New Listing

Historical homes are truely unique properties. Bucks County is rich in history and we are lucky to have many of these special homes as part of our neighborhoods. If you think you may be interested in purchasing a historical property here are a few things you may want to consider.

Key Elements

Rural location. Farmhouses were, by definition, located on agricultural land and were designed to function around a farming lifestyle.
Functional porches. Porches are a transitional space in a farmhouse. Dad and the kids could leave their muddy boots outside so the wooden floors inside stayed clean.
Formal and informal spaces. The front of the house served as the formal area, and a large kitchen and the staircase to the bedrooms were housed in the back.
The taste of American heritage can cost you extra time and maintenance.

A historical building is a collection of individual details. Every time you replace a detail, it changes the character of the building. It is better to repair, rather than replace, original elements and material whenever possible. When replacement is called for, the replacement should resemble the original as closely as practical with respect to proportion, texture and material.

Architects today are prepared to help you decipher ways to hide electrical wiring or plumbing, help you uncover the original wood floors, and design ways to modernize a kitchen without destroying the historical integrity of the home.

“What Every Restorer Should Know,” an article by Susan Morse, appeared in the January/February 1989 issue of Historic Preservation. Morse lists the Department of the Interior’s “Ten Basic Principles for Sensitive Rehabilitation,” also known as the “Do’s and Don’t’s for First-Timers and Veterans.”

Make every effort to use the building for its original purpose.
Do not destroy distinctive original features.
Recognize all buildings as products of their own time.
Recognize and respect changes that have taken place over time.
Treat sensitively distinctive stylistic features or examples of skilled craft work.
Repair rather than replace worn architectural features when possible. When replacement is necessary, new material should match the old in design, composition and color.
Clean facades using the gentlest methods possible. Avoid sandblasting and other damaging methods.
Protect and preserve affected archeological resources.
Compatible contemporary alterations are acceptable if they do not destroy significant historical or architectural fabric.
Build new additions so they can be removed without impairing the underlying structure.