House Candy for Holy Week: Live in a Church!

Honestly, only in Texas. If you are still house hunting this week, you’ll get an early seat at church Sunday if you buy this house: 5601 East Side Avenue. Yep, it’s a church all right, the St. John’s United Methodist Church transformed into a pretty darn big single family home. Location, Junius Heights, not exactly in a residential neighborhood, but then what do you expect: God’s work is done in unique neighborhoods, right?  There are 11 bedrooms, 11.5 baths — not sure if those are BATHROOMS or STALLS –, cathedral ceilings (really!), high ceilings and stained glass windows, and the altar has been transformed into a kitchen for the Lord’s Supper, how appropriate is that! The choir loft is a media room. 14,929 square feet total which I think includes the 5000 square foot basement. And given that few Texas homes have basements, this is a plus. Imagine the meetings you could have here. Bible studies.  Kids parties. Easter egg hunts right after sunrise service. And if you get up too late to go to church, you can stay in your pajamas.

It will only cost you $1,499,999 to live in the House of God, which I think is, frankly, highway robbery. But that’s nothing. This home went on the market back in June of 2009 for — are you sitting down? — $3,100,000. I also see it was last listed with John Whiteside of Coldwell Banker, who reduced it from $1,740,000, but the listing has been canceled, maybe for lent.

Update: Don’t think God’s House is exempt from property taxes. Jeff: the owners will pay a whopping $38,654. Looks like DCAD has it appraised at $1.4.