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By Roger Dolanch, Broker/Owner

You're ready to buy a new home, but new construction seems to be priced beyond your comfort level, leaving you no choice but to consider buying an older home. The fact is that you might appreciate older homes a little more if you know a little about their history and why they were designed the way they were at the time. You can trace expansions and contractions in the economy easily by home sizes and standard features.

Houses built by the mills, plants and mines in the 'company towns" during the golden age of industry. These homes offered the convenience of getting to work while not having to own a car. They were built close together to maximize the land use. Many of the buildings are narrow, have captive bedrooms and bathrooms might even still be in the basement.

In the 1950s, suburbs grew quickly because new the newly constructed highway systems allowed homeowners to commute to their jobs. Yards grew larger and the classic brick ranch style homes sprawled on single-story foundations because land was affordable.

Post-war parents gave birth in record numbers to the baby boomers and decorated their homes with space-age Formica, pastel bath fixtures, luxurious wall-to-wall carpeting, built-in cocktail bars, and furniture-quality black and white TV sets.

In the mid-1970s, at the height of the oil embargo, new homes got smaller and closer together once again. They began to advertise innovations such as "zero-lot-lines", which was just a fancy way of saying the land became more expensive again.

Skylights helped get light from above often to compensate for the lack of exterior space by providing natural light. "Great rooms" were introduced as a spacious but smaller square footage alternative to separate living and den areas. And the "Jack and Jill" bath became the norm to provide kids with some privacy while sharing a bathroom. Do you remember the Brady Bunch?

By the 1980s, the economy was moving from a single wage earner in the household to DINKS -- double income, no kids. As fortunes improved, "McMansions" grew like mushrooms, featuring third living areas, three-car garages and private en-suite baths for every bedroom. Eat-in kitchens joined palatial dining rooms as must-haves for every homeowner.

By the 1990s, a strong movement trended more to the use of natural materials: hardwood floors and granite countertops became the new luxury standard. In-home computers became more popular and affordable and the Internet changed how we access information and amuse ourselves forever. Recessions were still six month affairs and the incomes of CEOs rose to several hundred times that of ordinary workers.

By 2005, "McMansions" were everywhere, boasting four or more bedrooms, media rooms, master living areas, private studies, flex-spaces, kitchen islands, mud rooms, and exercise rooms. Then the housing bubble burst, and very little new construction was being built.

Today it seems it takes two incomes just to tread water, but hard-working families don't want to compromise. Today's savvy buyer is conscious of operating costs as well as purchase costs. Energy-efficiency has steadily moved up the ranks of most important considerations for homebuyers. Homes that have been well-maintained, regardless of age, are desirable. Repurposing and "green" construction are now the buss words of the next housing generation.

So, do not shy away from an older home! Consider the advantages. The neighborhood is established, so what you see is what you get. An older home might work best for a decorating style you love, like mid-century modern or craftsman style. You can remodel the home to make it your own and take your time doing it. Most of all, you can usually get more square footage as a new home for far less cost. All in all, older homes may be the best value on the market today.

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