Antique or Historic Homes in Connecticut- Do you know what to look for?

If you are thinking about buying an antique home, there are a number of unique factors that should go into your decision. Remember, that one day you will be a seller of that antique home.

Connecticut  has many "antique" homes, which are also commonly called "historic homes", however the two terms are not truly interchangeable. An antique is classified as a home that is greater than one hundred years of age.  An historic home does not necessarily have to be 100 years or older. It could be that a special event took place at the home,  that it housed a famous resident at one time, or was built by a renowned architect. An example would be "FallingWater" which was designed and built by Frank Lloyd Wright. While not an antique, this home was built between 1936 and 1939 and certainly has much historical significance.

If you are interested in purchasing an historic home, there are certain things that make your purchase more unique than others, and having an experienced team of professionals on your side is crucial to making a good decision.

First, and very important! Is the home on the local, Statewide, or National Register of Historic Places? Depending on what your intentions are  for the home, it could be a good thing, or a bad thing. A home on any of these "Registers", will have a continued appeal to a certain number of buyers, however  you must make sure and do your due diligence- If the home is listed in any of these places, there will aso be certain guidelines as to what you can change  or remodel in the house. There may even be a color restriction on the exterior, for historic preservation purposes.

Historical integrity, even if not listed in any registers, can be a concern for many buyers who are interested in this type of property. For example, your upgrades should  pay special attention to period details, and for example, a whirlpool in the bath or steam shower with glass enclosure doors would be inappropriate because these features are not indicative of the time that the home was built,  Sure, it's your home, and you can do what you want to with it, just remember that you have a limited buyer pool for resale, and you would limit it even further.

Major components of the home including heating, plumbing, electrical and air conditioning- When the  home was built, there were no building codes, so you may need to upgrade  or revamp the electrical, which may have already  been done once, but in need of updating again. Take special care to  look at the number of electrical outlets in the home, and if there are not enough outlets, woud it be reasonable and feasible to add more.(Speak with a licensed electrican on this) There could be galvanized plumbing and cast iron pipes, and it may be time to consider replacement (Speak with a licensed plumber)

Some  fun things to look for when purchasing an antique home:

Chestnut wood- American Chestnut, although once plentiful and used primarily  in the upper end antique homes. A severe blight nearly made this species extinct, and even now, the Chestnut that you see is usually imported from Europe. (Yes, you'll pay dearly for it)

The Front Door- Depending on the age and location of the home, if you are lucky  enough to find a home with its original front door, look for the amount of nails. The amount of nails in the door was to denote the wealth and rank of the occupant. .. and while we are on the subject of nails, rose-head nails  in the home is of value to its historical  integrity as well.

One last thing to add of a general nature is knowing the homes specific history. I really appreciate antique homes, (as if you couldn't tell)  Whenever I list a historic home, I contact the Historical Society and get  as much history on that home as I can for the incoming buyers as well as the outgoing sellers, if they do not have a complete history on the property. Finding out who built the home, who lived there, what they did,  and when certain improvements were made is all part of the charm of an antique  and historic home.

So if you are thinking of buying  or selling an antique home, you will need your experienced professional team to assist you, and you can start with me as your real estate agent :) 

Comments

[Bakersfield]

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