Buying an Old Vermont Home: Truth 4

Truth #4: Older homes take full advantage of their site. It occurred to me a number of years ago that one of the art forms that have really been lost over the years is the proper siting of a new home. With the dawn of the planned subdivision and the dreaded cul-de-sac, homes have become nothing more than playing pieces on a Monopoly board. You divide the land, create the lots, (all nice equal rectangles or squares) and you place the homes on them in the center of the lots facing the new streets. Gone are the days of walking the land, observing the sun patterns through the seasons, noting the prevailing fair weather wind and the gales that accompany any storms, observing the natural windbreaks and landscaping all before sighting your new home. The native Vermonters lived on and made their living from the land. The thoughtful sighting of their homes and farmstead was a matter of survival. It affected the heating of their homes, the productivity of the farms and in short the well being of their entire family. It was an extremely important part of the pre-construction preparation and was often done to perfection. This is one of the best reasons to explore older homes and is the one that is most often overlooked.

Buying an Old Vermont Home: Truth 3

Truth#3: Not All Older homes are worth fixing up. I think there is a major misconception out there in the market place that all old homes are worth restoring. For the most part that is true. However I have found in my travels that there are two kinds of old farmhouses, those built by prosperous farmers with a good work ethic and pride in ownership and the other kind. Sometimes the actual historic period in which it was built will reflect in the original quality of the construction. Don’t assume that just because it was built back in “the day” by an old Vermont Farmer that the Old Vermont Farmer knew what he was doing , or was prosperous enough to be able to afford to do it right. Some of the best and the worst engineered homes that I have seen were old Vermont Farmhouses. You have to remember that “back in the day” you did not need a building permit to build; there was no building code and no building code enforcement. Having said that, there is no doubt that the finest examples of Architectural integrity and solid Vermont engineering can be found in these vintage homes and often times in parts of the house where you least expect it. So, do your research, learn about the construction methods of the day and start your search. With the right mix of persistence and knowledge, the perfect vintage home is out there just waiting for you and your family to enjoy.