Realty Check: What $270K Gets You in Ulen

When people move to Ulen, they don’t leave—at least not for several decades. Why would they? Scoring a house in the charming golf community, with its grand, historical homes, is nearly as rare as shooting a hole-in-one. Only six houses have sold in the last five years.

This storied little town’s appeal can be traced to Lebanon native Henry C. Ulen, a high-school dropout who eventually became a famous builder and contractor. He constructed the Shandaken Tunnel in New York, a railroad across the Persian desert, and the Marathon Dam in Athens. During the 1920s, Ulen moved his offices from New York to his hometown, where he built the Ulen golf course, a clubhouse, and a picturesque row of residences in order to lure his East Coast executives to the heartland.

In 1981, Marge and Jerry Erskine snagged one of those original homes on Ulen Boulevard, but the quaint area’s main strip was the couple’s dream destination long before moving there. “Anytime someone came to visit, we drove them through Ulen,” Marge says. “It was like going into another era. The atmosphere was peaceful and slow.”

Built in 1931, the Erskines’ 2,654-square-foot stucco abode retains its vintage look with a cozy “maid’s room” and bath off of the kitchen, an original slate roof, and a living-room fireplace. While the three-bedroom, three-bath could use some interior updates (most notably the removal of jewel-toned carpet throughout the main quarters), the new owners can enjoy several move-in-ready amenities, like a sunroom and screened-in porch, a prime location across from the third fairway, and views of the home’s lush, low-maintenance garden starring evergreens, hostas, and daylilies.

More than 80 years since its founding, Ulen remains one of Central Indiana’s best-kept secrets. “It’s kind of an oasis,” Marge says. “Nobody knows it’s here.” But not for long—the neighborhood and clubhouse will soon be designated national historic landmarks.

Want to Buy It?

Address: 137 Ulen Blvd., Lebanon

List price: $259,900

Agent: Jerry Tanselle, 317-846-7751, F.C. Tucker Co.