Photo courtesy wallyg, flickr

How to Find a Historic House

The First Step in Locating Your Historic Dream

Home

Every historic house is old, but not every old

house is historic. Historic houses are usually

designated as significant examples of the

cultural or physical developments of that

community, state, or the entire nation, either

because of their architecture or association with

an important historical figure or event. They

might also be related by a common theme with

other buildings, such as in an architectural

movement.

1. Define “historic.”

Photo courtesy Rockin Robin, flickr

Develop a wish list, including style, number and size of rooms, type of yard, and preferred neighborhoods. Decide if you’d like a house that needs rehab, or one that’s already restored. And, of course, figure out your budget for both the house and also for repairs and alteration.

2. Outline what you want (and can afford).

Photo courtesy Elizabeth Thomsen, flickr

An agent familiar with historic properties

can be a great asset in your search. To

find one, drive around historic

neighborhoods and contact agents who

are listing houses in the area. Ask other

historic home owners whom they

recommend. Gauge the agent’s

familiarity with historic homes with a few

short questions -- for example, if the

house is in a historic district, ask what

regulations apply there, and whether the

house is listed on a national, state,

and/or local register.

3. Find a knowledgeable

real estate agent.

Photo courtesy Studio Amore, flickr

The MLS provides basic, useful facts about properties, but it doesn’t use

the same terms as architects and architectural historians. One

workaround is to combine the MLS’s style name with the date of

construction; that might give you a clue about its true architectural style.

4. Know the Multiple Listing Service’s (MLS)

limitations.

Photo courtesy NCinDC, flickr

In addition to your local newspapers and real estate tabloids, check out national and regional publications that carry ads for historic houses. Plus, the National Trust maintains a Historic Properties for Sale site, where you can search listings, connect with an agent, and more.

5. Check out real estate ads & websites.

Image courtesy National Trust for Historic Preservation

Your state historic preservation office can likely

give you a historic property list for your area

which you can then compare to the MLS list or

share with your agent. The office can also share

copies of a specific property’s nomination form

for the state or national register, which will give

you more info about the appearance, style, and

history of the house.

6. Contact your SHPO.

Photo courtesy Universal Pops, flickr

Your community’s local historic

societies, nonprofit preservation

organizations, and local government

preservation agencies can also lend

a hand. Connect with staff at the

city’s community development or

planning department, too; they can

provide lists of locally designated

historic properties.

7. Contact other local

organizations and

agencies.

Photo courtesy Elizabeth Thomson, flickr

You know what they say: location, location, location. One benefit of many older houses is their proximity to schools, shopping, houses of worship, and public transportation. Evaluate if the area or neighborhood meets your standards for safety, crime rates, and relative stability.

8. Examine the environment.

Photo courtesy UGArdener, flickr

Listing a building (or district) on the National

Register of Historic Places publicly recognizes

the place’s importance to the nation’s culture,

history, and/or architecture. It doesn’t interfere

with your right to alter or sell the property. And if

you plan to use the property to generate income

-- for example, renting or housing a small

business -- you might be eligible for

rehabilitation tax credits.

9. Know the pros of National

Register designation.

Photo courtesy Kansas Sebastian, flickr

Local governments’ preservation ordinances often include design guidelines and procedures for any proposed alterations to your home. They let you make changes to your home as long as they’re in line with the district’s architectural character. This protects your investment in the long term.

10. Understand local historic

designation.

Photo courtesy beautifulcataya, flickr

Ten on Tuesday features ten preservation

tips each week. For more tips, visit

blog.PreservationNation.org.