So you are buying the home, not the land.  Big deal.  And they are old homes...I'd wager in the 75 year old range from the description of the neighborhood.  If it was even possible, I would hate to see the bill on transporting the home to new property.

There was a similar story on homes for sale in Detroit with no buyers...because there were many tens of thousands of dollars in back taxes the new "owner" would have to pay.