Welcome to Adorable Living Spaces. Today we are featuring a versatile country property at 558 County Road 130 in Athens, Tennessee, offering more than 5 unrestricted acres with a stream, pasture, mature woods, and several potential building sites.
Listed for $139,900, the existing farmhouse provides approximately 1,176 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. The house needs extensive renovation, so this property is best suited to someone prepared for a major restoration or interested primarily in the land.
The acreage provides considerably more flexibility. Portions are already fenced for horses or cattle, while open pasture, mature trees, a natural spring, flowing stream, and long-range views create an appealing setting for a mini-farm or private homestead.
The listing also presents several alternatives to restoring the existing house, including building a new home or placing a single-wide or doublewide manufactured home. Part of the acreage lies across the road and may provide another potential building site, giving buyers several possibilities to investigate.
| Property Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Price | $139,900 |
| Address | 558 County Road 130, Athens, TN 37303 |
| Bedrooms | 3 |
| Bathrooms | 1 |
| Living area | 1,176 sqft |
| Lot size | 5+ acres |
| Property type | Farmhouse / Unrestricted Rural Property |
| Water | Natural Spring |
| Garage | Detached 2-Car Garage |
| Workshop | Detached Garage/Workshop |
| Views | Long-Range Rural Views |
3-Bedroom Farmhouse Ready for Major Renovation
The existing farmhouse provides approximately 1,176 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 1 bathroom, giving buyers an established structure to evaluate before deciding how to develop the property.
However, the listing clearly states that the house needs extensive renovation, meaning this should not be approached as a simple cosmetic fixer-upper.
For someone experienced with older houses, the farmhouse may provide an opportunity to restore an existing country home rather than begin completely from scratch.
Alternatively, buyers may decide that demolition and replacement make more financial sense, which is why a professional inspection and realistic renovation estimate should be obtained before assigning significant value to the existing structure.
5+ Unrestricted Acres With Multiple Possibilities
One of the property’s strongest features is its more than 5 acres of unrestricted land, which provides flexibility that can be difficult to find near growing communities.
According to the listing, buyers could potentially restore the farmhouse, construct a new residence, or place a doublewide or single-wide manufactured home on the property.
Several potential building sites are also mentioned, potentially allowing the land to support a different configuration from the current homesite.
Even with no stated restrictions, buyers should confirm county requirements for building permits, manufactured homes, setbacks, septic systems, driveway access, subdivision, and any other proposed development before beginning work.
Open Pasture, Mature Woods and Fenced Areas
The acreage offers a mixture of open pasture and mature woods, providing both usable ground and natural privacy.
Portions of the property are already fenced for horses or cattle, giving prospective mini-farm owners some existing infrastructure to work with.
Large shade trees add character around the property, while the combination of woods and open areas creates a more varied landscape than a completely cleared tract.
Buyers planning livestock should inspect the fencing, gates, pasture condition, water availability, shade, drainage, and any additional infrastructure needed to safely accommodate the number and type of animals they intend to keep.
Flowing Stream and Natural Spring Water
A flowing stream winds through the property, adding both visual interest and another natural element to the rural setting.
The existing farmhouse is currently supplied by natural spring water, making the water source an especially important feature for buyers interested in country living or a more self-sufficient homestead.
Spring water can be valuable, but buyers should determine exactly how the source is collected, stored, filtered, pumped, and delivered to the house.
Professional water testing is also important, along with evaluating year-round spring flow, legal water rights where applicable, stream setbacks, flood exposure, drainage, erosion, and any restrictions on modifying areas near the water.
Detached 2-Car Garage and Workshop
The property includes a detached 2-car garage/workshop, providing useful space beyond the existing farmhouse.
For a renovation project, this building could be particularly valuable for storing construction materials, tools, lawn equipment, and vehicles while work is underway.
For a future mini-farm or homestead, the same structure could potentially support equipment storage, hobbies, maintenance work, or other practical uses depending on its condition.
Buyers should inspect the garage/workshop’s roof, framing, foundation, doors, electrical service if present, drainage, and structural condition before determining how much renovation or immediate use it may require.
Additional Acreage Across the Road
An unusual feature is that part of the acreage lies across the road rather than all of the land being contained within one continuous area around the farmhouse.
According to the listing, this additional section may offer privacy and potentially another building site.
That could create possibilities for a second residence, family member, rental property, or future investment if local regulations and site conditions allow.
Buyers should confirm the precise acreage on each side of the road, parcel configuration, road frontage, driveway permits, utility access, soil suitability, septic approval, and whether a separate residence can legally be constructed on that portion.
Mini-Farm, Homestead or New-Build Potential
At $139,900, the property offers several possible directions rather than forcing the buyer into a single use.
Someone interested in a mini-farm or homestead could focus on the existing pasture, fencing, spring water, stream, garage/workshop, and acreage while deciding whether the farmhouse is worth restoring.
Another buyer could remove the existing house and use one of the potential building sites for a new home or manufactured residence better suited to their needs.
The location also keeps the property within minutes of Athens, shopping, restaurants, schools, medical services, and I-75, providing rural surroundings without requiring complete isolation from everyday services.
Due Diligence Before Buying
Because the farmhouse needs extensive renovation, buyers should arrange a comprehensive inspection of the foundation, framing, roof, exterior, floors, windows, doors, electrical system, plumbing, heating, moisture conditions, drainage, and evidence of termites or other wood-destroying organisms.
If the house is older, buyers should also investigate potential lead-based paint, asbestos-containing materials, outdated electrical wiring, older plumbing, structural alterations, and previous work completed without permits. Comparing renovation costs with demolition and new construction could be particularly useful here.
The natural spring should be tested for water quality and reliability, while buyers should identify and inspect the wastewater system because septic or sewer details were not included in the information provided. The stream and low-lying portions should also be evaluated for flooding, erosion, and applicable environmental setbacks.
Finally, buyers should verify the total acreage, parcel boundaries, land located across the road, survey, legal access, easements, fencing, building sites, utility availability, taxes, and the meaning of “unrestricted” under current county rules. Any plans for multiple homes, manufactured housing, rentals, livestock, or subdivision should be confirmed with the appropriate authorities before closing.
Final Thoughts
At $139,900, 558 County Road 130 is less about buying a finished farmhouse and more about acquiring an affordable piece of East Tennessee land with several existing advantages.
The property combines more than 5 unrestricted acres, open pasture, mature woods, fencing, a flowing stream, natural spring water, long-range views, and a detached 2-car garage/workshop.
The existing 3-bedroom, 1-bath farmhouse offers 1,176 square feet but requires extensive renovation, leaving buyers with the choice of attempting a restoration or exploring a new home or manufactured-home site.
For someone searching for a Tennessee fixer-upper with acreage, unrestricted homestead, mini-farm, property with a stream and spring water, or affordable land with multiple building possibilities, this Athens property offers considerable flexibility for its $139,900 asking price.
If you need more info, contact the listing agent from the Zillow link below the photos.
Listed on Zillow