A historic home in Bath is attracting attention across Maine after being put on the market for just $1, but there is a major condition attached to the unusual real estate deal: the buyer has to move the house.

Bath Iron Works is offering two residential buildings at 606 Washington St. for $1 each as the shipyard prepares to use the property for future facilities. The larger structure, known as the Deering House, dates to around 1900 and has significant historical ties to Bath's shipbuilding industry.

The 4,216-square-foot property has an assessed value of nearly $462,000, according to Bath property records. Bath Iron Works acquired the property in 2023 for approximately $1.9 million, making the $1 sale price stand out even more in a Maine housing market where home prices have climbed sharply in recent years.

There is, however, nothing simple about buying the home.

The successful buyer will have to relocate the structures to a new, legally permitted site and cover the costs associated with the move. That includes obtaining permits and approvals, hiring licensed structural movers, preparing the new site, constructing a foundation, reconnecting utilities and handling transportation and other relocation expenses. The buildings must be moved by November 20, 2027 or they could face demolition.

The unusual listing highlights one of the challenges facing historic properties in Maine. A building can have substantial value based on its size, location, history and condition, but that value can change dramatically when the property has to be moved.

For Bath Iron Works, the decision appears to be tied to the shipyard's long-term plans for the site. Rather than simply demolishing the historic structures, the company is giving potential buyers an opportunity to preserve them elsewhere. The offer has already attracted interest, according to reporting on the property.

The Deering House also has a connection to Bath's history that makes the listing particularly notable. The property was associated with Gardiner G. Deering, a prominent figure in the city's shipbuilding history, and the house has remained part of the architectural landscape of Bath for more than a century.

For Maine real estate professionals, the story is a reminder that the state's housing market contains opportunities that don't always look like traditional listings.

The home itself may technically be available for $1, but the real transaction is the land, logistics and preservation challenge that comes with it. A buyer would need to find a suitable property, determine whether local zoning allows the relocated structure, secure approvals and take on what could become a substantial construction and transportation project.

That makes this less of a conventional home purchase and more of a redevelopment opportunity.

It also comes at an interesting time for Maine's housing market. With home prices remaining elevated and inventory limited in many communities, an older structure with thousands of square feet of usable space might normally attract considerable attention. But relocating an entire house can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars depending on its size, condition, route and the amount of site preparation required.

In this case, the $1 price tag is only the beginning.

Still, the listing could ultimately give a historic Maine home another chance at survival. If a buyer is willing to take on the complicated move, the Deering House could remain part of the state's architectural history rather than making way for new industrial development.

For now, the property represents one of the most unusual real estate opportunities to emerge in Maine this summer: a nearly $462,000 historic home being offered for $1, with the catch that whoever buys it has to figure out where it will live next.