Buying a house is always a good investment. Owning a home ensures you’ll pay fewer taxes, and a mortgage is usually cheaper than rent. Additionally, it is yours, so you can sell it whenever you want. And you most likely will sell for a profit. Owning a home gives you a sense of pride and freedom from the stipulations of renting. But is it better to buy a new home or an older dwelling? And if...
When you start house hunting, you’ll come across homes of all ages. But does the age of a house really matter? The answer is that it depends. In some cases, an older home will require more work. On the other hand, many newer homes won’t have the same character you find in older construction. Not to mention, rushed new constructions can present a plethora of problems. This article will...
Long ago, people would continuously stuff the fireplace with wood to keep themselves from freezing. These same individuals had to open strategically placed windows during the summer to avoid heat stroke. HVAC systems did not exist yet. Notwithstanding, human ingenuity existed, exemplified by the above-door window in older homes. Regulating the temperature was as simple as opening and closing these...
Have you ever walked by an antique home and wondered, “how did they ever have enough space?” Older houses are often shockingly smaller than the modern houses we build today. As with any rule, there are some exceptions– as the stunning plantation homes of the south can testify to. But we’re referring to the average person’s home from way back when. Old houses vary greatly depending on...
Have you ever spotted one of those older homes that looks like The Addams Family's mansion? You might be surprised why they have that dark, gloomy appearance! Let's explain. The Reason Old American Houses Are Dark Believe it or not, there are valid reasons why those old American homes always look so dark, sometimes in both the interior and the exterior of the residence. Much of this gloominess...
With all the advanced technology and increase in building materials, one would think modern houses are better than older houses from the 1970s, but that is not necessarily the case. It may be surprising that homes in the 1970s were built well, and in some cases, built better than modern houses. Houses built in the 1970s are usually weathertight, tend to withstand extreme weather conditions, and are...
If you own or rent an old house, you have probably heard your house make a few intriguing noises. When you asked around, you heard that your home is just settling. But, searching the internet, you have found that it may not be typical. You are now worried that something is seriously wrong and unsure if it is normal for your old house to settle. It is perfectly normal to start worrying about...
Do you own a really old house? So old that you feel like it deserves antique status? Just because a house or item is old does not mean you could call it an antique. There need to be other qualifiers that factor in as well. Maybe your house is old but not old enough, making it just another house on the block. Perhaps it is a newer house that was built with an antique style. What Is an...
If you have ever been inside an old home, you may have noticed that the ceilings are much higher than in modern homes. So why were ceilings so high in old homes? They were designed this way for several reasons, both practical and aesthetic. Raising the ceiling higher made the rooms appear grander and allowed for better ventilation and easier heating in the winter. Below, we will discuss...
The Great Depression of 1929-1939 ushered in one of the most painful periods of economic collapse in American—and global—history. As banks and businesses floundered, people began distrusting formal financial and economic systems. They removed their cash and valuables from traditional banking institutions and hid them in various creative places—from piano legs to mattresses. Read...