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Using This To My Advantage

When we first began looking at houses, I came across a house that was built in 1883.  It’s about 25 minutes from Vince’s work.  Vince automatically rejected this house.  He wouldn’t consider it because it was so old.  I figure anything that has been around that long will probably be around as long as I am.  The 25 minute drive is looking better than it once looked.

Today I went back and looked at it again online.  I keep going back to this!

It’s a 45″ Elmira electric stove.  It’s a newer reproduction . . not the stove that was put in the house in 1883.  The stove in the link is a bit fancier than the one in the house but the one in the house is fine with me.  The rest of the house looks good on the internet.  Lots of square feet.   Would you buy it?  Do you think Vince would buy it?

I doubt he will consider it but I would like to at least see the house.

 

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Comments

  1. I live in a 100 year old farm house that has lots of character. Lots of character means real hardwood floors, wainscotting in the dining room and a house that is not a cookie cutter. It also means small to non-existent closets and storage space. Until we did some work on replacing windows and siding, I did not need to worry about fresh air, it would blow through; freezing pipes were a frequent concern during our Minnesota winters. I would not trade this house for a new one! As you said the house has stood longer than anything will built today. If it had a great porch all the better.

    With gas prices a house closer to work is something to think about too.
    Good luck with your continued search!

  2. he should give it a chance and at least LOOK at it! I’d buy an old house in a heartbeat!

  3. Old houses are fabulous, if they’ve been maintained. I’d certainly ask to see their utility bills, though!

  5. I would for sure look at it and consider it – if it has been around that long chances are it has been updated over the years with closets ect. Check it out – what can it hurt? Does it have a nice covered porch – a selling point to me!
    Karen
    http://karensquilting.com/blog/

  6. We have always lived in older homes. The house we bought here in PA is a red stone house built in 1856 and renovated in the early 1950’s. Real wood floors and lovely solid plaster walls – kitchen and bathroom both sport black and white tile half way up the walls. We had looked at new construction but they had no character to them. I know a lot of folks would rip out this tile for a more modern look – but we love it.

  8. OH MY, just clicked the link for that fabulous stove! I think I want one…..but not today. 🙂 I don’t think I’d be up to another old house, even though I bet it has some fabulous character.

  10. Judy, that’s what happened when we found our house. Although much newer then what you are talking about, the house just kept creeping back into my mind, even when the owners rejected our offer (s). But in the end it all worked out, and we are so grateful and happy to be in this house. It was everything we dreamed of when we were thinking of building. I say give it a chance. It may just be the diamond in the rough. And if it is still on the market, maybe the time is right to make an offer.

  11. I would consider an older house FIRST. I love the look and the character of older homes. I love that they were loved. You have to know that I house that is that old is sound if it has lasted this long. Tell Vince to put his purple crocs on and give it a look…looking never hurts.

  12. I too live in an old house (100+ years) and LOVE the character!! When we bought it we replaced the old windows, etc and would take it over a new house any day! :o) Convince Vince to at least look at it……no harm in looking!!!!

  13. I’d sure want to know if the plumbing all the way to the end of the line is updAted. What about the circuit breakers & the ac? Double paned windows? Insulation? Adequate electrical outlets? Could be a find. Could be a nightmare. How long has it been on the market?

  14. My favorite house I’ve ever lived in was one built in 1903. When we decided to move back to the KC area, the saddest thing of all was leaving MY house. I loved it, and still dream that I’m back in that house. I’d buy another old house if given the opportunity.

    Definitely consider at least looking at it.

  15. sure wish you were considering sw mo, then I could run look at houses with ya!- condition and location are the top two concerns. good luck cw

  16. since you looked at the smelly house, then he should be wiling to look at this one!

  17. I agree with Pdudgeon! Also, as long as there are no ghosts…..I’m just sayin!!!

  18. Think of the positives – with an old house, you would have endless stories for your blog!!! I agree with everyone else – go see it… house hunting is ALWAYS about settling on one point another – size, age, location, floor plan – stove… just make sure you don’t lose something critical in the process… good luck, Judy

  19. I am completely biased because I work in historic preservation, live in a 1912 house, and cannot imagine living in a new house. That being said, historic houses are built with much better materials that you can ever get now (real wood, plaster, hardwood framing, etc.) and new (or newer) houses can still have problems. Historic design features for houses in the South like deep porches, tall windows and ceilings, and wide hallways allow for air circulation and along with mature shade trees, aid in keeping houses cooler in the summer. Wouldn’t hurt to look…

  20. At this point, what do you have to lose!? I love that stove…would be worth looking at the house just for that!

  21. I’d bet if anyone put a stove like that in the house, they’d also kept it up and made many improvements.
    Sure sounds great to me, but I didn’t see a link to it on the internet or did I miss something.

  22. You should definitely go look at it. Who knows, it might be the perfect one and Vince might fall in love with it.

  23. We bought our 120 year old Victorian home in the heart of the Olde Towne area of the city and have never regretted it! Yes, there have been updates that we’ve made (and will continue to make)but that happens with newer houses too. The bedrooms are bigger than modern houses and we have a full basement under our 3 story house! Just my opinion- don’t rule it out without checking into details!

  24. I’ve admired those reproduction stoves for a long time. I would think anyone who put such big bucks into a stove would have the rest of the house looking great. TELL VINCE TO GO WITH YOU TO SEE THIS ONE, IF ONLY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO WALK THROUGH A LOVELY OLD HOME.

  25. I would love to have a house like that—my husband was raised in a home that was built in the early to mid 1800s. I loved it. Wish I could have moved it to raise my children in. If it has the size you need/want why not look at it? I have been wanting (lusting) for those stoves for at least 10-15 years. Maybe one of these years.

    Good luck in finding something that you and Vince can agree on.

    Sibyl

  29. it’s beautiful, alright. there’s definitely a quilting room in there. it looks like a lot more house than you need, but i’d love to see it. they don’t show the rest of the kitchen. is it well insulated? is this a serious contender? or a dream house?
    maintaining it in that condition is pricey. don’t ask how i know. who’ll maintain the grounds? aaaaaaaannnnnddddd will you have to buy 2x the amount of furniture that you have to furnish it? it’s those little things that get you.

    in this part of the country (near the coast and NYC), that’s several million. for the property alone, no house. with the house, double-digit millions.

  30. I’ve never purchased such an old house, but I know many who have. They say it’s sort of a leap of faith to take on an old house. You can get a good idea what kind of condition it’s in when you look at it, but there will be problems you can’t see–and even the current owner won’t know about. These houses can be great, or they can be money pits. You have to decide how much faith you have in the integrity of the structure–that’s where the leap of faith comes in. You have good judgment. You’ll make the right decision. It’s very exciting, isn’t it?

  31. I’m living in a pre-1850 house and liking it… how different Texas must be if Vince’s attitude is not blatantly laughable.

    I suspect you will need a home inspector familiar with older construction, and that the home inspector may be able to have a man to man talk with Vince about it.

    Is the house covered by “historical commission” such that you’re constrained in the external change you can make? You will need to know going in whether windows and external HVAC equipment need to be maintained to historical standard or hidden, respectively.

  32. Older homes have their pluses and minuses. When My husband and I were looking for our house a few years ago he went for everything modern and newer. I was okay with it. But evey house we looked at just did not fit the bill. Our realitor actually tuned more into me as I voiced our needas at the time. Not to mention she also listen to what I liked as well. What we ended up with was a 1910 gable house that looks simple and cottage like from the outside but on the inside it will have you wowed. Yes, I curse at all the wood work that I have to dust but it is worth it. It also looks small from the outside as well until you get in it and we could not get over how spacious it was. And for a house built in 1910 we have walk-in closets believe it or not and a very large bathroom. But our heating bill is through the roof in the winter. We do have a lot of work to get done (even after the flipper) but right now it suits us just fine. Best of luck!

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