A former church in North Carolina that still bears pews, a pump organ, and a working bell tower has just returned to the market for the paltry price of $135,000—seeking a buyer who will perform a real estate resurrection.
Located in Lewiston Woodville, the 2.2-acre property features one very rare hallmark from its past that is rarely found in other converted religious buildings: a front-yard cemetery that houses numerous graves, several of which date to the 1800s.
Built in 1845, the 1,351-square-foot structure last traded hands in April 2025 for just $52,000. Yet, just six months later, it is back on the market for more than double that price.
Which begs the question: What upgrades have been made to conjure up such an increase?
“The sellers bought the property to be their full-time residence, but because of a job transfer, they are moving to Texas and won’t be able to finish what they started,” says listing agent Nancy Winslow, of Keller Williams Realty Points East. “They started on the inside, renovating it to make it look like a house, but never got to live there.”
While pews lining the first floor have since been removed, nine original pews remain upstairs in the loft area.
The sellers started their renovations in the altar area of the former 1845 Methodist Church and St. Frances Church. They partly transformed it into a kitchen with stainless-steel appliances and rounded cabinets and countertops. Much of the interior remains intact to preserve its historic integrity, but some challenges remain for the next buyer.
“The water has been connected, and there is a sewer tap at the road, but you will need to dig around the cemetery to get to it,” Winslow says.
“There is a sink in the kitchen, but it has no faucets, and the bathroom only has a shower pan and pipes to connect to the water.
“The current owners were looking at a Sun-Mar CenTrex composting toilet, which is an off-grid toilet system that would work well here. They are offering concessions for the toilet as well as exterior painting.”
Historic highlights found throughout the home include heart pine floors, oversized windows, a loft, and a bell tower with a working bell.
“The church was actually moved uptown closer to Main Street and later moved back to its original position,” she says. “Preservation North Carolina holds protective covenants on it. It’s so beautiful and charming.”
The sellers aren’t the only ones who had a vision of transforming the building into something special.
“When the church originally sold, the first owners were looking to use it as a wedding venue, and it would be beautiful for that,” Winslow says. “Most people today who are looking at it want to use it as a house.”
For now, enormous bookcases serve as a privacy wall separating the bedroom from the living area, but they could be easily removed to open up the space.
“It would be a great rental property because it is so unique,” she adds. “It’s also zoned highway commercial, so it could really be used for anything.”
Also adding to the listing’s “charm,” although not for every buyer, is a front-yard cemetery with graves dating to the 1800s. Winslow assures buyers the 2.2-acre property is not “haunted”—at least not by anything sinister.
“It’s all good spirits because it’s a church,” she says. “The town is nice and really small. There is also a smokehouse restaurant (Woodville Market & Smokehouse) that just opened and has been very well received.”
