Real Estate

There is a community, a bond, a passion that some describe as an addiction, among the buyers and preservers of antique houses. They are not flippers or investors but regard themselves as guardians of architectural and community history, who share techniques and stories of their homes and structures built before indoor plumbing and electricity arrived.

What qualifies as an antique house?

Is any old house an antique house? The answer depends on whom you ask. An antique dealer’s definition of over 100 years does not fit. Architectural historians, notoriously precise experts, define an antique house in the Americas as a timber frame house, generally built before 1850, with hand-hewn beams held together by mortise and tenon joints that used fireplaces for cooking and heating. The sturdy frame supported the house, not the exterior walls. This method of building was dominant until it was replaced by the stud walls of balloon-frame houses, which had wood stoves and later coal furnaces instead of fireplaces. 

Pre-revolutionary, Colonial, federal, and Greek-revival styles could all be considered antique houses given their framing and wood-burning fireplaces. An 1850s railroad town like Millerton, NY, belies its age by the architectural style of its homes and absence of fireplaces, which remained uncommon until nostalgia brought them back.

Expert antique house “addict” and serial restorer, Howard Sobel considers the amount of original detail that remains in a house as the primary “antique” qualification, which might even include Victorian houses. “Everyone has their own taste. Antique houses should not really be modified; original bones, configuration, and materials should largely be left intact.” 

Real estate agents infrequently list a home as “antique” when selling a house. Checking 79 active current listings in the northwest corner of Connecticut, just three of the nine homes built before 1850 are categorized as antique. Listing text like “historic,” “original detail,” and “steeped in charm” can either be accompanied by “modern amenities and upgrades” on the positive side or a cautionary “renovators dream.” Both are tip-offs that the house may actually be an antique structure. 

What’s involved in renovating antique structures?

Sobel spent 15 years looking for a pre revolutionary house with original details. Finally, he bought a house built in 1772 on Main Street in Salisbury, CT, that had not been altered in 75-100 years. It took him two and a half years to renovate it. 

Sobel’s first objective was to begin by removing all of the paint, most of it lead-based, to replicate the original colors. Sobel admits that an antique house comes with a lot of surprises. Rebuilding the entire chimney and removing the dining floor to add the steel beams in the basement to support the sinking house was one of his biggest surprises. “The great news is that you’ve saved the house for another 250 years,” according to Sobel. “That’s the fun of it.” 

The extensive restoration also included removing two old oil tanks in the basement; replacing every electrical wire and pipe without removing the original plaster; adding new windows, siding, cedar shingle roof, and a HVAC system; and, of course, repainting the walls in their original colors. Sobel recommends taking your time, doing it right, and proceeding in phases. 

Why the fascination with antique houses?

Buyers who might not have been looking for an antique house describe falling in love. “We weren’t specifically searching for an antique or historic home, but once we saw this one, we were captivated by its charm, history, and character,” says the owner of 95 Christian Street in New Preston, CT. “There’s something truly special about a home that has a story to tell. Unlike the uniformity of new builds, this house felt alive with history. We loved the idea of becoming a part of that history, adding our own touches to a home that had already seen so much.”

Owners of antique homes do have advice for buyers considering buying one. “Embrace the sense of stewardship that comes with owning an antique home. Understand that you’re not just buying a house; you’re becoming part of its ongoing story. Look for homes that have been well-maintained or thoughtfully updated, as this can make the process of modernizing for comfort much more manageable. 

And don’t be afraid to add your own personal touches – each one adds a new chapter to the home’s history.”

Sobel’s fascination with antique structures is figuring out how they were constructed. For example, he discovered numbered rafters in the attic indicating that an English “scribe” house had been constructed on the site.

What do real estate agents have to say?

Speaking off the record, real estate professionals say that it’s a “thin” market for antique houses, which are not for everyone. The people who want them will be satisfied with nothing else, but if a buyer is just looking for a three-bedroom house, an antique house is probably not for them. Still, in the current real estate market, houses built before 1850 sell as quickly as other similarly priced homes, with all houses over $1,000,000 taking longer on average to find a buyer. 

Listing real estate brokers can sometimes become historians in presenting the appeal of an antique house, as Kathryn Claire Bassett with William Pitt Sotheby’s in Litchfield County recently discovered when researching the history of one home. “Buyers are often intrigued by the historic details that tell a story. For instance, with the property at 95 Christian Street I was able to use the ‘Historical and Architectural Resource Survey of Washington, Connecticut’ as a resource to identify the family that was believed to have built the home in the early 1800s. It turns out that this family, the Cogwells, was a Washington founding family who owned a sandpit at the base of Lake Waramaug – which eventually became the Washington Town Beach.” 

Antique houses can be found at all price points

An antique house is valued like any other property. Often the front of the house can be directly on the road or located on a small lot in a hamlet close to other houses. Simple, country antique houses can be dark and modest in size with steep staircases. The biggest factor by far is condition. Is buying an antique house a project, or is it move-in ready?

An antique house iat 182 Bulls Bridge Road in Kent, CT, that was described as a “renovator’s dream” sold for only $332,500 this year because of its condition and small 1,470-square-foot size on a one-acre lot near the road. At the other end of the spectrum is Mole’s Hill built in 1809 in Sharon, CT, which sold for $5.4 million – the most expensive house sold in Sharon in the last three years. “With over 5,800 square feet on 28 acres, this estate is in exceptional condition with period detail sold at a premium,” recounted Elyse Harney Morris. “Buyers appreciate the character and history of a home paired with modern conveniences like central air, a generator, and efficient insulation,” according to Bassett. “If the improvements are done in a way that doesn’t disrupt the character of a home, then we typically see these types of homes sell for a premium.” •

Christine Bates is a registered real-estate agent in New York and Connecticut with William Pitt Sotheby’s. She has written about real estate and business since Main Street Magazine’s first issue in 2013.