what makes a house a home?

So have you ever wondered why people want to buy an old house?

I do sometimes...

I think people buy old houses because of the feeling that you get when you own a piece of history. The architecture shows great pride of craftsmanship. To know that in between the paint and the plaster these walls hold secrets that they will never tell. Yes sometimes she will give you hints but that is all you get.

Mostly I think people buy old houses because of the neighborhood. In real estate it is always about location, location, location. So what makes an older neighborhood more appealing then a new, to some? Think about it people spend tons of time and money to own an old house. Working day and night on the old fixtures and plumbing... for what.

Why do the "woodstreet" houses command more money per square foot than larger, newer houses? The neighborhood!! The people that live or want to live in this hood know that if you get involved in neighborhood you can demand more money for the cracking plaster and the fact that you can't run any 3 appliances at the same time.

So what's the moral of the story. If you get involved in your area you too can have the luxury of asking more for your house. Not that you will ever want to move because your neighborhood will soon be the best in town, but hey we all have to move sometime. You can keep it simple at first, attend a local neighborhood group or watch. Take a walk around your neighborhood, pick up trash even if you didn't put it there (something I am still desperately trying to teach my children) say hello to your neighbors. exchange emails if you are not the talkative type. You don't have to know everything about your neighbors. Just remember what it was like when you were growing up, you knew which houses had the friendly dog and which one your parents had standing plans to play cards at. Give it a shot. Let me know how it turns out

moderism vs 50's ranch

So I guess this makes 3rd in a series of house styles. We have made it to the 50's.

The first thing to remember about a 50's style house is what the world was going through, a ton of changes. Families were going through great changes. We were letting go of the multi generation families. We were embracing thoughts that not everything had to straight and narrow but could defy gravity. Hence the style and architecture of a 50's mod.

A 50's mod is a very distinctive style of house. They can be a work of art all their own. Sometimes with 1 cement block wall that runs the full length of the front of the house. To built in furniture. Right along with amazing windows framing views. Some homes can look like they are floating amongst the hills. While some can seem to be made completely out of glass.

Now a ranch style house. From the outside of the house they look very long. They tend to be 1 story. The garage is usually part of this long look to make you think this house is actually longer that it is. Ranch style homes usually are simple in nature. No big stand out piece of architecture in the inside. Mostly its all about the outside of the home.

Now that we have discussed the difference the thing to remember about a 50's style home, is that they were built for entertaining or not. They could hold large families with ad-ons every where or fit the smallest family. All 50's have this in common. There floor plan, from a bird's eye view would tend to be in a circle. They are easily molded into whatever you need them to be. Modern or old. Show pieces for art work or a simple beauty all their own.

Which style of home fits you better? Heavy wood work like in a Craftsmen, cute with tons of light like a cottage, Fussy and elegant like in a Queen Anne, Formal with comfortable details like a Victorian, a real art piece like a 50's mod, or a long simple ranch?

Italianate vs Spanish

So to continue the discussion of style of homes I decided to discuss the difference between Italianate and Spanish

An Italianate style house, you automatically picture Italy don't you. We in Riverside don't have many, in fact I only know of 1. Tall, simple lines, yet elegant. Flat roofs

Compared to a Spanish style. Tile roofs with flowing lines. Front doors are usually think wood doors with iron work.

This of course is the simple version and of course just my opinion There are so much more to all styles of houses, and so much more that makes up a home than a style. The way each of the houses function as a home make them glow with a character all their own. Embrace the style of house that you own and enhance it with yours.