) on July 20, 2026 just 8 days after hitting the market. This swift action proves that cash investors recognized the intrinsic land and shell value.
Final Verdict: Should You Pursue This Property?
The definitive answer is: Yes, this is an exceptional, high-margin land and structural speculation play, provided you treat it as a complete down-to-the-studs reconstruction project.
Who should WALK AWAY:
If you are a traditional buyer seeking a livable home with standard mortgage financing (FHA, VA, or USDA), skip this property completely. Banks will not finance a home with zero working bathrooms, a collapsing front porch, an unverified septic system, and a partial dirt basement. Furthermore, if you do not have $40,000 to $60,000 in liquid capital reserves to execute a total gut renovation, the physical scope will overwhelm you.
Who should BUY THIS (or submit backup cash offers):
If you are a licensed contractor, a seasoned house flipper, a land investor looking for cheap creek-front acreage, or a buyer seeking a long-term RV/glamping park site with two pre-surveyed parcels, you should jump on this listing immediately if the current pending sale fails to close. The non-leaking metal roof, 241 feet of VanCampen Creek frontage, $1,424 annual tax baseline, and two separate surveyed parcels establish a massive financial safety cushion.
Suggested Backup Strategy:
Because the property is currently marked as Pending Sale as of July 20, 2026, interested investors should immediately contact the listing agent to place a formal cash backup offer at the full asking price of $32,400 (or slightly above at $35,000). Buyers who place pending offers on distressed estate properties occasionally back out during their initial inspection window after realizing the true cost of septic and porch replacement. Position your cash backup offer with zero inspection contingencies to step into the primary buyer position if the current contract falls through.
Listed on Zillow