A piece of American history, priced at $499,000, looks for the right owner

Continuing its search for that special someone who will guarantee a future for Upsala, the Mount Airy homestead that played a major role in the 1777 Battle of Germantown, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has put the property at 6430 Germantown Ave. on the market for $499,000.

"We are just moving on to the next square in the process," said Katharine Malone-France, the National Trust's vice president for historic sites. She noted that it had been more than a year since the trust and Cliveden Inc., co-steward for Upsala, issued a request for proposals to make the mansion "sustainable financially and culturally for the long term."

Ensuring "the best use" of Upsala while preserving and protecting it are the goals, she said. The emphasis is on a "preservation-minded owner" for Upsala.

The Oct. 6, 2015, deadline for proposals for Upsala came and went, she said. When the deadline was extended, "no proposals that met our criteria" -- especially a viable financial plan for use that contributed to the reenergizing Mount Airy stretch of Germantown Avenue -- were among them.

There is no deadline for the sale of Upsala, Malone-France and Young said, and while D'Alessandro believes "it will take a while," she doesn't think it will be all that long. A recent open house for Realtors attracted 10 brokers, who will pass the information on to 20 to 25 more, she said.

"It takes time for this information to trickle down to the entire market," D'Alessandro said, after which "a cohort of buyers who match the house will start making themselves known in about 2 1/2 to three weeks."

Upsala is assessed at $2.8 million, which means $40,000 in taxes even for use as a nonprofit, she said.

"The assessment and the taxes have to be brought in line through appeal," D'Alessandro said, adding that the list price takes into consideration that Upsala "is a big house that needs a lot of work."

"We are looking for the right kind of new steward," Young said, "someone who understands the value of Upsala and, by preserving that value, will make it a part of this vital community."