A smart Nevada couple got the deal of a lifetime when they bought their dream home for just $1.
Logan and Angelina Needham became the proud owners of the oldest house in Reno, and historians claim it was one of the first built in the city.
After a “thorough research process,” the couple purchased the historic property from its previous owners, Jacobs Entertainment, which is a gaming, hospitality and entertainment company.
The company had originally purchased the home for a whopping $1.2 million, so the couple got an incredible discount.
However, the $1 price tag has a pretty big drawback: it’s up to the new owners to first relocate and then preserve the property.
A smart Nevada couple got the deal of a lifetime when they bought their dream home for just $1
Logan and Angelina (pictured above) were chosen by the company over the other two candidates who submitted offers.
The company had originally purchased the home for a whopping $1.2 million, so the couple got an incredible discount.
Jeff Jacobs, CEO of Jacobs Entertainment, told Reno Gazette Journal: ‘It is important to preserve Reno’s historic homes as we continue to revitalize downtown.
‘We are delighted to see the West Street house passing into the hands of the Needhams. “This is an example of how progress and preservation go hand in hand.”
Logan and Angelina were chosen by the company over the other two candidates who submitted offers.
They were chosen due to the size of the available land they planned to relocate the property to, as well as their proximity to the home’s current location.
The couple has been married for over 20 years and Logan is an artist and creator who regularly shares his renovation projects on Instagram. They also have two children.
Jacobs Entertainment revealed that plans are underway to relocate the house later in 2024.
The house, known locally as the Benham-Belz House, is located at 347 West Street and is located on Lot 8 Block E on the original Reno site; the Sundowner Hotel skyscraper is located right behind it.
According Reno Historical and historian Alicia Barber, there is “compelling evidence that it was built in Reno’s founding year of 1868 or early 1869, making it the oldest known house built in Reno.”
According to Reno historian and historian Alicia Barber, there is “compelling evidence that it was built in Reno’s founding year of 1868 or early 1869, making it the oldest known house built in Reno.”
Pictured: An 1868 map of the original Reno Township, featuring the Benham House.
The rustic red house features three bedrooms, as well as a porch with white pillars and several large windows; however, the 8,400 square foot land area it sits on is not included in the purchase.
The original owners of the house, the Benham family, purchased the lot for just $200 in August 1968.
Isaac Theodore Benham was a professional bricklayer who became one of the founding builders of Reno; It is believed that he immediately built the family home and they began living there.
They moved to another location in 1880 and the house passed through generations of other families in Nevada City, before being purchased by Jacob’s Entertainment for $1.2 million in January of this year.
Speaking to the Reno Gazette Journal in 2022, Barber added: ‘We’re literally talking about the original city of Reno.
“There is every reason to believe that this would have been one of the first houses built in Reno.”
Although it is one of the largest cities in Nevada, Reno is nicknamed “the biggest little city in the world.”
It was founded in 1868, the same year the Benham-Belz House is believed to have been built.
Although it is one of the largest cities in Nevada, Reno is nicknamed “the biggest little city in the world.”
This was also the same year that the transcontinental railroad, which ran parallel to the Truckee River, came to town.
Reno welcomed the University of Nevada in 1885, which contributed to the city’s culture and identity. It became an official city in 1903, with Ralph S. Osbourn being the first mayor.
It was once the gambling capital of the United States, before nearby Las Vegas overtook it.
Now, the city is home to 18 ski resorts, popular whitewater event venues, winding bike routes, a host of music venues, and several major sports stadiums.
There were initial concerns when Jacob’s Entertainment purchased the historic piece, as many of the hotel company’s plans include demolishing old buildings and replacing them with modern properties.
They are currently redeveloping West Fourth Street as part of their Reno Neon Line District project.
The Reno Gazette Journal reported that the sale initially raised concerns among residents that the house would be demolished, but now that it has been sold, concerns should have allayed.
Last year, Reno was named the happiest place to live in America, chosen as a reforming and affordable ‘modern booming city’ with great weather and year-round creative outlets.
The city was chosen by Outsidebased on factors including general well-being, public land and affordability, and climate change and inclusion.
Outside described Reno as a “modern boomtown,” filled with green, open spaces, climbing gyms and a summer arts festival as part of a local renaissance.