Historic Homes – The Specialist Expertise You Need

Historic homes (roughly speaking, let’s say homes built before World War II) often have a unique charm and can wonderfully evoke an earlier era. It’s no surprise, then, that some people desire a historic home, rather than a more modern house.

Selling or buying a historic home isn’t the same as selling or buying just any home. It’s vitally important your real estate agent has experience with historic homes and knows how they can sometimes present unique challenges related to their age, the construction techniques in use when they were built, their maintenance needs, and potential regulatory limitations on external modifications.

I’ve worked with clients on both the sale and purchase of historic homes. In addition, since 2001, my family and I have owned and lived in a historic home in Rockville. I was closely involved in every step of its extensive renovation. We also completed a total renovation of an older cottage on the Magothy River, north of Annapolis.

From my experience and the knowledge I’ve gained, I’ve developed a set of effective strategies for ensuring the interests of my clients – as either a seller or buyer of a historic home – are always protected at every step of a real estate transaction. These are just some of the ways I’ll protect your interests when you’re buying or selling a historic home…

Step Selling a Historic Home – Protecting Your Interests

Pre-listing
Inspection(s)

Based on your house’s condition, I may recommend you proactively engage a home inspector and/or structural engineer, as appropriate, to inspect your house, before it’s listed for sale. It’s always better to identify and resolve problems BEFORE YOU LIST YOUR HOUSE, rather than have a buyer find them via their inspections (or to simply hope buyers won’t actually discover them).

 

I’ll refer you to home inspectors and structural engineers that I know have deep experience with historic homes and who will thoroughly and thoughtfully inspect and analyze your historic home.

Prepare
for Listing		 Beyond the guidance I would typically provide to prepare any house for sale, I’ll provide informed, experienced advice regarding any existing problems and whether to repair them or to simply disclose them to prospective buyers. I’ll also suggest improvements, and provide a staging plan, each designed to make the most of your house’s historic character and unique identity.

Market
House		 When selling a historic home, to achieve the highest sale price, it’s important to appeal to prospective buyers who want to buy a historic home (rather than trying to appeal to all prospective buyers, many of whom won’t appreciate your home’s historic nature). I’ll develop a marketing plan to bring to life your home’s historic character and unique story. As part of that, I’ll craft a compelling narrative and leverage any available old photos and historic documents.

Negotiate
with Buyer		 Items revealed by the buyer’s inspectors have the potential to be costly and/or complicated. I’ll provide experienced, knowledgeable advice on responding to items the buyer requests you repair. I’ll suggest creative solutions if there isn’t enough time before settlement to complete all requested repairs or you don’t have enough cash to pay for them. And, if the repairs requested by the buyer are far more extensive than had been anticipated, I may recommend you decline to make the requested repairs, if that is the most prudent thing to do.

Repairs		 For repairs you are inclined to make, I’ll recommend contractors who are appropriately licensed and have experience with similar repairs on other historic homes. I’ll help ensure their scope of work is defined so the completed work will actually fulfill the buyer’s repair request and that the work is well-documented. And, if you’d like, I can manage the contractors you have chosen.

Step Buying a Historic Home – Protecting Your Interests

Consider
Houses		 I’ll describe elements of historic houses generally that can be a source of problems. And, I’ll highlight aspects of the specific houses you’re considering that may need close scrutiny from an appropriately-experienced home inspector and/or structural engineer.

Inspection
Contingencies		 I’ll recommend inspection contingencies to include in your offer that will provide you the time needed to complete all recommended inspections AND to obtain informed estimates for the repair of problems that are revealed, from highly qualified contractors that are experienced with historic homes.

Home
Inspections		 I’ll refer you to home inspectors and structural engineers that I know are experienced with historic homes and who have distinguished themselves by thoroughly inspecting and thoughtfully analyzing historic homes previously.

Negotiate
with Seller		 I’ll provide experienced, knowledgeable advice regarding problems revealed by the inspections and whether to ask the sellers to make repairs and, if so, what exactly to ask for. I’ll suggest creative solutions if there isn’t enough time before settlement to have all desired repairs completed or the seller doesn’t have enough cash to pay for them. And, if the problems revealed by the inspections are far more extensive than had been anticipated, I may recommend that you cancel the contract – sometimes, that is the most prudent thing to do.

Repairs		 For repairs the seller has agreed to make, I’ll closely monitor their licensed contractors’ work, and ensure their work is sufficiently documented. If appropriate, I’ll suggest you bring back your home inspector and/or structural engineer to confirm repairs have been completed properly.