Our area has only a handful of big old Victorian houses, and while this home in the Wares Creek area of Bradenton was built in 1925, it delivers that Victorian feeling in spades. It’s more “farmhouse” than Queen Anne—no turrets and not much gingerbread trim—but still, the old-fashioned atmosphere is there, and if you squint your eyes, you’ll find yourself back in Meet Me in St. Louis.

I know this house well and have been following its adventures for the last 15 years. Back then it was a big old wreck, but during the boom somebody with dollar signs in their eyes tried to fix it up and sell it—I remember it was listed for well over $400,000. But then the market crashed and it was in a state of flux for years—sometimes rented out, sometimes on the market, with the renovations never quite completed.

That seems to be in the past, though. Now it looks great and all the nagging renovation issues appear to have been addressed. The ground floor lacks a great big living room, but has a series of parlors and sun porches and halls that more than make up for this, with each one having its own flavor and charm. Upstairs are three very nice bedrooms that feel wonderfully old-fashioned, with the period window placements intact.

There’s a pool tucked away behind the home, enclosed by nice tropical vegetation. And talk about curb appeal—the white picket fence and giant oak tree in the front yard are perfection.

Wares Creek is the premium downtown neighborhood in Bradenton, and has the largest and best collection of nice old homes in the immediate area. This is certainly one of the standouts and is very affordably priced at $369,000.

The address is 1804 6^th Ave. West. For more information call Maryann Lawler of Keller William at (941) 587-4623.