Source: Boston Herald
Publication date: 2005-12-24

- By PAUL RESTUCCIA

An affordable house with lots of charm is a rarity in these parts - which is why you should check out the 19th century Cape at 28 Jackson St. in West Quincy.
The three-bedroom, 1,300-square-foot home lists for just $337,500.

Built in 1857, the gabled house retains lots of its original details: red-pine floors and wainscoting, carved door moldings, wrought-iron heating grates and more.  All of the home's original interior doors remain, as does an antique mantel that was once part of the home's long-removed cooking fireplace.  The home's original heating grates add ornamental charm. (They don't actually heat the home - a modern baseboard system does that).

Another good reason to buy this house: The current owner's employer (who is relocating the seller) is offering a 30-year fixed mortgage at a below-market 5.375 percent rate.

This will save you about $173 a month on interest charges - and $60,000 over the loan's life.  Buyers must use Federal Housing Authority financing to qualify. But even if you don't qualify for an FHA mortgage, you'll still save money. That's because the seller will contribute up to $1,600 toward closing costs.

Located on a corner lot, 28 Jackson St. offers small front, side and back yards that are well-landscaped with bushes, grass and window boxes. A gated driveway includes off-street parking for two small cars or one large one.

The current owner repainted the home's exterior two years ago, replacing the roof and gutters at the same time. The fenced-in back yard also features a raised, free-standing wood patio and a trellis.

Originally owned by a Quincy man who made boot-shaping frames, 28 Jackson St. was one of the first homes built in what was and still is a working-class neighborhood.

Today, the home has a mix of original detailing and upgrades.   It house has double-glazed energy-saver windows throughout.   The open kitchen/living area has also been upgraded with oak floors.

This flooring works well with the custom pine cabinets in the kitchen, which gets lots of sun from two large windows and glass- paned rear door.  The kitchen is roomy enough to fit both a mobile island and a casual-dining table. This space also offers lots of nice touches, like a folding cabinet that opens to a Lazy Susan and four spacious storage drawers.

The white General Electric four-burner gas stove and built-in Kenmore dishwasher fit in nicely with the space's beadboard wainscoting.  The kitchen flows into a 12-by-14 living room that features original pine molding and a convenient door leading to the home's driveway.

A 10-by-14 den off of the kitchen features the original red-pine flooring and matching wainscoting that reaches up half of the wall's height. This space also nice lighting and original carved-wood door moldings.

Nearby, a 9-by-12 dining room still has its original mantel and pine flooring. The room gets plenty of sunlight through its front and side windows.

The first floor also offers a full bathroom done in early 1960s decor: pink tiling with black borders. The tiling is in good shape, but a new owner could easily have it reglazed for a more contemporary look.

Upstairs, all three bedrooms retain the home's original wide- pine flooring (You can still see the rope laid between the boards to ward off buckling.)

The master bedroom is a good-sized 13 1/2 -by-16. It has a large closet with folding doors and built-in shelf space.  The other two bedrooms measure 9-by-12 and 9-by-10. These spaces would make perfect home offices or kids' bedrooms.

A spacious family bathroom was upgraded in the 1950s, adding white-marbled formica throughout. But the bathroom still retains its original porcelain sink with antique faucets. You can remove the formica to uncover an old-style clawfoot tub.

Downstairs, an unfinished basement - accessible both from inside and from a rear bulkhead - offers some 900 square feet of storage space, including almost a dozen built-in shelves. The basement also has a washer/dryer hookup, as well as a new water heater and a gas hot-water heating system that has separate zones for the first and second floors.

The home is located just a 1/4 mile from the Route 128/Route 3 split and the MBTA's Quincy Adams commuter rail/Red Line station.

It's also a 1/4 mile from Faxon Park, about 3/4 of a mile from Quincy Center's restaurants and shops and some three miles from the South Shore Plaza.

All in all, this comfortable house offers a good condo alternative for a young couple or family.

- For more information or a chance to view this property, call Sam Schneiderman of Greater Boston Home Team at 617-469-4200.

Home checklist; Information about this week's profiled home:

** Address: 28 Jackson St., Quincy

** Bedrooms: Three

** Bathrooms: Two

** List price: $337,500

** Annual taxes: $2,596

** Features: Located on a corner lot, this antique Cape combines original red-pine and wide-pine flooring in some rooms with new oak flooring in others. Other features include an original dining-room mantel, custom pine kitchen cabinets and more. The home's roof, gutters and exterior paint were all redone two years ago. The property also offers a backyard patio, as well as a driveway with off-street parking for up to two cars.

** Location: About 1/4 mile from the Quincy Adams commuter rail/ Red Line T station and the Route 128/Southeast Expressway split. Also about 3/4 mile from Quincy Center's shops and restaurants and about three miles from the South Shore Plaza.

** Built in: 1857, updates ongoing