SARASOTA, Fla.--A developer is giving away four historic homes. But there's a catch--you must move them off the property.
Developer Mark Pierce is trying to give away the houses to make way a mixed-use retail development on the land, the Herald-Tribune reports.
The houses up for grabs include:
--a bungalow built in 1925;
--a 1,192-square-foot, wood frame house built in 1910;
--a 2,275-square-foot brick bungalow built in 1938; and
--a 2,471-square-foot bungalow, built in 1925.
As you can imagine, moving houses isn't cheap. One estimate for moving a 1,000-square-foot house just two blocks came in at roughly $25,000, Clifford Smith, senior planner for historic preservation with the city of Sarasota, told the Herald Tribune.
But even with the moving and land costs, these homes can be a steal, he says.
Even with moving costs that can easily run in excess of $100,000, an old house could be a deal for someone who already owns a lot on which to put it, Smith said."A receiver should end up with a house that would be worth more in the end than it would have cost you to put it there by building it," he said. "You wind up with a larger structure, a better structure."
If you're interested, move quickly before the homes are demolished. The development project is scheduled to begin within the next 30 to 90 days.
For more information about the houses, contact the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation at 941-953-8727.
For the full story, click here.
Source: Herald-Tribune, Sarasota, Fla.
Would you consider moving a historic home? Have you done it before? Click on the "comments" link at the top of this story or e-mail us.
**Don't get ripped off when you buy your next historic home. In The Home Buyer Defense Guide, a former real estate appraiser will tell you which questions to ask, and how to make sure you're getting the right home at the right price, without any surprises.
WILMINGTON, NC--When you're looking to buy a historic home that has already been restored, make sure the current owner can show you documentation that the work was done correctly.
That advice comes from historic home owner Bunky Bruce who told NewsChannel 3 he and his wife, Linda, spent eight months renovating a 115-year-old house they purchased in downtown Willmington, N.C.
Here's some advice Bunky gave NewsChannel 3:
"'Look for proof, look for documentation, when someone says it has a new roof on it, get them to prove it to you that it has a new roof on it -- here's the documentation, here's when I did it, here's the person.'
He says you should look for a realtor who specializes in the historic district and people who have experience working on historic homes if you are going to renovate.
'Make sure you get professionals involved with you that understand this type of building construction, and understand historic properties,' Bunky said.
Bunky also recommends figuring out what your budget is and then building in a 20 percent "fudge factor."
For the full story, click here.
Source: WWAY, NewsChannel 3, the ABC television affiliate in Wilmington, N.C.
Do you have tips on buying a historic home? How do you budget for restoration costs? We welcome your comments by clicking the "comments" link at the top of this story or by e-mailing us.
**For more questions that you need to ask when buying a home, check out the HomeBuyer Defense Guide. This book, written by a real estate appraiser, will also tell you how you can find out the real facts about any updates, remodeling or modifications to the home so you aren't left in financial hot water.
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