Consider these two scenarios: 

A) Anthony has accepted a job in another state. Although his home has not sold, Robert must leave soon because his start date is in a few weeks. 

B) Gabrielle built her dream home across town. She expected her present home to have sold before completion, but it is still on the market.

Both Anthony and Gabrielle are concerned about having to leave their unsold homes vacant. They know that a vacant house can imply that the owner is desperate for a fast sale, and that it can be targeted for vandalism.

What can be done? Homeowners like Robert and Diane can employ one or more of these strategies to hasten the sale of a vacant property and protect it during the process.

·        Give the house a lived-in look to thwart any unwelcome visits. Set a couple of lamps on timers, and have a neighbor or friend check on the house daily to take in mail, park a car in the driveway, and close and open drapes and windows. Continue using a gardening service or hire someone to cut the grass regularly. During the winter months, arrange to have snow shoveled from the walks and driveway.

·        If you remove the furniture, have the house cleaned and painted. Furniture, rugs and decorations tend to hide or minimize imperfections. When furniture and artwork have been removed, every blemish and bruise becomes accentuated, faded paint and wallpaper become more noticeable and scratches and nicks stand out.

·        Repaint brightly and boldly colored rooms to a neutral tone. What was an eye-popping room when fully-furnished may appear stark and small when empty.

·        Leave the utilities connected.  Depending on the season, make sure the thermostat in the house is set at a comfortable level.  You don't want a potential buyer to run through the home because it is too hot or cold.

·        Leave behind a few select pieces of furniture and keep the window treatments in place. Instead of producing a spacious appearance, an empty room tends to look smaller than a furnished room. A chair or lamp on a small table will confer a sense of scale and help potential buyers gauge whether their furniture will fit the space.

·        Review your homeowner's insurance policy with your insurance agent to find out what the stipulations and coverage are for your vacant home.

·        If available in your area, consider employing a home manager or house sitter. At little or no cost to homeowners, the house is furnished and decorated for show-to-sell condition. Most companies require home managers to mow the lawn, shovel snow, even pay pool maintenance and utilities. Having someone living on site discourages vandalism, protects against deterioration and weather hazards and may even reduce insurance costs. (Check with your insurance carrier.)  Using a service of this kind may help you sell the house faster and at a better price, while relieving you of property management duties. Search the Internet for professional house sitters in your area.

·        Find a real estate professional with experience selling vacant houses. Very often, these sales professionals specialize in relocation. You want to make sure that you are comfortable with your lines of communication. If you will be residing in another town, come up with an agreement on how often your representative will check on the home and what should be done if a problem develops.

Although a vacant house presents certain challenges, it does not need to be difficult    to sell. Just keep it spotless and in show-to-sell condition, inside and out.

You are attracted to a home for more than its number of bedrooms and square footage. Whether consciously or subconsciously, you are drawn to the individual character of a home. Part of what makes up that character is its architecture style.

During various periods of our history, different architectural styles were prevalent with builders. If you were to take a home tour around town, you can get a feel for when different neighborhoods were built based on the architecture of the homes. Today, many new homes incorporate different aspects of these styles on the exterior and interior.

The Queen Anne, Gothic Revival and Empire homes are all variations of the Victorian style. Popularized after the Civil War, these homes were most popular in the South and West. With its intricate shapes, elaborate trimming, and fish-scale shingles, these homes truly reflect the Victorian age. Inside, the homes are finely detailed with stained glass windows, elaborate trim and molding, and side-by-side entry doors. Other common elements are wraparound porches and bay windows.

Greek Revival-style homes were built during 1820-1850. Many of its elements represent the style of Greek Temples with columns, gable or double-sloping roofs, and pediments over windows and doors. The windows are usually square and rectangular with fan windows over the entryways. The interiors are symmetrical as well, with detailed woodwork and baseboards. 

Colonial homes take on the simplistic style of the original homes of settlers to the United States. Common to this style are the steep roofs with gable ends, clapboard siding and small windows on the outside and wainscoting and chair rails on the inside. A popular variation of the Colonial-style is the Cape Cod, which is usually 1 ½-stories with the front door in the center and two gable (triangular structure) ends.

If you've ever seen a photo of the White House, then you are familiar with the Georgian style home. Built during the period of 1715-1790, the homes were inspired by English pattern books and reflected the wealth of the owner. Inside the home, you could find large, ornate cornices and trim incorporating leaves and shells. The exterior is marked with medium pitched roofs with minimal overhang. The front door is centered with a decorative crown overhead and flanked by flattened columns. There are numerous windows with nine or twelve panes in each.

The Arts and Crafts style, prominent from 1890-1920, was one of the first styles native to America. It originated in Southern California between World War I and II. Some of its features include large porches, exposed stucco or stones, low pitched roofs with large overhang, as well as tall narrow windows grouped together to permit plenty of sunlight.  The interiors have open floor plans with built-in cabinets and furniture and natural fireplaces. Similar styles to the Arts and Crafts home include the Tudor, Spanish, Mission, Bungalow and Prairie.

Recognized by its flat roofs, metal casement windows and plain or absent interior molding, the Modern style home is the catch all style for homes built since the 1920s. This home design generally favors function over style. The Ranch home is probably the most popular variation of the Modern style. The Ranch originated in California in the 1930s, and became popular nationwide in the 1950s and '60s when it became a symbol of the post-World War II American Dream. Common design elements for the one-story home are its pitched-roof, wood or brick exterior, and built-in garage that shares the same roofline with the home. It also favored a patio in the rear of the home in lieu of a front porch.

Knowing the style of home you like can be helpful when looking for a new home. The more information you can give your real estate professional, the better they can serve your needs and get you in your dream home.

Maybe it has something to do with a childhood home we fondly remember. Many of us long for old homes built with solid construction, quality craftsmanship and beautiful details. We wax poetic and wistfully recall the hand carvings, plaster walls and eyebrow dormers of homes we’ve known. On the other hand, how do the old homes we admire compare with newly minted models—and what should we consider before deciding which to buy?

Location. Typically, old homes sit on generous plots of land in or near town. The neighborhoods are established and usually more central to schools and shopping. Mature trees and plantings provide shade and beautify the property and neighborhood streets. New homes are generally found in new developments outside of  town and homeowners who buy into an early can expect to contend with dust and construction sights and sounds as the remaining phases are being built. Landscaping may be skimpy or nonexistent, but a buyer has the opportunity to design the décor from scratch.

Layout. New homes tend to have a more spacious functional layout with higher ceilings, bigger windows, family kitchens, walk-in closets, and family rooms. Some even have media rooms and come pre-wired for cable and computers. On the other hand, older homes were designed for a more formal lifestyle, which is reflected in the formal dining and living areas and many cozy rooms, including small bedrooms, closets and bathrooms.

Energy efficiency. Those eight-over-eight single pane wood windows add character to an old home, but even with storm windows, they’re not nearly as energy efficient as modern dual-glazed or thermal windows. While most old homes lacked insulation in outside walls and attics, homes built today insulate against high heating and cooling costs. Although the bigger windows, higher ceilings and larger rooms, common in new homes, can also cause high utility bills.

 

Maintenance.  With older homes, upkeep could be more expensive because of older appliances, plumbing and electrical systems—not to mention the roof—may need to be replaced. A turn of the century home may have outdated knob-and-tube wiring, and even a recently built home may have an inadequate fuse box-style panel that falls short of the energy demands of 21^st century families. But new homes generally come with warranties that will cover the cost for most major problems.

Price.  Older homes are usually less expensive per square foot. In addition the tax structure is more predictable because the neighborhood is already established with amenities that newer neighborhoods are still in the process of gaining, such as schools, police and fire services, and infrastructures (roads, sidewalks, etc.). However, with restoration costs a possibility for older homes, your dollars may very well be spent on the back-end rather than upfront.

           

If the charm and beauty of an old home wins your heart, hire an inspector to evaluate the home for lead paint, insect and water damage, lead and/or galvanized pipes, outdated wiring, foundation problems and energy efficiency, including windows as well as heating/cooling systems and insulation. After you get the all-clear, you have one last consideration: Does the home fit your lifestyle or would the conveniences of a newer model suit you better? Only you and your family have the answer.