While the home is the most affordable Wright design currently for sale, $790,000 is not cheap. It’s significantly higher than the average price of a home in the United States ($417,700) and more than three times more expensive than the typical home in Kalamazoo ($219,568). However, Taber told Realtor that its price accurately reflects the architect, size, and condition of the home.
According to Taber, though the home is overall in a good condition, there are also opportunities for new owners to add even more value. “If one were to stain the interior block it would be more aesthetically pleasing,” he says. Salt can form on the concrete in a process known as efflorescence, which creates a white hue on the surface. “Some people instantly think of water issues, but that is not the case. The original owners used to go over the blocks with acetone which removes it,” he explains.
The current owners are from Texas and aren’t able to visit as often as they’d like. Taber says he imagines the next steward may come from a nearby city such as Chicago or Detroit but is not ruling out a local buyer. Nonetheless, whoever buys it next is in for an adventure, according to Helen. For her, living in the Wright home was nothing short of life-changing. “The house has indeed made a profound difference in our lives,” she wrote in her book. Her family existed in harmony with nature, and all of their children chose careers based on art and design. “For me, living in the house has become romance, adventure, and challenge. And add the bird-calling and pecking on our windows, and I think you will understand why our family has lived here for 50 years, in gratitude to Frank Lloyd Wright.”
