A smart Nevada couple scored the bargain 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 ever built in the city.
After a “thorough research process,” the couple purchased the historic property from its previous owners, Jacobs Entertainment, a gaming, hospitality and entertainment company.
The company had originally purchased the house for a whopping $1.2 million, so the couple got an incredible discount.
However, the $1 price tag comes with a pretty big catch: It’s up to the new owners to move first and then keep the property.
A smart Nevada couple scored the bargain of a lifetime when they bought their dream home for just $1
Logan and Angelina (pictured above) were chosen by the company over the two other candidates who submitted bids
The company had originally purchased the house for a whopping $1.2 million, so the couple got an incredible discount
Jeff Jacobs, the CEO of Jacobs Entertainment, told the Reno Gazette Magazine: “It is important to preserve Reno’s historic homes as we continue to revitalize downtown.
‘We are pleased that the house in West Street is going to the Needhams. This is an example of how progress and conservation go hand in hand.”
Logan and Angelina were chosen by the company over the two other candidates who submitted bids.
They were chosen because of the size of the available land they wanted to move the property to, and its proximity to the home’s current location.
The couple has been married for over twenty years and Logan is an artist and maker who regularly shares his renovation projects on Instagram. They also have two children.
Jacobs Entertainment revealed that there are plans to move 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 city of Reno’s original site – the high-rise Sundowner Hotel is just behind it.
According to Reno Historic and historian Alicia Barber, there is “compelling evidence that it was built in Reno’s founding year, 1868 or early 1869, making it the oldest known house built in Reno.”
According to 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”
Pictured: An 1868 map of the original town in Reno, showing the Benham house
The rustic red house has three bedrooms, as well as a veranda with white pillars and several large windows. However, the 8,000 square meter plot of land it sits on is not included in the purchase.
The home’s original owners, the Benham family, purchased the lot in August 1968 for just $200.
Isaac Theodore Benham was a professional stonemason by trade and became one of the founders of Reno. It is believed that he immediately built the family home and they began living there.
They moved elsewhere in 1880 and the house passed through generations of other families in the Nevada town 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 site 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 Nevada’s larger cities, Reno has been called the “largest small city in the world.”
It was founded in 1868, the same year the Benham-Belz house is said to have been built.
Although it is one of Nevada’s larger cities, Reno has been called the “largest small city in the world.”
This was also the same year that the transcontinental railroad, which ran parallel to the Truckee River, reached the city.
Reno welcomed the University of Nevada in 1885, adding to the city’s culture and identity. It became an official city in 1903, with Ralph S. Osbourn as its first mayor.
It was once the gambling capital of the United States, before nearby Las Vegas outgrew it.
Now the city is home to 18 ski resorts, popular spots for whitewater events, winding bike trails, a host of music venues and several major sports stadiums.
There were initial concerns when Jacob’s Entertainment purchased the piece of history, as many of the hospitality company’s plans included 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 resold, concerns should have disappeared.
Last year, Reno was named the happiest place to live in America, chosen as a reform-minded and affordable “modern boomtown” with great weather and creative opportunities year-round.
The city was chosen by Outsidebased on factors such as public well-being, public lands and affordability, and climate change and inclusivity.
Outside described Reno as a “modern boomtown,” bustling with greenery, open spaces, climbing gyms and a summer arts festival as part of a local revival.
