If you’ve ever had to deal with a designated historic neighborhood, you’ll know that they can be a very tricky situation.
In my past life of working for new home builders, I’ve gone round and round with historic neighborhoods, and we just agree to disagree. Crack houses and tinderboxes have very little historic value. However, the “Generica-America” style of homes do not belong in historic neighborhoods either.
Two Sides of the Coin
On one hand, a historic neighborhood designation is there to preserve classic styles and architecture. Historic areas don’t want production builders coming into their neighborhood and building homes that belong in the ‘burbs.
On the other hand, there is nothing historic or aesthetically pleasing about crumbling homes that have outlived their usefulness and would cost more to rehabilitate than to tear down and build a new home.
When I come across a newer home built in a historic neighborhood I have to tip my cap and tell everyone about it. Going through the brain-numbing process of dealing with the city, a multitude of historic committees (people with little else to do but grumble) and the additional expenses of “proper materials” isn’t for the faint of heart.
1935 Fairmount Avenue
In the heart of Fort Worth’s best-known historic neighborhood of Fairmount, sits a home built in 2014 that fits right into the community. The look, feel, and even sounds this home makes creates a historic and nostalgic vibe…yet with modern comforts and amenities found in new homes.
Featuring four bedrooms and three full bathrooms, 1935 Fairmount Avenue is unlike the original homes of Fairmount built around the turn of the 20th century in that this home has space!
Small closets, community bathrooms, and tiny kitchens squished in a corner of the home might have been the style du jour in the 1920s, but not in the day and age of the open floor plan.
Historic Looking With Today’s Amenities
Today’s buyer wants spacious bathrooms, functioning windows, large closets, and open floor plans with kitchens that are inviting and part of the living area. This home has all those items!
The 3,122-square-foot home also includes an electric privacy gate at the driveway, a six-foot fence along the perimeter of the backyard, a sprinkler system, gutters, a new deck, French drains, and a new sewer line all the way to the alley.
Don’t underestimate a new sewer line. It might seem unexciting like new tires on a car, but wait until you have to replace a 1920s sewer line and see how much it costs and how helpful those historic neighborhood associations can be.
This stunning 2014 build at 1935 Fairmount Avenue is listed by Amy Chairez of Compass for $537,000.
Well, that’s all we have from this week’s Tarrant County Tuesday, Dirty Readers. Thanks for reading and following and sharing! As always, if you have questions, comments or great ideas for a post … hit me up!
Seth Fowler is a licensed Real Estate Sales Professional for Williams Trew Real Estate in Fort Worth, TX. Statements and opinions are his and his alone. Seth has been involved with the home sales and real estate industry in the Fort Worth area since 2004. He and his family have lived in the area for over 17 years. Seth also loves bow ties! You can reach Seth at: 817.980.6636 or [email protected]. If you are looking for a Real Estate Sherpa to help you buy or sell … give Seth a call!
