Thursday, January 16, 2014

Historic Homes: Pros and Cons for Buyers


Old historic homes have  fabulous back stories, tons of character, and they’re usually located in the “cool part” of town. So there’s no wonder that so many buyers are attracted to old historic homes for sale, because the prospect of owning one is filled with excitement and intrigue. 



There are many advantages to owning such a home, whether you’re an investor or someone looking to make the home purchase a permanent one.
However, it’s important that you know what you may be getting into before you go hunting. If you’re in the market for old historic homes for sale, here’s a quick look at some advantages and disadvantages:



Eye candy:
A historic home has a unique visual appeal that you just can’t find anywhere else, even in a beautiful and expensive contemporary home. They often boast architecture styles that can’t be found in modern homes, exquisite craftsmanship, and bells and whistles you can’t get from any other kind of property. If you long for bay windows in the attic, telephone closets, breakfast nooks and a port a cochere that was designed for horse-drawn buggies, you might just be the perfect prospective owner of a historic home.
Costs and taxes:
Let’s face it—an older home that hasn’t been updated for a while is probably going to require some work, and depending on what you want and how much you want to get from resale, it may be a lot of work. The upside is that some historic homeowners have made those updates in preparation for a sale. So you might luck into a property where all the work has been done for you, and you reap the benefits of plumbing, insulation or cooling that’s newer than what you’d get than if you bought a pre-owned modern home.
Restrictions:
If your home is in a designated historic district, there may be limitations on what you can do in terms of additions or renovations. Some buyers don’t like losing this flexibility. Still others find that they appreciate the protections provided by these restrictions, since they serve to enforce the continued aesthetics of the historic neighborhood. 

To learn more about old historic homes for sale in the Austin area or about the home buying process,  visit www.thekinneycompany.com

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