$38,999 Former Church Converted Into a 5-Unit Apartment Property in Hartford, Arkansas

A highly unusual real-estate opportunity is available in Hartford, Arkansas, where a former church reportedly converted into a five-unit apartment property is listed for just $38,999. Located at 28 S Hazel St, Hartford, AR 72938, the property offers approximately 3,214 square feet of reported interior space, five bedrooms, five full bathrooms, three stories, and approximately 0.69 acres.

The property recently received a $1,000 price reduction on October 1, 2026, bringing the asking price down to $38,999. Based on the reported 3,214 square feet, the asking price works out to approximately $12 per square foot. That figure immediately makes the property stand out, although the building is being marketed as a fixer and requires careful evaluation before a buyer can determine its true renovation cost.

According to the seller, the building originally served as a church before being converted into a five-unit apartment complex. This adaptive-reuse history gives the property a very different character from a conventional single-family fixer-upper. The building’s three-story design, brick exterior, and nearly 3,214 square feet of space could provide an interesting foundation for an investor willing to take on a substantial rehabilitation project.

There is, however, an important detail prospective buyers should investigate. While the seller describes the property as a five-unit apartment complex, the structured property information identifies the property subtype as a Single Family Residence. This does not necessarily mean the conversion is unauthorized, but it does create a discrepancy that should be resolved before anyone assumes the building can legally operate as five independent rental units.

A buyer should verify zoning, permits, certificates of occupancy, utility arrangements, fire and life-safety requirements, and the legal status of every unit. The number of bedrooms and bathrooms reported by the listing does not, by itself, establish that five separate apartments are legally recognized.

The property’s physical condition also deserves significant attention. It is classified as a fixer, and the listing currently reports no heating system. For a three-story building intended for residential occupancy, heating is a major consideration. An investor should determine whether previous heating equipment was removed, whether ductwork or other infrastructure remains, and what type of system would be practical for the completed property.

The building’s electrical system should also be inspected carefully. Electricity is listed as available, but the listing does not establish the capacity or condition of the electrical service. If the building is genuinely configured for five apartments, an electrician should determine whether the existing service can support multiple kitchens, bathrooms, heating and cooling equipment, appliances, lighting, and other residential loads.

The property reportedly has an electric water heater, but the listing does not clarify whether one water heater serves the entire building or whether individual units have separate systems. That distinction could have a meaningful impact on future operating expenses and tenant utility arrangements.

The building itself is reported to contain five bedrooms and five full bathrooms. If those figures correspond to five individual apartments, the average amount of interior space would be relatively modest, although the actual unit sizes could vary considerably. Buyers should obtain a clear floor plan showing the location and size of each proposed unit, along with common areas, stairways, mechanical spaces, and entrances.

The three-story layout is another factor that deserves attention. Multifamily properties require safe access between levels, appropriate stairways and railings, emergency exits, smoke and carbon monoxide detection where required, and potentially additional fire-separation measures. A professional familiar with multifamily rehabilitation should evaluate the building before major renovation begins.

The property does offer several potentially useful physical features. The exterior is described as brick, while the foundation consists of block and slab. The roof is listed as fiberglass/shingle, and the windows are vinyl. Flooring reportedly includes carpet and laminate.

The brick exterior could provide durability and architectural character, particularly given the building’s former church use. Nevertheless, masonry should be inspected for cracks, deteriorated mortar, water intrusion, or other damage. The roof should also be evaluated carefully because no installation date is provided.

The approximately 0.69-acre lot gives the building a reasonable amount of surrounding land. The property is described as a cleared city lot with partial fencing and a gravel driveway. For a potential five-unit property, parking should be carefully evaluated because several households could create significantly greater parking demand than a single-family residence.

The property also has a location that could appeal to buyers interested in outdoor recreation. The listing describes the property as being near the Ouachita National Forest and offering mountain scenery. The surrounding landscape could be an attractive feature for future residents, particularly those interested in hiking, nature, and outdoor activities.

At the same time, proximity to a national forest should not be used as a substitute for studying the local rental market. An investor should research Hartford’s employment base, population, rental demand, comparable properties, vacancy rates, nearby services, and realistic rents before developing an income projection.

The property’s current tax information is another interesting point. The reported tax assessed value is $61,515, compared with the current asking price of $38,999. Annual property taxes are reported at approximately $433.

However, a tax assessment is not the same as current market value. The difference between the assessment and asking price should not automatically be considered equity, particularly because the property requires rehabilitation and has questions surrounding its current classification and use.

For an investor considering the property as a rental, the most important calculation will be the completed project cost. A five-unit building could potentially produce multiple rental income streams, but gross rent alone does not determine profitability.

A proper analysis should account for vacancy, property taxes, insurance, maintenance, repairs, utilities paid by the owner, landscaping, property management, capital reserves, financing, and future major expenses.

Renovation costs could also be substantial. If each unit requires kitchen or bathroom work, flooring, paint, electrical upgrades, plumbing repairs, heating and cooling, and other improvements, costs can multiply quickly across five units.

Fire and life-safety requirements may represent another significant expense. Depending on the building’s legal classification and intended use, improvements could be required for emergency egress, fire separation, alarms, electrical safety, stairways, doors, windows, and other systems.

Insurance should be investigated before purchase as well. A former church converted to residential use may not fit a standard single-family insurance profile. The insurer will need accurate information about the building’s current use, number of units, heating, roof, electrical system, plumbing, occupancy, and renovation status.

Financing may also be more complicated than the $38,999 asking price suggests. If the property is legally a five-unit building, lenders may treat it differently from a single-family residence. If the conversion is not legally established, financing options could change again.

For these reasons, this property is best viewed as a major renovation and due-diligence project, rather than simply an inexpensive apartment building.

Still, the combination of characteristics is unusual. The property offers approximately 3,214 square feet, five reported bedrooms, five full bathrooms, three stories, nearly 0.7 acres, a brick exterior, and a reported history as a former church.

The $38,999 asking price also creates a relatively low entry point for someone with the experience and resources necessary to investigate and rehabilitate the property.

Before making an offer, a serious buyer should verify the legal status of the five units, inspect the structure and foundation, evaluate the roof, determine the condition and capacity of the electrical system, develop a heating and cooling plan, inspect the plumbing, investigate fire and life-safety requirements, obtain insurance information, and secure realistic contractor estimates.

The buyer should also confirm whether each proposed apartment has a functional kitchen, bathroom, living area, independent access, and appropriate utilities. Those details will determine whether the seller’s five-unit description translates into five legally rentable apartments.

For the right buyer, 28 S Hazel St could become a distinctive small multifamily property in Hartford. Its former church identity, brick construction, three-story design, surrounding acreage, and proximity to the Ouachita National Forest give it characteristics that are difficult to find in ordinary rental listings.

But the property’s potential ultimately depends on what the buyer discovers during due diligence.

At $38,999, the purchase price is only the beginning of the calculation. The more important question is how much capital will be required to transform the existing structure into a safe, legal, insurable, and marketable residential property.

If the five-unit conversion is legally established and the renovation costs are manageable, the property could potentially provide an interesting multifamily redevelopment opportunity. If significant code, structural, or legal issues are discovered, those factors could substantially change the economics.

For investors willing to investigate the details carefully, this former church represents an unusual piece of Arkansas real estate with plenty of possibilities—and plenty of questions that need to be answered before the first renovation dollar is spent.

Listed on Zillow