West Dayton’s housing market is built one closing at a time, and the practical, well-maintained older homes are doing a lot of the work. On Old Riverside Drive in Harrison Township, a 1940 three-bedroom closed $8,000 over its asking price.
A $134,000 Closing Above Asking in North Riverdale
The house at 4020 Old Riverside Drive in Harrison Township closed on October 27, 2026 for $134,000. That is $8,000 above its $126,000 list price, a premium of 6.3%. The home is a 1940 build in the North Riverdale subdivision with three bedrooms, two full baths and 1,411 square feet of living space, and the price works out to $95 per square foot.
It is the kind of sale that rarely makes a splashy headline and often says the most about a market. There is no new construction here and no designer renovation. It is a mid-century-era house with solid fundamentals, recent mechanical updates and a price that buyers decided was worth going past. Across West Dayton, that pattern keeps repeating: when a home is priced within reach and the big-ticket items are already handled, buyers show up and compete for it.
The timeline adds to the picture. The home spent 114 days on the market, a stretch well beyond the Harrison Township median of 37 days. Even so, the final number landed above where the listing began, not below it. In a year when many buyers have taken their time and weighed every option, a close above list after a measured marketing period shows that the right buyer saw the value and acted on it.
What the Buyer Got at 4020 Old Riverside Drive
Start with the footprint. At 1,411 square feet, this home is larger than every one of the five most recent nearby sales, the biggest of which, on Etter Drive, measured 1,225 square feet. For a buyer shopping at this price point, the extra room matters. It is the difference between a house that works for the way people live now and one that requires compromises.
The listing describes a classic 1940s home with good bones, and the specifics back that up. Hardwood floors run through the home. Central heat and air are in place. The kitchen offers generous countertop and storage space, a detail that tends to matter more than almost any finish once someone is actually cooking and living in a house. Upstairs, the bedrooms are described as good sizes, which is the feature buyers of older homes most often wish for and least often find.
One of the more practical features is the additional bathroom that was added on the main level. The facts for the sale record two full baths, and the listing describes the home as a 2.5-bath property. Older houses from this era were commonly built with a single bathroom, so a main-level bath already in place is a real convenience, particularly for a household that wants a bathroom on the first floor without a major project.
Outside, a detached two-car garage comes with the property. Covered, off-street parking for two vehicles is a genuine asset in an area of older homes, and it gives the next owner storage, a workshop option or simply a place to keep vehicles out of the weather.
The listing frames the house as a canvas for a buyer who wants to add personal style while building equity. The way it is written, the major work has been handled, and what remains is mostly cosmetic. That is a useful way to read the price. A buyer is not paying for a finished showpiece. A buyer is paying for a house whose expensive decisions have already been made, with room to improve it room by room.
Systems Replaced in 2021 and Financing Help on the Table
For a house built in 1940, the most important line in the listing may be the one about the mechanicals. The furnace, the air conditioner and the water heater were all new in 2021. Those are among the costliest components in any older home, and replacing all three at once gives a buyer a clean runway. Instead of budgeting for the next big failure, an owner can direct money toward paint, flooring touches, fixtures and the personal finishes that make a house feel like home.
That is what the listing means by a home where the major work is done. In practice, it shifts the risk profile of an older house. Buyers who are cautious about 80-year-old homes often worry about what is hidden behind the walls and what will need replacing in the first year. Having heating, cooling and hot water updated in 2021 answers a large share of those concerns for this particular property.
The marketing also pointed to financing support. According to the listing, the home qualified for a $5,000 closing cost credit and for a no-money-down option through a local loan program, with buyers directed to ask their agent for details. For a home priced in the low $130,000s, a $5,000 credit covers a meaningful slice of the cash needed at closing, and a no-down-payment path widens the pool of people who can realistically compete.
That matters for the neighborhood as well as the transaction. When programs like these line up with a home that is move-in functional and fairly priced, more households can become owners instead of renters. Owner-occupancy is one of the steadiest forces behind block-level stability, and it is a recurring theme in West Dayton’s recovery. A sale that pairs a sound house with accessible financing is a small, practical step in that direction.
How $134,000 Compares Across Harrison Township
Over the past 12 months, Harrison Township recorded 243 sales, with a median sale price of $125,000. At $134,000, this sale came in 7% above that median. By price, it ranks 108th of 243 sales in the area over that period, comfortably above the middle of the market for a house of its age.
The price-per-square-foot picture is worth reading carefully. The area median is $106 per square foot, and this sale came in at $95. That lower figure is not a sign of a soft result. It reflects how much house a buyer received for the money. Because the home is large, at 1,411 square feet, the total price sits above the median while the cost per square foot sits below it. A buyer paid more than the typical Harrison Township purchase price and received more space than the typical purchase buys.
The highest sale in the area over the past year was $545,000, which shows how wide the range is in Harrison Township. Homes trade across a broad spectrum, from modest properties that need substantial work to much larger and more expensive houses. A sale at $134,000 sits in a practical middle band, where a large share of owner-occupant buyers are shopping.
Then there is the time on market. The median home in Harrison Township sold in 37 days, while this one took 114. That gap is simply part of the story: some homes find their buyer quickly and others take longer to match with the right person. What stands out here is the outcome. A home that was available for more than three times the median period still closed $8,000 over list. That reflects a buyer who valued the house on its merits, not one who found a discount.
The Closest Comparable Sales
The most recent sales nearby give useful context, though none of them match this home’s size. The nearest on price is the sale on Coronette Avenue, a two-bedroom of 948 square feet that closed on October 22, 2026 for $125,000. That is roughly $132 per square foot. The home on Old Riverside Drive closed five days later at $134,000, just $9,000 higher, with about 463 more square feet and an additional bedroom.
Another close comparison is Lodell Avenue, where a two-bedroom of 820 square feet sold for $119,900 on October 28, 2026, one day after the Old Riverside Drive closing. That works out to roughly $146 per square foot. Put side by side, the three sales show that small homes in this part of Harrison Township are commanding strong prices per square foot, and that the larger three-bedroom on Old Riverside Drive delivered considerably more space for only slightly more money.
Redder Avenue offers a third data point. A two-bedroom of 1,120 square feet sold there for $94,900 on October 23, 2026, or about $85 per square foot. That sale was nearly 300 square feet smaller than the Old Riverside Drive home and closed about $39,000 lower. The difference in price reflects the difference in size, bedroom count and the updated mechanical systems that came with 4020 Old Riverside Drive.
Taken together, the nearby sales form a tight cluster of closings within a single week at the end of October. That kind of recent activity is exactly what appraisers and lenders look for, and it shows that buyers in this part of Harrison Township are active and transacting at a steady pace. A three-bedroom of this size closing above its list price adds a useful new reference point for the larger homes that come to market next.
The Rental History Behind the House
The listing also spoke directly to investors. It noted a strong rental history, with the home previously rented long term at $1,100 per month, and it indicated the property could qualify for Section 8 at $1,390 per month. Those are figures from the listing, and they explain why a home like this draws attention from more than one kind of buyer.
At the closing price of $134,000, the rental figures give an investor a clear way to think about the property. The earlier long-term rent of $1,100 and the potential $1,390 figure sit on either side of a conversation about what a three-bedroom, two-bath home with a detached garage and updated systems can earn. The updated furnace, air conditioner and water heater also matter on that side of the ledger, since fewer big-ticket repairs help an owner hold costs steady.
A home that appeals to both owner-occupants and investors tends to be a resilient one. Owner-occupants are drawn by the layout, the garage and the chance to personalize the finishes. Investors are drawn by the income history and the condition of the mechanicals. When both groups see value in the same property, bidding pressure builds, and that dynamic helps explain why a sale like this can close above the list price even after a longer stretch on the market.
For Harrison Township, the larger point is that homes in this range are being treated as productive assets by multiple kinds of buyers. Demand from both sides supports prices, encourages ongoing maintenance and keeps older houses in active use, all of which contribute to the steady, block-by-block progress that West Dayton has been building.
What the Sale Means for Harrison Township and West Dayton
No single closing defines a market, but a pattern of them does. In Harrison Township, 243 sales in the past 12 months produced a median of $125,000, and this one finished 7% above it. The sale also closed 6.3% over list, adding to the evidence that well-presented homes with updated systems can meet or beat their asking prices in West Dayton.
It also shows that the middle of the market is healthy. Headlines naturally focus on the top of the range, like the area’s $545,000 high sale, but a neighborhood’s stability depends on the homes in the broad middle: three-bedroom houses in the $120,000 to $140,000 range that families, first-time buyers and small investors can realistically buy and maintain. When those homes sell above ask, it lifts the comparable set for every neighbor and gives appraisers more room to support fair valuations.
The 1940 construction date is part of the story too. Houses of this age are the backbone of older Dayton-area neighborhoods, and they stay valuable when owners keep investing in them. The 2021 replacement of the furnace, air conditioner and water heater is an example of that kind of investment, and this sale shows that it was rewarded at closing. Other owners weighing whether to update their own mechanical systems before selling can point to a result like this one.
Finally, the sale illustrates how accessible financing can widen the field. A closing cost credit and a no-money-down program do not change the value of a house, but they change who can afford to bid on it. The more buyers who can compete for homes like this, the stronger the neighborhood’s market becomes, and the more reason owners have to keep their houses in good repair.
For West Dayton, 4020 Old Riverside Drive is one more sale in a growing run of practical, well-supported outcomes. The home was larger than its neighbors, priced within reach, updated where it counts and sold for more than its asking price. That is what steady progress looks like in a housing market.
Recognizing the Professionals Behind the Outcome
Listing agent Kristine Wights of Luma Realty brought the home to market, and Tim O’Bryant of Irongate Inc. represented the buyer. Results like this come from careful pricing, strong presentation and steady work through closing, and both sides of the deal deserve recognition.
Listing data courtesy of Dayton REALTORS® MLS. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
More Common Questions About Harrison Township
These are the most practical questions about this sale and the Harrison Township housing market, answered with the numbers from the past 12 months.
What did 4020 Old Riverside Drive sell for?
The home sold for $134,000 on October 27, 2026. Its list price was $126,000, so it closed $8,000 above asking, a premium of 6.3%.
How does the sale price compare with the Harrison Township median?
Over the past 12 months, Harrison Township recorded 243 sales with a median price of $125,000. At $134,000, this sale came in 7% above that median and ranks 108th of 243 sales by price.
How long was the home on the market?
The home was on the market for 114 days. The Harrison Township median is 37 days, and the sale still closed above its list price.
How does the price per square foot compare with the rest of the area?
The sale works out to $95 per square foot across 1,411 square feet. The Harrison Township median is $106 per square foot. The lower figure reflects the size of the home: the total price is above the area median, and the buyer received more space per dollar.
What updates does the home have?
According to the listing, the furnace, air conditioner and water heater were all new in 2021. The home also has hardwood floors, central heat and air, a main-level bathroom that was added, a detached two-car garage and three bedrooms in a 1940 build. The listing describes the remaining work as mostly cosmetic.
Were there financing programs tied to the listing?
Yes. The listing said the home qualified for a $5,000 closing cost credit and for a no-money-down option through a local loan program, and it directed buyers to ask their agent for details.
