House of the Day: The Old Normal

While most of our Houses of the Day have price tags with lots of commas and zeroes, today we departing from the norm to feature this 154-year-old gem in Normal, Ill., Listed at $400,000, the property is a step back in time to a period where rooms were smaller because they were easier to heat that way, and the closest thing to "outdoor living" was a porch swing.

The charm of this four-bedroom home is inescapable. As owner Amy Millett says, "To a person stepping through our back-door kitchen entrance, it's like walking into the past. You can almost smell the fresh-baked bread as the wood-burning stove comes into view. Our home isn't as flashy as the multimillion dollar estates, but to some, it's just as appealing."

Yep, it's speaking to me.

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The 2,625-square-foot historic Italianate has five fireplaces and three porches -- one of them screened. It was built on a stone foundation in 1857 and in a concession to modernity has central air and heat. The property is an acre.

It has wood floors, a custom built oak bathroom vanity and an antique wood stove.

The property is for sale by owner.

Click on the images below to see some newer but similarly priced homes in Normal, Ill.

See more Houses of the Day and homes for sale in Normal, Ill.on AOL Real Estate.

Got a tip for House of the Day? Know of an exceptional or unusual property currently listed for sale? Please email ann.brenoff@huffingtonpost.com with your suggestions and be sure to include links to listing details and photos. (Due to the volume of response, we unfortunately are unable to respond to each submission.)

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