Stained Glass, a Pipe Organ and a Basketball Court in the Basement: A 1902 Maine Church for $150,000

• The former Rumford Falls First Baptist Church in Rumford, Maine, built in 1902, is listed for $150,000.
• The building has more than 4,400 square feet on 0.21 acres, with two bedrooms and three bathrooms.
• It keeps its pipe organ, stained-glass windows and baptismal font, and has a basketball court in the basement.
• The price is slightly below Rumford’s median home price of about $170,000.

A former Baptist church in western Maine has come to market at less than the price of a typical local home. The Bangor Daily News reported that the former Rumford Falls First Baptist Church in Rumford is for sale for $150,000.

The church on Washington Street was built in 1902 and has not been used for worship recently. It has more than 4,400 square feet on 0.21 acres, with two bedrooms and three bathrooms. It keeps its pipe organ, stained-glass windows and baptismal font; five of its eight stained-glass windows commemorate prominent founding members. The building was damaged by fire in the early 1920s and rebuilt. Its most unusual feature is an indoor basketball court in the basement.

The asking price is slightly below Rumford’s median home price of about $170,000. The paper reported that home values in the town of fewer than 6,000 people have roughly doubled since September 2019.

Listing agent Bryce Hamilton of Coldwell Banker Realty said: “I’ve handled some unique buildings in my career, and this is the only one I’ve had with a basketball court in the basement.” He said he hoped a buyer would preserve the building: “It’s a piece of the history of the neighborhood and a unique property.”

A church priced below the median home can look like a bargain, but running costs, heating, repairs and the work needed to make it a comfortable home all have to be counted. For Jamaicans abroad considering a church as a home or a business, small-town listings like Rumford’s show what is available. The same checks apply as for any property: survey the structure, confirm the permitted use and understand the long-term costs before buying.

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