Why I Love Older Homes
Why I Love Older Homes
People who know me well know that I’d take a hundred year old house over a brand new house any day of the week.
Why is that? What is it that draws me so much to older homes? For me it’s easy to provide those answers.
Living in a neighborhood where all the houses look basically the same with the only variations being having 3 – 4 models that are just repeated over and over and over again would drive me crazy. I’ve always led an unusual life. I’ve travelled the world and, for me, cookie cutter just doesn’t cut it. I like variety, I like things that are unusual, I like homes that have character. If that’s your shopping list as well, an historic neighborhood is probably going to have appeal to you too.
When I enter a home that’s 80 – 100 years old, I love how they look and I love how they feel. There is a strong sense of being rooted….having presence, being on a solid foundation, because usually you are. Buildings that stand the test of time take on an ambiance of their own and it’s delightful. The attention to detail and the craftsmanship is evident from leaded glass panes in the windows, to the crown molding, the tiles around a fireplace topped with a beautiful mantle, to the masonry work on the columns of a front porch or the incredible feel of well worn wood as you run your hand along a beautiful banister as you ascend a staircase that’s like a work of art all by itself. In a word, older homes have character.
There are plenty of people who love master-planned, gated communities with the suburban lifestyle and that’s wonderful. It takes all kinds to make the world go round and I’m happy to sell someone a house anywhere they want to live.
But, for me, I’ll take an old house in an historic neighborhood. Give me a grand front door that creaks when you open it, an antique chandelier that brings charm to the dining room, a library with built-in bookcases and the formal layout of a home that harkens back to an earlier day. As if the character of an older home were not enough, another bonus you receive is the neighborhood in which older homes are situated…the trees are huge, the landscaping is mature, the neighbors themselves are usually rather interesting and yes…every house on the block is different.
Different has always appealed to me. Homes in historic neighborhoods were not mass produced, they were built with individual expression in mind. They are reflective of each family who’s lived in them as they’ve been changed and modified over the decades. The lots are larger, the rooms are bigger, the ceilings are taller. Older homes tells a story. I love a good story, don’t you? Older homes are full of them. Ah, if those walls could talk…we’d be entertained for days.
The romance of it all has always captivated me. Guess that’s one of the many reasons I love old homes. Life has been lived there and it’s left it’s mark for all to discover and enjoy. In the Tulsa area, we are fortunate to have so many historic neighborhoods to choose from. When you’re ready to find the historic home of your dreams, get in touch with me and let’s go exploring. I’ll be happy to show you some hidden gems.
Debra Jones
Email: Debra@UniquePropertiesOK.com
Phone: 918.606.0294
