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5 Important Things to Know Before Restoring a Historic Home

By
Real Estate Agent with Rise Up Local & Lead Generation Experts

If you are a home buyer who has your eyes set on a historic home there are several important things you should know before signing the dotted line. Owning a historic home is very different from owning a modern home. Below these differences are explored, explained, and discussed in further detail.

What is a Historic Home

A historic home is a residence that is included on the national register of historic places. These homes have been deemed influential and important to the history of the United States. Homes that are included on the national register of historic places were often owned or lived in by individuals of cultural or historical importance. Generally, a historic home must also adhere to certain architectural standards that allow it to serve as a portrait of a particular era. The home's original style must be maintained throughout its life to be placed on the national register and to represent a certain time period.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Buying a Historic Home

 

Like owning any type of home, owning a historic home comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. One of the most obvious advantages of owning a historic home is that the properties are often unique and very interesting to live within. In addition to their style, owning a historic home may also qualify an individual for several various tax incentives. On the other hand, there are also a few disadvantages to owning a historic home. The most consequential disadvantages include the work associated with taking care of a historic home and the renovation restrictions that must be followed while owning one. These renovation restrictions are discussed below.

Historic Home Renovation Restrictions

Unlike owning a modern home, you will not be able to make just any renovations to a historic home that you own. Most likely, owning a historic home will come with several renovation restrictions that outline what exactly you can change about the property. These restrictions often prevent owners from adding any square footage to the home through renovations. Other guidelines of owning a particular historic home may include restrictions on roof repairs, the use of paint remover, and overall aesthetic changes. While these restrictions may seem severe, historic properties are placed on the national register of historic places to preserve history and culture. Making modern changes to these homes would eliminate the home’s historic relevance. 

How to Restore a Historic Home

Oftentimes historic homes come with their own set of restoration problems. These homes are often constructed out of antique materials that will require a vast amount of attention. Unlike modern materials that are at the beginning of their life, the antique materials of a historic home will require preservation. Several specific areas that may require preservation include original wood floors, exposed wooden beams, board and batten shutter styles, and other materials vulnerable to rot and decomposition. 

The Limits of a Historic Home Restoration

As you can probably already tell, a historic home restoration has its limits. These limits include anything not permitted by the home’s restoration restrictions. So you will have to say no to all of those shiplap wall ideas you were interested in. But, that's not all. Historic homes almost always have problems with their energy efficiency, and it is very unlikely these homes will be able to match the performance of a modern home. Replacing a historic home’s light bulbs and toilets with modern models will improve upon the home’s energy efficiency some, but in order to make a real difference the home’s insulation will have to be improved upon. 

Owning a Piece of History

Though historic homes come with their own set of challenges, there really is nothing like owning a piece of history. If you do decide to purchase a historic home at least you now know what you will be up against.

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