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Fair Haven VT Real Estate: Homes for Sale in Vermont's Slate Valley

By Tony Walton, Principal Broker, New England Landmark Realty

Quick Answer

Fair Haven is a Rutland County town of about 2,700 people on the New York border, west of Rutland, built around a large town green. It grew as a mill town in the 1780s and a slate-quarrying center from 1846, and today offers a compact village, its own grade school and union middle and high school, and a US Route 4 freeway connection east to Rutland. Current Fair Haven homes for sale appear at the bottom of this page, and our Fair Haven market report shows recent sales and prices.

Fair Haven at a Glance

• County: Rutland
• ZIP code: 05743
• Population: 2,736 (2020 Census)
• Area: about 18 square miles
• Neighbors: Benson to the north, Castleton to the east, Poultney to the southeast, West Haven to the west, and Hampton, New York
• Schools: Fair Haven Grade School and Fair Haven Union Middle and High School, in the Slate Valley Unified Union School District

Living in Fair Haven

The heart of Fair Haven is its large town green, with a fountain at the center and a gazebo, surrounded by the village's historic homes, churches, and businesses. The Ira C. Allen Mansion, known as the "Marble Mansion," and the Fair Haven Historical Society & Museum are part of that history.

Colonel Matthew Lyon moved to Fair Haven in 1783 and built mills that made it a prosperous small mill town. Slate quarrying and manufacturing began in 1846, and Fair Haven became part of the Slate Valley that runs along the Vermont-New York border.

Rutland, with its shopping, jobs, and hospital, is east on US Route 4, and Castleton, next door, is home to a Vermont State University campus.

Homes in Fair Haven

Buyers in Fair Haven find historic village homes around the green, older homes from the mill and slate eras, and homes with land on the town's back roads. See what's for sale now in the listings below, and check recent sale prices in the Fair Haven market report, which updates as homes sell.

Buying an older home? Plan for a thorough inspection, including the heating system, electrical, and, for homes built before 1978, lead paint.

Getting Around

• US Route 4 runs through Fair Haven as a freeway with three interchanges, east to Rutland and west toward Whitehall, New York.
• Vermont Route 4A connects east toward Castleton.
• Vermont Route 22A runs north toward Benson, Orwell, and Shoreham.

Costs to Plan For

Vermont's property transfer tax, paid by the buyer at closing, is 0.5% on the first $200,000 of a primary residence and 1.47% above that; 3.62% for a second home; and a VHFA-financed primary residence is exempt on the first $250,000. Estimate your payment, transfer tax, and cash to close with our Vermont Home Cost Calculator. Homes outside the village often have private wells and septic systems, so plan for water testing and a septic inspection; see our Vermont home inspection guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is Fair Haven, VT in?

Rutland County, on the New York border west of Rutland.

What is the ZIP code for Fair Haven, VT?

05743.

What schools serve Fair Haven?

Fair Haven Grade School and Fair Haven Union Middle and High School, part of the Slate Valley Unified Union School District.

Why is it called the Slate Valley?

Slate quarrying and manufacturing, which began in Fair Haven in 1846, shaped the towns along this stretch of the Vermont-New York border.

How do I see recent home prices in Fair Haven?

Our Fair Haven market report lists recent sales, prices, and days on market, and updates automatically.

What to Do Next

Call our office at 802-253-4711, reach Tony Walton directly at 802-233-4107, or contact us.

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• Vermont Home Buying Guide
• Nearby: West Rutland, Poultney, Shoreham

Sources

• Fair Haven, Vermont (county, population, area, ZIP code, highways, town green, Matthew Lyon, slate history, neighbors)
• Slate Valley Unified School District, Fair Haven Union Middle and High School
• Vermont Department of Taxes, Property Transfer Tax