History for sale: St. Pete's Snell 'castle' goes up for auction

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (FOX 13) - Auctions are a new trend in selling unique, luxury real estate, but what happens when a new trend meets an old house? The answer may come June 15 when a historic home in St. Petersburg's upscale Old Northeast neighborhood goes on the auction block.

"This house is unique," says Jeff Beggins, of Century 21 Beggins Enterprises. "If you were just to call it a five bedroom, four-and-a-half bath home, it really wouldn't do it justicee."

Some say it looks like a castle.

It was covered with a gray stone veneer in 1948, years after it was first constructed in 1925, at a cost of $12,000.

It recently underwent a complete restoration. They rebuilt the antique windows and buffed and repaired the original wood floors. The kitchen and all the bathrooms were remodeled.

What it's worth could be determined at Saturday's 11 a.m. auction.

"It may be worth $1.1 million or $1.3 or $1.4. You get the competitive bidding environment," says Beggins. 

Old photos of the home were taken around time Perry Snell and others were developing North Shore, Snell Isle, and Old Northeast.

The sellers hope the home's history and historic surroundings might motivate buyers to bid higher.

"At auction, the value is based on a moment in time," says Beggins. 

For more information visit epauctions.com/pages/castle.