5 Historic South Jersey Homes Under $400K (No Millennial Grey In Sight)

You've seen this house... Grey vinyl plank floors. Grey shaker cabinets. A grey sectional staged to match the grey walls. A light fixture from the same big-box aisle as the last six houses you toured.

It's fine. It's clean. It has zero personality. If you've been scrolling listings dreaming of crown molding and a front porch with an actual story, you've probably looked at Haddonfield. Then you looked at Haddonfield prices. Then you closed the tab.

But here's what a lot of buyers miss: Haddonfield doesn't have a monopoly on old houses. South Jersey is full of small towns that were building Victorians and Colonials in the 1800s too, and in plenty of them, you can still get in for well under $400,000. Here are five on the market right now.

A quick note: none of these homes are listed by The JFKLiving Team. Each one is listed by another local brokerage, credited below. Details are from the listings as of November 5, 2026.

4 bed · 2 bath · 2,388 sq ft · Built 1880

Let's start with the one that'll make a certain kind of buyer's heart race... This 1880 Victorian has the details people pay seven figures for in other zip codes: a curved staircase, arched entryways, 9-foot ceilings on the first floor, pocket doors, French doors, oversized custom baseboards and crown molding. There's a formal living room, a formal dining room, and an enclosed porch.

It sits on a double lot (about a third of an acre) with a heated two-car detached garage. The heating system is roughly 7 years old and the sewer line is newer. The attic already has electricity, so an office, game room or extra living space is on the table.

But. (There's always a but with a Victorian at this price.) It's being sold strictly as-is, and the listing is upfront that it's best for someone ready to renovate. The agent notes it could work with a construction loan, which means you may be able to roll renovation costs into your financing. If you've got vision and a contractor you trust, this is the one.

3 bed · 2.5 bath · 1,408 sq ft · Built 1890

Not everyone wants a project; some people want the character without the 6am calls to a plumber. This 1890 home is a textbook example of Second Empire Victorian style. Look up and you'll see the mansard roof, finished in green fish-scale shingles. Look down and there's a traditional Victorian front porch with gingerbread trim. Inside, the living room has coffered ceilings, wainscoting, a columned room divider and plenty of natural light.

It's also had the expensive, unglamorous stuff done in the last five years: new heating system, central air, a tankless water heater. The kitchen is fully renovated, and the primary suite has a custom walk-in closet and its own renovated bath, which is a rare find in a house this age. Out back there's a covered deck (half walls already added if you want to screen it in), a fully fenced yard and a long driveway with off-street parking.

You're also close to downtown Woodbury's restaurants and shops, in one of the oldest towns in South Jersey. The history doesn't stop at your front door.

3 bed · 2.5 bath · 1,612 sq ft · Built 1886

This one's for the buyer who wants old-house curb appeal without the old-house to-do list. From the street, it's pure 1880s Folk Victorian: a full-width covered front porch, decorative gable trim, classic wood siding. The porch columns are simple and round, with a subtle Classical Revival nod, and they sit on rock-faced concrete block piers made to look like natural stone.

Built in 1886, it's been completely remodeled: new roof, new HVAC, new kitchen, new bathrooms, new flooring throughout. The first floor flows open from the living room to the dining area to the kitchen. You also get a lot that runs 171 feet deep and a detached garage for a car or a workshop.

Location-wise, Westville is about as convenient as South Jersey gets, minutes from I-295, Route 42 and the Turnpike.

3 bed · 2 bath · 1,536 sq ft · Built c. 1857

This one has the best backstory on the list: the house is older than Merchantville itself. It was built before the borough was even incorporated. A railroad once ran right past the front door. The main house it originally belonged to is long gone, but this one stuck around.

Over the years it's been restored to blend modern conveniences with its original charm: hardwood floors in the living and dining rooms, an eat-in kitchen and an extra sitting room. There's a bedroom, full bath, and laundry on the first floor, and a primary bedroom upstairs.

The lot is long and a little unusual, roughly 195 feet deep. One side has mature trees and landscaping along a walking trail. The other has a big lawn that runs to the next street over. A brick patio, a shed and off-street parking round it out. And it's about a block from downtown Merchantville. Dinner and a walk home past other old houses? Perfect.

6 bed · 1.5 bath · 3,018 sq ft · Built 1858

Okay. Hear us out. This is an 1858 Italianate Victorian in the center of Woodbury: three stories of red brick, contrasting painted shutters and an ornate cast-iron front porch covered in Victorian scrollwork. It's over 3,000 square feet, which makes it far and away the most house for the money on this list.

And the character didn't get left on the porch. Inside there's a wood-burning fireplace, arched-top glazed French doors, dark wood built-ins, decorative corbels, period-style millwork and an arched window alcove. Somewhere in this office building, there's a clawfoot soaking tub.

But (you knew it was coming): it's currently used as an office building, and it's zoned commercial. The listing suggests it could be converted back into a residence. That's a real possibility, and it's also a real process. Before you start picturing a reading nook in that arched window alcove, talk to Woodbury's zoning office about what's allowed and get a sense of what a conversion would cost.

The main level already has a living room, dining room, family room, kitchen, office, sunroom and half bath, plus an unfinished basement. If you run a business, work from home or have always wanted to bring an old building back to life, this one deserves a look.

Old homes come with stories. They can also come with surprises. A few things to know before you make an offer:

You don't need a Haddonfield budget to live in a house with a story. You need to know where to look, and someone who can tell the difference between "charming quirk" and "five-figure problem."

Woodbury, Merchantville, Westville, Clayton, Pitman, Burlington: these towns were building beautiful homes while Haddonfield was. Go in with clear eyes about what an old house will really take, and you might just end up with the most interesting house on the block.

Take a look at homes for sale in Camden, Burlington, and Gloucester Counties listed under $400,000 that are pre-1900s. The JFKLiving Team would love to help you find your dream historic home. Start by completing the form below.

The homes in this post are not listed by The JFKLiving Team. They are listed by the brokerages credited under each home. Listing information is courtesy of Bright MLS and was accurate as of November 5, 2026. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.