{"id":33214,"date":"2022-09-29T12:52:13","date_gmt":"2022-09-29T19:52:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=33214"},"modified":"2022-10-05T13:03:20","modified_gmt":"2022-10-05T20:03:20","slug":"buyer-buying-a-historic-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-buying-a-historic-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Should You Buy a Historic Home? Be Prepared for Character, Charm, and Maybe a Ghost or Two"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Buying a historic home is a \u201clabor of love,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/agents\/teresa-cowart-ga-290798\">Teresa Cowart<\/a>, a top agent with 17 years of experience in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/savannah-ga\/top-real-estate-agents?Page=1\">Savannah, Georgia<\/a>. You\u2019ll be buying a piece of history \u2014 an old home with historical or architectural significance \u2014 and can enjoy the charms that come with older buildings, but as Cowart points out, it can also mean expensive repairs, unexpected costs, and maybe a ghost or two. Let\u2019s look at what a historic home actually is and what to consider if you decide to buy one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"geo-cta widget-cta widget-cta--content     widget-cta--dark widget-cta--dark-blue-gradient\">\n    <div class=\"widget-element--content\">\n        <div class=\"widget-element--content-header\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"homelight logo\" class=\"widget-element--logo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/ccprototypev5\/images\/logo-small-cta.png\" width=\"106\" height=\"25\" \/>\n        <\/div>\n        \n                <h3 class=\"cta-headline widget--bold\">Dreaming of Buying a Historic Home? <\/h3>\n                        <p>Historic homes come with character, charm, and some serious quirks. An expert buyer&#8217;s agent will be your historic home buying MVP. HomeLight will match you with a top agent in your area in just under 2 minutes after analyzing millions of transactions to find your best match.<\/p>\n        \n                <div class=\"widget-element--buttons\">\n            <a data-type=\"In Content CTA\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/find-agent\/quiz\/buyer?#\/qaas=0\/\" class=\"cta-click-track widget-element--button\">Find a Buyer's Agent<\/a>\n        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div id=\"section--1\" data-toc-header=\"What is a historic home?\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h2>What is a historic home?<\/h2>\n<p>A historic home is typically at least 50 years old and retains much of its original architecture and characteristics. While a historic home doesn\u2019t have to be listed on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/subjects\/nationalregister\/upload\/NR_Brochure_Poster_web508.pdf\">National Register of Historic Places<\/a> to be considered historic, the register offers a criteria for evaluation that can be helpful in determining the historic value of a home. Some criteria include homes that:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Were associated with significant historical events<\/li>\n<li>Were associated with the lives of significant people from the past<\/li>\n<li>Embody the distinctive characteristics of a particular type of home, time period, construction method, architect or designer, or artistic style<\/li>\n<li>May provide or have provided important information related to history or historical events<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Identifying a historic home comes down to answering one (or all) of three questions \u2014 Is the property significant? Does it look much as it did when it was built? Was it built more than 50 years ago?<\/p>\n<p>Being listed on the National Register of Historic Places doesn\u2019t actually protect the home or require any preservation efforts. It\u2019s simply a list of historic places with perceived historic significance through their age, architecture, and significance.<\/p>\n<p>Historic homes are actually protected and regulated at the state level through each state&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/subjects\/nationalregister\/state-historic-preservation-offices.htm\">State Historic Preservation Office<\/a> (SHPO). Each SHPO is tasked with managing historic places in a way that takes their state\u2019s unique character, needs, and history into account. Individual cities and neighborhoods may also have their own standards for preservation and guidelines for renovations.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--2\" data-toc-header=\"Benefits of buying a historic home\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h2>Benefits of buying a historic home<\/h2>\n<p>Historic homes offer a level of character that a new build simply can\u2019t and owning one comes with distinct benefits, especially for those who will truly appreciate the history and significance of the home.<\/p>\n<h3>You own a piece of history\u2026 and sometimes the ghosts that come with it<\/h3>\n<p>Owning a historic home means you own a piece of the past. You\u2019re preserving the place where people came before you \u2014 and laughed and cried and grew and died. There is a richness that&#8217;s difficult to capture in a new build. You can often visit the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/subjects\/nationalregister\/database-research.htm\">National Archives site<\/a> to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-how-to-find-the-history-of-a-property-online\/\">dig up more details about the home\u2019s history<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>But you may also have to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/what-is-a-stigmatized-property\/\">deal with ghosts<\/a>. Cowart says she\u2019s seen unexplained things happen in the homes she\u2019s been in. And while it\u2019s mostly harmless, she also says \u201cI\u2019ve been in some other houses where it just feels very dark.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>There is a lot of character<\/h3>\n<p>Creaky floors, old-growth wood trim, and intricate details are hallmarks of historic houses. It seems like there\u2019s always something new to discover when you tour a historic home for the first time. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/do-built-in-bookshelves-add-value\/\">Built-ins<\/a> give you a sense of the planning that went into designing the home and high ceilings create a sense of grandeur. And, historic neighborhoods are a reflection of the past and the time and care that the architect took to design each home.<\/p>\n<h3>It may be part of an old neighborhood<\/h3>\n<p>Historic homes are typically found in historic neighborhoods that grew up organically over time. So, while you likely won\u2019t find a gated community, swimming pool, rec room, or tennis court, you will likely have tree-lined streets where neighbors wave to passersby as they sit on their front porches or gather for evening conversations.<\/p>\n<p>Older communities offer their own kinds of amenities for residents and history buffs \u2014 for example, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitsavannah.com\/historic-landmark-district\">Historic Landmark District<\/a> in Savannah, Georgia is home to monuments, art museums, cobblestone streets, and the <a href=\"https:\/\/chsgeorgia.org\/gsrm\">Georgia State Railroad Museum<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>You may be eligible for a tax credit<\/h3>\n<p>In addition to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/tps\/tax-incentives\/before-you-apply.htm#:~:text=The%20tax%20credit%20is%20only,by%20the%20National%20Park%20Service.\">federal tax credit<\/a> administered by the National Park Service (NPS), many individual states offer Historic Preservation Tax Credits to homeowners who invest in renovating their income-producing properties (non-owner occupied homes).<\/p>\n<p>To qualify for the federal tax credit, the home must be registered as a historic property with the National Park Service and the rehabilitation of the home needs to meet the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/tps\/standards\/rehabilitation.htm\">Secretary\u2019s Standards for Rehabilitation<\/a> as outlined by the NPS. With this program, homeowners may be eligible to claim a 20% credit on qualified rehabilitation expenses.<\/p>\n<p>Individual states also offer versions of this program, with many allowing qualified homeowners to claim <a href=\"https:\/\/www.novoco.com\/resource-centers\/historic-tax-credits\/state-htcs\/state-htc-program-descriptions\">up to 25%<\/a> of the costs of rehabilitation. Eligibility and percentages vary by state, and each state will have their own application process. If you decide to undergo renovations on a home that qualifies as a historic building or is part of a historic district, you may be eligible for this incentive.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--3\" data-toc-header=\"Drawbacks of buying a historic home\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h2>Drawbacks of buying a historic home<\/h2>\n<p>For all of their advantages, historic homes do come with some drawbacks that can make owning one a challenge.<\/p>\n<h3>It\u2019s hard to sneak around<\/h3>\n<p>This could also be an advantage if you have a teenager, but if you\u2019re trying to sneak past a sleeping baby or creep downstairs for a midnight snack, the creaky floorboards may give you away. Older homes are known for the noises they make, so if you\u2019re looking for silence, a historic home may not be right for you.<\/p>\n<h3>Updates may be difficult<\/h3>\n<p>If you want to update the look of the home or the systems that it uses, getting approval may be difficult depending on the local building codes or the neighborhood the home is in. If the home is considered to be historic or is part of a historic district or neighborhood, you may need to get approval from the right organizations before you make any changes to ensure they don\u2019t deviate from the home\u2019s original style.<\/p>\n<p>Individual neighborhoods may have their own guidelines for renovations and updates. Olde Towne Portsmouth, Virginia, for instance, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.portsmouthva.gov\/422\/Olde-Towne-Historic-District-Design-Guid\">has detailed information<\/a> about how to approach any changes to the structure. A good place to start is by visiting the neighborhood\u2019s website.<\/p>\n<p>You may not qualify for certain types of financing<\/p>\n<p>Lenders don\u2019t necessarily care how old a home is, but certain loans, like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/fha-loan-property-requirements\/\">FHA loans<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-how-to-get-a-va-loan\/\">VA loans<\/a>, have requirements for the condition of the home. Often, historic homes that haven\u2019t been updated, and do not meet the minimum property standards set by HUD or the VA, won\u2019t qualify for certains <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-types-of-mortgages\/\">types of loans<\/a>. Some red flags in older homes that might bring up concerns in an appraisal include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Foundation issues and structural damage<\/li>\n<li>Non-operational appliances<\/li>\n<li>Roof damage or age<\/li>\n<li>Inadequate insulation or an \u201cunsafe attic\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Improper drainage and grading<\/li>\n<li>Disturbed lead paint<\/li>\n<li>Inadequate heating or cooling systems<\/li>\n<li>Damaged plumbing and electrical systems<\/li>\n<li>Evidence of termites and termite damage<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<section class=\"building-block bb-type-default bb-agent-quote bg-none\" id=\"bb-1\"><div class=\"body block\"><div class=\"container-fluid\"><div class=\"block-content\">            <blockquote class=\"post-blockquote\">\n                <q><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You<\/span><b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> need to make sure that you know what you\u2019re buying and how much it\u2019s going to cost you. I would take your contractor with you after you get the inspection report and have them give you the numbers. And then you need to talk to your lender to make sure there&#8217;s no red flags with it.<\/span><\/b><\/q>\n                                    <div class=\"contributors\">\n                        <ul class=\"list\">\n                            <li>\n                                <div class=\"inner\">\n                                    <div class=\"opener\">\n                                        <div class=\"avatar\">\n                                                                                            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.homelight.com\/uploads\/agent\/picture\/95385\/32e25907-a0fb-4955-9963-07b8e71d395d.jpeg?width=121\" alt=\"Teresa Cowart\">\n                                                                                    <\/div>\n                                        <div class=\"info\">\n                                            <strong>Teresa Cowart<\/strong>\n                                            <span>Real Estate Agent<\/span>\n                                        <\/div>\n                                    <\/div>\n\n                                    <div class=\"contributors-detail-modal\">\n                                        <div class=\"holder\">\n                                            <a href=\"#\" class=\"icon-close close\">\n                                                <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close<\/span>\n                                            <\/a>\n                                            <div class=\"top\">\n                                                <div class=\"avatar\">\n                                                                                                            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.homelight.com\/uploads\/agent\/picture\/95385\/32e25907-a0fb-4955-9963-07b8e71d395d.jpeg?width=121\" alt=\"Teresa Cowart\">\n                                                                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <div class=\"info\">\n                                                    <strong>Teresa Cowart<\/strong>\n                                                                                                            <span>Real Estate Agent at RE\/MAX Accent<\/span>\n                                                                                                        <div class=\"rating\">\n                                                                                                            <\/div>\n                                                                                                    <\/div>\n                                            <\/div>\n                                                                                            <div class=\"btm\">\n                                                    <ul class=\"exp-list inline-list\">\n                                                                                                                    <li>\n                                                                <span>Years of Experience<\/span>\n                                                                <strong>21<\/strong>\n                                                            <\/li>\n                                                                                                                    <li>\n                                                                <span>Transactions<\/span>\n                                                                <strong>4131<\/strong>\n                                                            <\/li>\n                                                                                                                    <li>\n                                                                <span>Average Price Point<\/span>\n                                                                <strong>$269k<\/strong>\n                                                            <\/li>\n                                                                                                                    <li>\n                                                                <span>Single Family Homes<\/span>\n                                                                <strong>3475<\/strong>\n                                                            <\/li>\n                                                                                                            <\/ul>\n                                                <\/div>\n                                                                                    <\/div>\n                                    <\/div>\n                                <\/div>\n                            <\/li>\n                        <\/ul>\n                    <\/div>\n                            <\/blockquote>\n        <\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<div id=\"section--4\" data-toc-header=\"What to know when considering a historic home\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h2>What to know when considering a historic home<\/h2>\n<h3>You should expect the unexpected<\/h3>\n<p>Cowart recommends having an inspection and then taking a contractor to the home once you have the inspection report, saying \u201cYou need to make sure that you know what you\u2019re buying and how much it\u2019s going to cost you. I would take your contractor with you after you get the inspection report and have them give you the numbers. And then you need to talk to your lender to make sure there&#8217;s no red flags with it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Even if you have an inspection and bring a contractor into the home before you buy it, historic homes can be unpredictable and you may run into unexpected problems and hidden costs. \u201cMaybe [the house] has lead based paint,\u201d says Cowart. \u201cMaybe it has asbestos, maybe it has faulty wiring or plumbing that has to be updated. You never know.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>You should also be prepared for things to take longer than expected because, Cowart says, \u201cnone of that stuff is going to take place in a timely fashion.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>You may need approval for renovations<\/h3>\n<p>In some areas, exterior renovations to a historic home have to be approved by the local historical society. If you are going to renovate the property, it\u2019s important to contact your <a href=\"https:\/\/ncshpo.org\/directory\/\">State Historic Preservation Office<\/a> to ensure that you\u2019re aware of what is permitted and what isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n<p>Historic districts seek to maintain the historic integrity of the structures, though there is a lot more leeway for interior renovations than exterior renovations. However, interior renovations can require updating key systems such as wiring and plumbing, potentially making them more costly than expected.<\/p>\n<h3>You may have to adjust the layout<\/h3>\n<p>Old homes often have smaller kitchens and closets than we\u2019re used to today. To make a historic home work for you, you can make it work in the existing space, or you can renovate and adjust the layout to one that works better for your lifestyle. But keep in mind that renovations can take significant time and money to complete and depending on the structure, may not be possible at all.<\/p>\n<h3>You can benefit from working with a historic home specialist<\/h3>\n<p>Historic homes are unique and come with their own quirks and character, so <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-historic-homes\/\">working with a historic home specialist<\/a> who knows how historic homes differ from newer homes, and can help make you aware of the challenges you could face, will help you know exactly what you\u2019re buying.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--5\" data-toc-header=\"Historic home renovation grants\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h2>Historic home renovation grants<\/h2>\n<p>To preserve historic buildings, the National Park Service offers <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/subjects\/historicpreservationfund\/grant-programs.htm\">Historic Preservation Fund Grant Programs<\/a>. Other private and state run organizations may also offer grants for preserving historic buildings, so it\u2019s worth looking into before beginning a renovation project. Most programs require homes to be registered with the National Park Service and may give priority to projects on properties that are considered <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/subjects\/nationalhistoriclandmarks\/grants-and-incentives.htm\">National Historic Landmarks<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>For more information, contact your local State Historic Preservation Officer <a href=\"https:\/\/ncshpo.org\/directory\/\">using this directory<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--6\" data-toc-header=\"Is buying a historic home worth it?\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h2>Is buying a historic home worth it?<\/h2>\n<p>With considerations like old wiring, possible ghosts, and sloping floors \u2014 Cowart says \u201cwalking through them is sometimes just like being on a roller coaster because of floor slope\u201d \u2014 it is easy to wonder whether buying a historic home is worth the extra time and effort. It\u2019s important to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/find-real-estate-agents\/buying\">partner with a top agent<\/a> who is familiar with historic homes and neighborhoods to ensure you\u2019re doing your homework and know what you\u2019re getting into.<\/p>\n<p>Cowart thinks that tackling a historic home is \u201ca labor of love, and I love that they\u2019re doing it.\u201d Historic home ownership definitely isn\u2019t for everyone, but for some, the rewards of owning a unique piece of history outweighs any quirks or troubles that the home will bring.<\/p>\n<p><em>Header Image Source: (Roger Starnes Sr \/ Unsplash)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We\u2019ll walk you through the benefits and drawbacks of buying a historic home and help you make the right decision when the time comes to buy your next home. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":241,"featured_media":33217,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[192,638,641],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33214","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-for-buyers","category-house-hunting","category-find-home"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.0 (Yoast SEO v27.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Should You Buy a Historic Home? Here are the Pros and Cons<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"We\u2019ll walk you through the benefits and drawbacks of buying a historic home and help you make the right decision.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-buying-a-historic-home\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Should You Buy a Historic Home? 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Here are the Pros and Cons","description":"We\u2019ll walk you through the benefits and drawbacks of buying a historic home and help you make the right decision.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-buying-a-historic-home\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Should You Buy a Historic Home? Be Prepared for Character, Charm, and Maybe a Ghost or Two","og_description":"We\u2019ll walk you through the benefits and drawbacks of buying a historic home and help you make the right decision.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-buying-a-historic-home\/","og_site_name":"HomeLight Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gohomelight\/","article_published_time":"2022-09-29T19:52:13+00:00","article_modified_time":"2022-10-05T20:03:20+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1500,"height":800,"url":"https:\/\/hl-blog.homelight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/buying-a-historic-home.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Steph Mickelson","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@gohomelight","twitter_site":"@gohomelight","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Steph Mickelson","Est. reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":["Article","BlogPosting"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-buying-a-historic-home\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-buying-a-historic-home\/"},"author":{"name":"Steph Mickelson","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/329d219b520928eb66a6604427bf67f4"},"headline":"Should You Buy a Historic Home? 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