Buy New, Vintage or Victorian Home?

[Dalexs]

Personally, I like older houses. They just outright have more character.
If the house was taken care of, it will stand the test of time.

My first house was built in 1927. Everything was good about it, except the refinish work the previous owner did. New plaster was cracking, etc...

I just bought a new house that was built in 1900.
It has tons of old world charm, its big, and is generally in great shape.
The last owners were in the house for 40+ years and took care of the little things as they came up. It has updated mechanical systems, new windows, and a new kitchen. What's not to like.

I know people who have bought brand new houses that sag, tilt, leak, and you name it, within the first 6 months.

My house house has a little sag here and there, but it 's 100+ years old!
I can only hope to be in as good a shape when I'm 100!

 

[cookie]

Renos and Rehabs

You are exactly right!

The give you love and then you give them dollars because you have to spend money to upkeep them ...but when you do they give it back to you in spades in that sense of 'gemuetlichkeit' (homeliness).

 

[ENfield3-8303]

My first home in NY was built in the early 1950s', it was a custom made Cape Cod style and no expence was spared to make it a quality home. I'd live in one like it again in a heartbeat.
My family owns a wonderful Victorian house built in the early 1880's-The house has an air of style and elegance that you'd never find in a modern McMansion or other over-priced pre-fab home. I'd be happy to own one just like it.
The house I currently live in was also built in the 1950s'- when this bit of property was on an air force base.
The English language does not suffice to describe the misery this ugly little money pit has put me through.

 

[Steve]

I live in a fifties home, built out of solid concrete by a bridge materials supplier. Despite the solidness of this core construction, and the security it gives us from Florida storms, the house could accurately be described as a money pit. The fact that my grandfather, (who lived here before,) was a do-it-yourself king who left a legacy of jumbled wires and conduits that vexed even the electricians who did some work a few years ago doesn't help.

If I were to buy a home, I would want it as new as possible, within my price range. Of course, it's my dream to become affluent enough to design and build a custom house one day, but unless or until then, I'm a convert to post-1980 construction at the least.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

I wouldn't mind living in one of those new log cabin homes. I do love the look of Victorian houses and those big white two-story, plus attic and basement houses made in 1910-20. The kind that have a wraparound porch and a big stone fireplace and a decent sized acreage with trees and gardens.

Please, I cannot stand those McMansions, huge things with too many rooms and a big ugly 3-car garage obscuring the house (advertising I guess that "my toys are the most important thing I own"). All driveway out front and no trees (that takes years). Yech.

Money-wise all the above are out of my league. I would happily settle for one of those cute little Katrina Cottages. Well built, a nice front porch, built to withstand hurricanes and floods. But I'd need a storage shed on the lot.

karol

 

[GOK]

I've lived in a house built in the 1400s which was pretty much trouble-free, apart from needing to rethatch the roof every 20 or so years - not a problem I ever had to deal with. I've lived in a house built in the 1600s - same as above. My last but one house was built around 1910 and that too had no problems whatsoever. My current house was built (as a factory) in 1867 and has one slight problem with a couple of leaking windows. However, it must be said that these are modern replacements (that are copies of the original ones), so I'm not sure if it counts!

Modern houses I've lived in have ranged from being built just after WWII to the '90s and without exception, they have suffered from damp in the winter, cracked walls, swelling timbers and general crappiness! Oh, and and not held the heat in very well.

I don't care what anyone says, give me a period home any day. There is no subsitute for bricks (unless it's wattle and daub!). Once the inside is modernised, there is no reason IME, that an old home should give one any trouble at all. And besides, for me, modern homes are soulless boxes, completely devoid of character.

 

[CanadaDoll]

I must agree with GOK on the period homes, in addition to being well made, generally speaking, they have a charm that modern houses just can't quite touch. I'll take Victorian personally, even if I need to sink some money and elbow grease into restoring one.

 

[reetpleat]

HOuses are a lot like clothing in many ways. Back in the day they built things to last and of great quality, but quality varried. If you are unlucky you find a home meade piece of junk suit, or one made to be very cheap. Even those can be superior quality to those of today, but not always.

Back in the day, clothes were made with style that we like, fairly simple iconinc style.

Today, clothing is made often in immitation of older styles, but with no real understanding of it and it comes off looking like a bad hodgepodge.

Other clothing is only 20 years old and usually mediocre quailty and derivitive style, but sometimes you find something in a thrift store that had been made by a certain designer that is good quality and/or has a good classic sense of style. Same with houses.

And while most modern clothes and houses are boring, some are so out there and new thinking, but well thought out taht you like it.

I personally don't buy designer cloothes, but when i have osme meney I might occasionallly buy a very interesting new style item. Same with houses. When I have some meney I might buy a newly build or myself designed ultramodern industrialish lots of glass etc place.

What I would not buy is a poorly done faux craftsman built by a shoddy builder in a boring suburb.

 

[Doh!]

I'd love to live in a cleaned-up version of the Bates mansion with modern plumbing, air conditioning, etc. Victorian homes are the most beautiful to me.

 

[cookie]

Rehab or relocate

This has been the most stimulating thread I have read on the FL apart from educative threads on clothing history from blokes like Marc Chevalier or the Baron.

The rehabilitate rather than detonate vote leans to rehab but the jury is out.

You spend big dough on renovating - that you don't spend on detonating - you get the beautiful smell of fresh paint and a clean house where everything is supposed to work and no further money to spend - but then the nightmare of modern housing surfaces and out comes the wallet.

The consensus is also that no amount of money spent on a modern home gives you the charm or warmth of a vintage home.

 

[scotrace]

Don't get me wrong - my house is from around 1910 and I covet one nearby from 1863. I love old houses and have learned the upkeep stuff over almost 20 years here. Older homes have framing in old growth timber that is simply gone now. The quality of materials used in construction isn't available now.

But every time I turn around it's something else. A dodgy switch, a leak in the cellar, yada yada. I guess it's a matter of finding that I just don't want to devote so much time and cash to fiddling with repairs when I'd rather be spending time with Lounge friends in a great city setting or traveling with my family or riding my bike. But no, I must replace a crumbling back porch and half the rafter tails, then paint all the trim on 53 windows. Goodbye summer.

 

[reetpleat]

As a real estate agent, I will add that old houses in urban neighborhoods where the hipsters and yuppies have already moved in keep appreciating due to the neighborhood, charm nad character.

Of course older homes in downward going neighborhoods (Seattle has none) won't.

But newer homes in suburban neighborhoods, especially the ones way out there will depreciate a bit, even if overall real estate increases keep the prices up. the home will depreciate based on outdated style, newer houses nearby and deteriorationuntil it is remodeled in the latest style.

An old house, modernized and kept up will always hold value.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

All great stuff!

 

[Paisley]

The fact that I live in a dry climate helps. No mold or mildew. No water in the basement due to good location. But my yellow paint job faded to cream in a few years under the brilliant Colorado sun. Hence, the new paint job is green.

 

[Viola]

I would like either BRAND-new and my choice of plans (it doesn't have to be out-and-out custom but that'd be nice too) or Victorian.

No '50s house and no random new-ish house. I really don't respect new construction at all. I don't like the materials, the methods, the detailing, OR many of the trends of style.

I really love Victorian/Craftsman styling.

My parents house was built in 1917 and for all its flaws its amazing. I would definitely rather buy age and solidity over modern convenience. There aren't even that many appliances I want.

-Viola

 

[thebadmamajama]

Ever since I was a little girl (I was a strange one) my main dream was to have an old, character-ridden Victorian house. I grew up in a 1970s home that I swear was out to destroy us, but I can't begrudge it because it taught me how to repair things growing up and to know ahead of time the work it takes to maintain a house. I am still fiercely dreaming of having that beautiful old Victorian, and I can't wait for the day that I do. I'm ready with my tools. I guess I should get out of college first....

 

[BegintheBeguine]

Heck, why not have many dream homes

I am fortunate I have a 1920 house. I would like an even bigger, older house, since I am dreaming. When my dad visited the apartment where I lived in Atlanta, nothing special, half inground, half patio, he admitted he'd imagined me living away from home in a mushroom house

a round house

or an a frame

Cool, the way others see us!
(The mushroom, or pod house, really does look like that. It is in a park and I was acquainted with someone who lived there.)

 

[Phil]

I'd say either new or vintage. My only limits are pre-war usonian houses on the vintage houses and no deconstructivism on the modern house. I think that the usonian houses are very beautiful and the house really flows from room to room. Deconstructivism houses can be very troublesome, the millions of odd points never really spoke to me. I don't like the victorian mainly because they focus too much on taking up space with windows, doors, pointless room as well as looking like doll houses. The flow of the victorian houses seem rather interupted. I have a few friends around my area that live in victorian style houses. I've had to draft victorian style houses. I just don't like how there isn't space to move, rooms don't flow, the house can be a giant maze.

 

[BegintheBeguine]

Educational

I had to look up two words in the dictionary while reading that.

 

[reetpleat]

Victorian houses are nice, but a little too grandma usually for my tastes. The biggest problem is the floorplans were designed to have a sitting room, closed off kitchen, parlor etc and very little open space. Current trends of the great room really do seem to suit modernl living better. Of course they can be updated.

Craftsman I like, as long as it doesn't have too much wood unless you want to decorate in strict period style which isn't a bad thing. They lend themselves to opening up the kitchen and such, as they were designed a little more open than victorians. I have seen a lot of great remodels that keep the original style but modernize and oepn up.

Fifties houses lend themselves to remodel as well, and can be decorated in many styles. Some people add trim and such to make it look older. Cape cods are post war but still have a bit of trim and style. Actually the style originated in the 30s as a response to the fussiness of craftsman and many hollywood movie stars lived in modest cape cods in the 30s.

Houses were still pretty well built through the late sixties. Not everyones cup of tea, but well built, but with post war technology. They are great homes to balance between the modernity, and well built. SUprised that the classic ranch is not more appreciated here. The rockabilly crowd lovves them.

In the early seventies they started expirimenting with new cheap construction methods that really did not hold up. They are a mess unless you find a custom job.

By the nineties they had gotten it down and a lot of methods and materials are actually pretty good, or at least as good as you can get without spending a fortune. IF you get a well built home you will find it will last a good while. But watch out for poorly built ones.

Anyway, jus an overview.