Old House Dreams

[alsancle]

This just came on the market in Virginia.  

 

https://www.captivatinghouses.com/2022/01/30/1859-mansion-for-sale-in-tazewell-virginia/

About This 1859 Mansion For Sale In Tazewell Virginia

This beautiful historic mansion, constructed in 1859, is situated on a 3-acre lot within walking distance of the Tazewell main street area. It contains 10 beautiful bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, a well-appointed kitchen, a luxurious dining room, a comfortable living room, and a sunny game room. The interior of the house is focused around a large central hallway serving as the main avenue of traffic and providing entrance to the adjacent rooms.

Three bedrooms are situated on the ground floor, along with the kitchen, dining room, living room, and game room. The central hallway flows into a wide staircase that provides access to an upper landing area where you find a cozy sitting area and access to three more of the bedrooms before ascending to the second floor. This is one of a kind–call today!

 

[CHuDWah]

2 hours ago, Steve_Mack_CT said:

@CHuDWah, pretty addictive new site you put out there!  Shame on me for not listing Spanish style among my favorites.  We have maybe one for every 25 Tudor styles homes here in CT but they are really cool and of course more prevelant in some other areas.

Great site indeed!

Yeah, Spanish is cool - course I like most styles, same as I like most cars.  Long story as to why/how we retired in FL but we considered southwest.  Spanish Revival certainly would be appropriate there and we might well have had one.

[CHuDWah]

6 hours ago, alsancle said:

This one is on the same side of the street as the stone mansion in Lowell I just posted.    Once side of the street is lined with 10,000 sq ft houses,   the other side has 1000 square foot ranches on 10,000 sq foot lots.

 

https://www.mvmag.net/2020/04/14/faulkner-house/

 

 

One of the things I love about old houses is gorgeous natural woodwork like this.  I watch reno shows on HGTV and I'm usually screaming at the tasteless philistines that paint it or worse, replace it with some ultra-modern crap.  Just as bad as putting a SBC in a Duesenberg.

[Bhigdog]

Stunning!.........Bob

[SC38dls]

The only way to buy one of these is to talk to the bank that has the current mortgage and see if the owner is behind AND does the bank know the current condition is bad. Then you talk to the tax guys both local and state. Check to see if the house is on or qualifies for the National Historic Trust. Check to see if this allows you to change the carriage house into a garage for your collector cars ( got to get cars into this somehow)  We found the current owner was a year behind in the mortgage and three years behind on taxes. We had no debt on the books, made the bank an offer of what was left on the books and no interest to us for the first two years. We got the tax guys to drop the owed taxes and no tax for the two years. This made our monthly outlay about half of the rent we were paying for our old space. We put the other half into repairs plus a whole bunch more. We put about 250,000 into the house. Used it for just over 10 years as our office. We walked away with about $40k in profit after the purchase, taxes and repairs. We did not put the mortgage interest into that figure. Finding the right buyer is key. We got lucky as the purchaser approached us asking to be our first call if we were going to sell. His reason is we had done the roof, electrical, plumbing and heat/AC. We told him no need for a call make us an offer. It worked out for us. He went broke as did the next owner. The bank recently had another short sale. Do your homework before jumping in as we did. We still feel we were just at the right place at the right time to sell it. 
dave s 

Edited January 31, 2022 by SC38dls (see edit history)

[alsancle]

 

[alsancle]

Anybody interested in the really big gilded age stuff these are some great websites:

 

http://www.mansionsofthegildedage.com/

 

http://www.housesofthehamptons.com/

 

http://bigoldhouses.blogspot.com/

 

The last one is the my favorite.  Unfortunately, I think the author passed away.

[prewarnut]

59 minutes ago, alsancle said:

Anybody interested in the really big gilded age stuff these are some great websites:

 

 

Now you've done it, this is going to take me ages to go through! 😁

[mike6024]

That house in Lowell looks like the Lowell Library. I have been to Lowell

 

[Fossil]

I look at those big old houses, especially the brick or granite ones and all I can think of is damp, musty and cold. I don't see anything warm and welcoming at all. I know it's just me but they look like man made caves. On the other hand turn me loose in one of those carriage houses and I could have a ball turning it into a shop. 

 

 

 

[mike6024]

These houses I think are twins. I have a picture of the nicely painted one from way back in 1985 or so when it was all white, peeling paint, kind of run down, and had many trees and bushes in the yard. A lot of work was done on it. The entry doors are double narrow doors.

[mike6024]

I knew the lady who lived in this home. She was a vice president at our Junior College, where my mom worked as a clerk. It became extremely run down after she retired and became elderly. It was sold and restored after she passed away.

 

Edited February 1, 2022 by mike6024 (see edit history)

[alsancle]

I'm starting to run low on the ones I remember.   This was on the market in 2009 about 50 miles west of me.  Western Massachusetts is beautiful but there are no jobs there.

 

Chilton House

101 Main St, Dalton, MA 01226

$595,000|Beds 14|Baths 9|11,300 SF

 

https://www.berkshirepropertyagents.com/real-estate/101-main-st-dalton-ma-01226/214330/35569293

 

Edited February 1, 2022 by alsancle (see edit history)

[alsancle]

 

10 hours ago, Fossil said:

I look at those big old houses, especially the brick or granite ones and all I can think of is damp, musty and cold. I don't see anything warm and welcoming at all. I know it's just me but they look like man made caves. On the other hand turn me loose in one of those carriage houses and I could have a ball turning it into a shop.

 

Depends.  I've been in many of the ones I posted.   I was more overwhelmed with responsibility (financial and otherwise) of maintaining them.   How they are furnished, decorated, painted, lit, will depend on how they feel living in them.  If you have enough money,  and enough kids to fill the house it could be fine experience.

 

For me,  I would want one of the ones sitting 20-30 acres with a 1200 foot long drive.  But that adds another whole level to the cash burn.     The two houses I posted in Lowell Mass sit on 3/4 acre lots so you won't have the cash burn issue but you are staring at your neighbors.

 

 

[Pfeil]

11 hours ago, Fossil said:

I look at those big old houses, especially the brick or granite ones and all I can think of is damp, musty and cold. I don't see anything warm and welcoming at all. I know it's just me but they look like man made caves. On the other hand turn me loose in one of those carriage houses and I could have a ball turning it into a shop. 

 

 

 

When I look at houses with brick, stone or granite all I can think of is less painting to do. I would rather do joint pointing every 25 years than painting every 12 years////make that 5-6 years with today's paint.

Edited February 1, 2022 by Pfeil (see edit history)

[Pfeil]

It doesn't matter if it's a house or a car or a washing machine. I've always looked at it in the practical sense because I'm the guy who's going to do all or most of the work. That doesn't mean I can't appreciate a Victorian, and perhaps I can appreciate more because I know what it takes to maintain it.

 The older I get, the more simple and easier I like things to be. It's a matter of self preservation and the comfort of being able to put my feet up when I want.

          OR CA Ranch style. All of these houses below were built in the late 40's to 50's

 

All of the houses for me would need a large enough lot and access to the back yard for a garage/shop.

Like mine is, as I was building it; 36X48

[CHuDWah]

14 hours ago, mike6024 said:

These houses I think are twins. I have a picture of the nicely painted one from way back in 1985 or so when it was all white, peeling paint, kind of run down, and had many trees and bushes in the yard. A lot of work was done on it. The entry doors are double narrow doors.

Not identical but awfully close.  Shows how a little contrasting paint can really make the details stand out - kinda like moldings, etc on a car.

[CHuDWah]

3 hours ago, Pfeil said:

When I look at houses with brick, stone or granite all I can think of is less painting to do. I would rather do joint pointing every 25 years than painting every 12 years////make that 5-6 years with today's paint.

 

Or every 2-3 years if it's brick some idiot painted before

 

2 hours ago, Pfeil said:

It doesn't matter if it's a house or a car or a washing machine. I've always looked at it in the practical sense because I'm the guy who's going to do all or most of the work. That doesn't mean I can't appreciate a Victorian, and perhaps I can appreciate more because I know what it takes to maintain it.

 The older I get, the more simple and easier I like things to be. It's a matter of self preservation and the comfort of being able to put my feet up when I want...

x2  And the older I get, the easier it is to say, "Meh, that can wait."  😉

[TAKerry]

We really dont have a lot of big houses like the ones pictured. Aside from Winterthur and Longwood. On the other hand we do have some impressive horse farms. Those come at a different level, muti million dollar barns, and a so so house. Theres one down the street, probably the biggest house in our area, actually 2 houses. The parents house is a large brick anti bellum style mansion, their son built an almost identical house a hundred yards or so behind it, and the daughter built a very large horse barn, indoor riding ring with her living quarters on the second floor at the end of the barn. She can look out of her windows down onto the indoor ring.

[SC38dls]

There was a beautiful old house in Louisville Ky near Church Hill Downs. The city owned it and sold it for $1 if the person would rehab it. Not the best neighborhood to live in but for a buck the guy thought why not. The mansion was in typical bad shape. He put up an 8 foot high chain link fence and had a ton of building material inside the fence and had started the restoration. About a week into the job he arrived one morning too find everything thing gone even a big section of the fence. He gave the house back to the city. The news report didn’t say if he got his dollar back. 
dave s 

[SC38dls]

AJ we need more New England mansions pics. Then we can all vote on the one YOU should restore and make the carriage hose into a multi car garage. If the mansion is on a hill maybe the basement could be the garage if no carriage house!  
dave s 

[Pfeil]

When I lived on the Central Coast (2005-2014) one of the car guy locals invited a bunch of us guys over to see his house. This guy was a staunch anti taxer. We drove out to this guy's ranch and there was this huge-huge barn with some smaller outbuildings. When we got into the barn there was a shop, a garage with about 9-10 cars and a 3-bedroom house. The house had a basement which doubled the living space.

If there is a will there is a way I suppose. 

[JACK M]

 

 

This guy is one of the promoters of the local cars and coffee I attend on occasion.

He called me the other day to invite me to bring a car to the Portland Auto Show.

It seems that the dealers are so short on inventory that they're looking to fill the convention center using local enthusiasts.

 

I don't know this guy very well, but in his email signature it looks like he is a realtor and specializes in Homes for Cars.

Here is his link.

 

PortlandHomesForCars.com

 

I might point out that when you guys talk about carriage houses you are talking about something that rarely exist out west.

I do know what you are talking about, but I think all the money stayed back east while the west was being settled.

Large estates out here all have barns. Not carriage houses.

And when I refer to out west, I don't mean Montana or Colorado.

 

[alsancle]

3 hours ago, SC38dls said:

AJ we need more New England mansions pics. Then we can all vote on the one YOU should restore and make the carriage hose into a multi car garage. If the mansion is on a hill maybe the basement could be the garage if no carriage house!  
dave s 

 

I was at risk in my 30s when I had a little more money and a little less brain power.   Now I have less money and still little brain power but the wisdom of age.    I really wanted a turn of the century carriage house.   The actual living house was a secondary consideration.   There was a guy in Conn 20 years go that dismantled and move antique houses.   He would number every piece and it would amazing go up in a new location on a new foundation just like was.  In his inventory he has a two story 30x25 foot carriage that was kick ass.   It just wasn't big enough to warrant the effort and money.  I wish I could find a picture.

[alsancle]

If you are looking for room to spread out.  This is your house.    It has been on the market for a while, not sure if it sold.  Probably should be turned in to a hotel.   Check out the carriage house!

 

https://www.berkshirepropertyagents.com/real-estate/310-old-stockbridge-rd-lenox-ma-01240/232689/101961730

 

$12,500,000|Beds 33|Baths 13|20,821 SF

 

The Elm Court Estate retains the title of the largest American Shingle Style home in the United States. The extraordinary Gilded Age Berkshire Cottage was built by William Douglas Sloane and Emily Vanderbilt, (granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt), along with architects Peabody & Stearns in 1886. The gardens and landscape were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. In 1919, the Elm Court Talks held at the home ultimately led to the creation of The Treaty of Versailles and League of Nations. Outbuildings include Butler and Gardener cottages, carriage house & stable, greenhouses & Caretaker’s house and two barns. Significant renovations were accomplished in the early 2000s and continued work is necessary with an additional 8,000 sq. ft. of unrestored living space.

 

[Bhigdog]

I could never understand why anyone would want to live in a house like that. Personally I'd find it a bit creepy. No, a lot creepy. My wife and I lived alone in an old 21 room farm house for awhile. It was OK during daylight but after dark every creak, squeak, or groan was unnerving.....Bob

[prewarnut]

"after dark every creak, squeak, or groan was unnerving....."

 

Around here my neighbors are all "packing".

 

"If you are looking for room to spread out.  This is your house."

 

I think someone who owns an asphalt shingle roofing company needs to consider a storefront in-town. I can't imagine what the re-roofing bill is every 25 years.....Originally it was probably slate, tile or wood shakes. Obviously the real "problem" with these houses is the decorating. The living room shot reminded me: Our friends restored a mansion down the street from the governor's mansion in CT and threw benefit parties, etc. We flipped over an antique oriental carpet which was laid to assess whether it would work for the space before they fully moved in. I was really looking for the makers tag on some of these. Instead we found the sales tag in place and it was $100K.

[SC38dls]

I’d get lost in a place that big. Maybe I’d just stay in the carriage house and let the servants have the big place. 
dave s 

[JamesR]

4 hours ago, SC38dls said:

I’d get lost in a place that big....
dave s 

 

I actually dream about that sometimes when I'm sleeping. They aren't nightmares, but "old house dreams" as the title of this thread states. In my dream I'm wandering through all these rooms that I forgot I had, and I'm kind of thrilled to rediscover them. My favorite dreams, however, are when I rediscover cool old cars that I'd stored away years ago! 😄

[John_S_in_Penna]

12 hours ago, prewarnut said:

I can't imagine what the re-roofing bill is every 25 years.  Originally it was probably slate, tile or wood shakes. 

Most houses today have asphalt or fiberglass shingles

on the roof;  but older houses of excellent quality may

have slate or tile roofs.  Some of those houses, 100 to

140 years old, still have their original roofs.

 

One mansion in Newport, Rhode Island, I read, was

built in the 1890's.  The owner planned for the future,

and stocked in his basement all the tiles for a future

roof replacement.  The extras are still in the basement.

Very long-term thinking!

 

But most interesting old houses aren't mansions.

Our topic can certainly include other beautiful examples

of architecture, much easier on the budget.

 

 

[Restorer32]

I grew up in a 16 room Gingerbread Victorian in a small PA town.  Dad made me paint the whole thing the Summer I was 16.  Not exactly how a hormone crazed 16 year old wants to spend his Summer.  I will never forget those 47 windows.  It's now a B&B.

[alsancle]

9 minutes ago, Restorer32 said:

I grew up in a 16 room Gingerbread Victorian in a small PA town.  Dad made me paint the whole thing the Summer I was 16.  Not exactly how a hormone crazed 16 year old wants to spend his Summer.  I will never forget those 47 windows.  It's now a B&B.

 

I've never been a big painted lady fan as they remind of of Classic era cars with lalique hood ornaments and whitewalls.   However,  I can appreciate them.  This is two towns over from me and a really nice house.

 

[marc1122]

We bought this home in Sparta , Georgia. 
it was built by a confederate colonel. Then occupied by a union colonel during the war as a headquarters.

[TAKerry]

AJ, I like the house in the Berkshires, but the pool looks too small. I will have to pass.

 

I was in Newport a few years ago. The scale of those homes is completely beyond my apprehension. The gate houses are bigger than my house!

 

IF I had the money I could def live in a place like that. Who cares if you only see 1/30th of the rooms!

 

Theres a large colonial style home a few miles from my place. It was built by Donaldson Brown in the late 20's or so. He was an exec. with both dupont and GM. It is now owned by the U of Md and is a conference centre. I had the pleasure of doing a bit of work there. I had always thought it was a period Georgian mansion until I learned of its history.  It is built like a commercial high rise, structural steel and concrete. Even the attic floor is poured concrete. The attached garage is about 10 bays long with steam heat, the carriage house is quite impressive as well, if not a bit run down. Travelling north on interstate 95, as soon as you hit the Susquehanna you can see it sitting on a high bluff overlooking the river.

[Joe in Canada]

How about a house with an attached garage by the look of it. Listing says $400,000 and that is a bargain for Toronto as I do not think you could buy a lot anywhere for that price. 

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1360634287705554/?ref=browse_tab&referral_code=marketplace_top_picks&referral_story_type=top_picks

 

 

Edited February 3, 2022 by Joe in Canada (see edit history)

[TAKerry]

Is that a 'drive through window'?

[SC38dls]

 

On November 13, 1925, Miles Frank Yount struck oil at Spindletop field in Beaumont, Texas. The field, which had been dormant since the early 1900’s, produced over 340,000 barrels of oil an acre per year, pumping in excess of 50 million barrels within 5 years. Now financially secure, Miles Frank and wife Pansy established a stable of American Saddlebred horses, quickly becoming recognized as leaders in the industry. On November 13, 1933, the eighth anniversary of Spindletop’s second discovery, Miles Frank Yount died of a heart attack at age 53. Left as the beneficiary of great wealth, Mildred (Pansy) Yount chose Kentucky as the place she would start anew. Spindletop Farm was established in 1935 on 800 acres of land. At a cost of one million dollars, construction of Spindletop Hall began in 1935 and took two years to complete.

Mrs. Yount deemed the house to be a showplace of Kentucky, a modern mansion of classical architecture. When completed, the mansion housed 40 rooms, each with its own thermostat, 14 bathrooms, 133 full size exterior and interior doors, 102 windows with screens of copper, and 11 fireplaces. There are over 45,000 square feet of floor space. At the time of construction, the circular staircase and the 30 x 60-foot living room were the largest in Kentucky. Eventually, Mrs. Yount expanded the farm to 1,066 acres. On the property were seven miles of metal fences, 17 houses for servants and farm hands, and 18 barns. There was also a greenhouse, a swimming pool, a bath house, a tennis court, two aviaries, and three kennels. 

Pansy Yount lived at Spindletop with her daughter, also named Mildred, and third husband and horse trainer Cape Grant. She was considered "new money" by the Kentucky Blue Bloods and was never accepted into their social circle. After divorcing Mr. Grant, Pansy left Spindletop in 1955. In early 1959, Spindletop Farm was sold to The University of Kentucky for $850,000. The farm was self-financed by Pansy over a period of ten years with no interest charged to the University. Mrs. Yount died in 1962 and in that same year Spindletop Hall became the residence of the University of Kentucky Faculty, Staff, and Alumni Club

 

we were members of the club as my better half graduated from U of KY a really neat place to see. The main bathroom had the tub in the center of the room which was about 20 x 30.  
dave s 

[alsancle]

The Famous Scrap Drive Duesenberg was owned by the Younts.

 

Edited February 3, 2022 by alsancle (see edit history)

[28 Chrysler]

1 hour ago, Joe in Canada said:

How about a house with an attached garage by the look of it. Listing says $400,000 and that is a bargain for Toronto as I do not think you could buy a lot anywhere for that price. 

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1360634287705554/?ref=browse_tab&referral_code=marketplace_top_picks&referral_story_type=top_picks

 

 

The house did not have AC but the car has it.

[Restorer32]

3 hours ago, alsancle said:

 

I've never been a big painted lady fan as they remind of of Classic era cars with lalique hood ornaments and whitewalls.   However,  I can appreciate them.  This is two towns over from me and a really nice house.

 

Ours was all white and reminded folks of a giant wedding cake. Somewhat similar to the house pictured but with much more trim.