Property Watch: A 1900 Farmhouse Estate In The Heart Of Maple City

This big yellow farmhouse in small-town Maple City (8773 South Maple City Road, $449,000) was a labor-of-love fixer-upper, completely renovated top-to-bottom in the last two years. Now, says agent-owner Nicole White, “it’s ready for the next family that will love her too.”

White — who along with her husband Bo White, originally purchased the landmark farmhouse in Maple City with the intent to renovate it as a place to raise their children — shared that an opportunity came up to purchase property in another part of the county. Their Leelanau adventure took a new turn, and the farmhouse listing went live yesterday.

Laughs White, “No, we didn’t plan on this, and yes, we are crazy! We absolutely fell in love with this charming farmhouse and had so much fun bringing the history alive.” She also gave a “shoutout to the Nettletons [Rod and Chris Nettleton, volunteer preservationists with Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear] who did so much of the heavy lifting before we got it.”

The house was taken down to the studs and completely redone, while salvaging every authentic detail possible, including restored original trim, vintage knobs, door hinges and lighting. There are some Up North modern comforts too: a large back entry with in-floor radiant heat and waterproof flooring, a three-car garage with new insulated garage doors on their way, an additional garage/garden shed, a one-story barn and a “cool old sauna building.” White says it’s all on sitting on three acres that could easily be a working farm yet right in the heart of the quaint village of Maple City.

Property Watch is sponsored by Venture Properties.