Owning old homes is a love/hate relationship and if you cross the line into love, as I have done all my life, one must totally fasten seat belts. Tightly. I come from a city where the oldest buildings dated back to the 1700’s so “contemporary” is not in my repertoire. One must have a burning desire to maintain the original character of the home and delete the word “update.”

The first home I owned was a canary yellow 2-story double duplex in mid-town New Orleans. It was a two- unit residence, shotgun style with a second floor, bedrooms, and bath upstairs. I shared a common wall and had separate front door entrances. The person living next door was responsible for said unit and by that, I mean dollar signs flashing and Visa card on fire. When something breaks in the tenant’s place it becomes my problem. Time to relax, it is OK, remember you are using their rent to help pay your rent. The prescription for owning an old house is to buy a cheap home with great bones that is undervalued in a great neighborhood and in an expensive market. That is the sum of total parts.

My 105-year-old canary-colored home was in disrepair inside and used by three college students who needed a place to rest their heads. It had beautiful original wood floors (but scratched like a herd of cats living inside), original fireplaces and a blank kitchen. Another words, a kitchen with only a microwave on the floor. No appliances or cabinets, only a huge ice chest on the floor. It was a blank canvas, and I loved it. The old home also had a wonderful huge porch. If you have a porch, an old urban myth is to have a bird’s nest blue colored ceiling. This is not a myth and necessary for me to quickly paint the ceiling. The “blue” meant it warded off evil spirits for the family in the house. OR you could say it made all insects run for shelter. Blue porch ceilings are a real thing in the south. 

Owning an old house requires making a “to-do” list where some of it may require a professional to repair. Or some can be done right away and held together with duct tape, a calm sense of humor and a prayer. Factor in, (just like old people needing medical maintenance), there are always outdated systems, like my 26-year-old Sub-Zero refrigerator that runs like a dream. But you must be realistic in knowing the big expenses that need inspecting. The foundation of an old home must be addressed to keep it livable; deteriorating roofs, lead based paint and asbestos, leaking gas from old fireplaces or HVAC systems, and leaks around faucets need attention. If these problems are present, and someone gives you a good quote, get it done, these are not duct tape issues. It is an old house with old bones just like a person. Not everything can be fixed, on the other hand, there are many things you can do, and you will feel very connected to your old home.

  Uneven floor issues in old homes? I will say after 30 years, you can roll a marble on any part of floors I’ve owned and guarantee it will roll downhill or in the opposite direction. It doesn’t bother me; I throw beautiful rugs on my floors and all is good. This is what I mean by living with certain issues. Interior cracked paint was a not a call to hire a painter for me. Along with a few friends, the whole house was done in colors I loved while caulk became my best friend. Outdated electrical in an old home is usually a given. I live with it, but I also use simple electrical things. I’m in love with the architectural elements first and not installing hi-tech systems.  My plumbing is old, but the water pressure is fine, I have no leaks and drainage is good. Windows are a bit drafty, and I can wear a sweater inside my home. Costs of new windows are extremely expensive, so my “to-do” list says to wait. You must have flexibility in your DNA and priorities for loving an old home.

My 2nd old home love affair was a 120-year-old Greek Revival with a huge wrap around porch, original transoms that opened, and huge round white columns. It was a “stately” home. The bones were historical, but the innards needed help. The inside was so glamorous with original art-deco hanging light fixtures, original fireplaces, and tall original doors everywhere. Nothing was updated and my “to-do” list caused fainting spells but staring at those original elements inside the house were a dream come true! Yes, I had old plumbing, but it all worked well and very accessible to repair in a large downstairs basement. That same marble I used in every house, could roll down hill on the original wooden floors and those original windows were a bit drafty. I could live with that while cuddling with my dog, staring at the mind-blowing architectural elements, and understanding how things used to be. Memories of others owning the homes are burned into the wooden doors while I feel the vibe of those leftover impressions of people I am now connected with.