I agree, it is a goofy looking house:

It looks like it was remodeled by someone with delusions of grandeur.

I agree it looks goofy. As for layout...we once owned a 50's rancher that had the living room in the back with the traditional big picture window looking out over the backyard. The front had the kitchen windows to the right of the door, one over the sink and a larger window in the eating area. To the left of the front door were the windows for a bathroom and bedroom number 1. This wasn't a very common layout, but it certainly is possible that this house has the living room and dining room in the back.

I could live with the windows, but that portico is bizarre.

It has a first floor master and two bedrooms upstairs. But it looks like a rancher.

How much would it cost to get that removed?

Windows are fine... portico is not!

Very silly delusions! Some people have no sense and no taste!

Maybe it was a two-family?

I don't think that's a teaser price- if they thought that looked good on the outside, imagine what they did to the interior! On top of that, all of the more expensive houses in the area are bigger and much newer.

It's also on 40 near two turns (I'm imagining jake brakes), and is probably on the airport flight path- even if it's not, it's still only two miles from the airport.

I think the realtor I contacted is trying to set it up for a Tuesday look.
Interesting comments on the potential layout. The auditor's site makes it sound like 1 floor with an unfinished attic. Sounds like they did something to have 1 bedroom on the main and partly finished out the attic...not sure how you do that in a ranch, they'd have to put in stairs? I hope it doesn't have one of those metal spiral things....
I wouldn't care if the LR were in the back per se. But according to the listing they have added a porch to the back and if that blocks the living room light I'd be unhappy.
My perfect house was a 50s 1150 rancher with a LR that faced south with a mature maple in the front yard. Shaded the LR in summer, let in tons of light in the MI winter. Which left the back porch in the north, also shaded by a maple, nice a cool for hot summers.
As for the windows...something about 2 separate windows in the same room, especially if it were the kitchen I think might be annoying.
Guess I'll have to wait and see.

I'm most interested in the back and how the house relates to the property and what the property is like. That and the price.
Since it was bought in 2005 for 219 and put on the mkt for 199 then dropped two weeks later to 179, I think that 179 is a teaser. Its reading tea leaves but I figure 199 was probably what was owed to the two lien holders.
179 is probably an ok price, but for me personally its pushing it. Plus I need to have enough money to replace that...portico? is that what its called? :)

Facade definitely needs a makeover, but it looks like a lovely setting: 2534 Us Route 40, Tipp City, OH 45371-9131

The back seems nice as well. Have you looked at all sides using bing maps? Click then link below then click aerial, birds eye view, use the tool on the left to zoom in and move North, South, East, West

2534 Us Route 40, Tipp City, OH 45371-9131

Is this really the best deal you could find after looking for 3 years? The reason the Portico was added was because w/o it, the home looks like a shoebox.

Is this really the best deal you could find after looking for 3 years? The reason the Portico was added was because w/o it, the home looks like a shoebox.

My thoughts too.

Looking at it on my laptop from a short distance away, my wife thought it was a mobile with a really ugly porch.

A home right on US 40? Another reason not to buy it. To me, a lovely setting begins with not on or within earshot of any high traffic road or major highway. I don't think US 40 meets that criterion.

Take off the portico and it is a greek-revival story and 3/4 proportion that sometimes had small windows under the eaves. The portico is Hollywood Regency-esque.

{{!gwi}}

Well I went to see it, straight from work for appt at 2:00. Realtor meanwhile had sent an email to my home at 1030 saying the homeowner had declined the showing and wanted showings only evenings and weekends.
Didn't know what was going on so I walked around the outside. The front porch cement was in poor shape, the back porch was in really poor shape, one garage door broken, pole barn decrepit/tear down and about 20 large piles of gravel lining the back property line? Black facade around front door broken, you get the picture. Not awful but.... Liked the lot and location, the house sits back far enough off 40 and 40 there doesn't seem that busy. Emailed the realtor and said unless you can tell me the outside is bad because they've been spending all their time and money on the inside I don't need to see it. He emailed me back and said the interior matched the exterior.
And yes, this is all I can find under 220,000 anyway. There are few small houses on small acreages. Many are tri-levels which I refuse. Most ranches here (80%?) are on slabs which I refuse. Of what's left they are either out of my price range or in poor repair like this. In my price range but needing 10s of thousands taking them exactly to the same price point of everything else out of my price point. Real estate is local. You don't know the market here.

Marys1000,

I started reading this thread and thought, "That could have been near where I grew up. Looks normally odd to me." Then I noticed you as the OP. It's exactly where I grew up! Or pretty close, anyway.

I liked your mention of the decrepit pole barn, too. We used to call them tumbledown barns - look like you could blow on them and they'd fall over.