Why Do People Live in Old Houses? Exploring the Ups and Downs
With so many people having the desire to return to the land lately, it seems like everyone wants an old farmhouse. Or at least they think they do.. When living in an old house, you have to be willing to live with a certain level of discomfort. There will always be cobwebs in the windows and dust in the corners. The old pane windows may be charming, but they’re also drafty. Cracks around the doorways allow sunshine to creep in, along with six-legged (or eight-legged) creatures. No matter how much you scrape and paint, the paint will forever chip. In an old house, you will never experience stepping into a chilly 62 degrees on a summer’s day, and in the winter, fuzzy socks and a warm cup of coffee will be your best friends.
So, why?
Why would you want to live in an old house when you could have a modern well-insulated, climate-controlled, drywalled, clean and tight house? Well, for me, the answer is pretty simple. I like the old stuff. And I don’t mind “roughing it” a bit. I appreciate the unique beauty of old houses and the careful design that went into them, both for practical and aesthetic reasons. But, it’s not just about the look- it’s also about having a story and a feeling. While you can certainly create a story in a new home, there’s something special about building on the history and experiences of those who lived in an old house before you.
We often hear the saying “If walls could talk,” but truly, if they could, what would they tell you? Who cooked in the kitchen? What little feet ran across the floors? Were there weddings within these walls? Births? Funerals? So many stories may be unknown, but you can sense them in an odd way.
When you drive up to an old home that has been lovingly cared for, you instantly feel warm and comfortable. Or at least I do. It draws me in. I want to go inside, look around and stay awhile. Perhaps sit on the old rocker on the back porch and sip a glass of iced tea.
Charm vs. Challenges: Pros and Cons of Living in an Old House, for the list people.
Pros
- Character and charm
- Historical significance
- Quality construction
- Often lower property tax
- Unique style and likely one-of-a-kind
- Generally more affordable to purchase
- Usually a good return on investment if you DIY improvements and keep cost low.
Cons
- Less energy efficient
- More maintenance and upkeep
- Possible outdated systems
- Less storage
- May not be move in ready
- Renovations may be costly
- Home insurance may be harder to obtain
So, are you willing to trade some creature comforts for the charm of an old home?
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Your entryway is so cozy. I love the character that old houses have.
Thanks so much. Me too!
This is such a cool post! My parents live in a 180 year-old colonial style home and it’s beautiful! Sure, they have to treat it with extra tender, loving care… But it’s so worth it! Such a beautiful space!
Thank you. Oh, I bet it is beautiful!
Beautiful pictures! I love your site. I’ve had an itch to renovate another old house. Always keeping an eye out. The “character and charm” is worth sooo much! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks so much! I do love them but I don’t think I have another one in me! Knock on wood..I think this is our last old house project.
I have to say older homes just offer something that new homes do not. You do not get the kind of charm and uniqueness in a brand new home. Now that being said, you can add old charm and character with salvaged pieces but like you said the historical significance just will not be there. This was a great read! Thank you! 🙂
You are correct! I’m glad you enjoyed it. I hope you stick around for more here on the blog. 🙂
Old homes are beautiful and I love how some tender loving care can restore them to their former glories. Thanks for sharing!
Agreed! You’re welcome. 🙂
Nice blog post. Even though I grip a lot about our old house, I still feel the same pulling up to it sometimes after being gone a while. It feels cozy and says welcome home.
Definitely! Thank you. 🙂
I love reading your blog! We’re in an old fixer-upper too, and people always say our house is so glad to have us 🙂 I’ll bet yours is too!
That’s great! Thanks! 🙂
We have just purchased a small farm house very similar in Texas. Our walls are made of the same material and I was debating on how I should preserve the walls. Your idea of the Tung Oil was a great idea and plan on doing the same application. The old house will become our owners suite and we will be adding a 4500 sq foot addition for the main house.
That’s great! What an exciting project! We have been very pleased with using tung oil throughout our home. I’m actually working on a post on using tung oil on our floors and will be posting it soon. I HIGHLY recommend The Real Milk Paint Co. (RMP Finishes) products. They are not only top of the line in comparison to other brands I’ve tried, but their customer service dept. is very helpful. Good luck on your old house project! 🙂