2013

CIRCA is wrapping up its fourth official month, and with the impending dawn of the new year I've been spending some time reflecting on what has been an incredibly fun and rewarding period of trial, error and successes that I hope will continue for many years to come! I have been amazed and overwhelmed by how many wonderful people and old houses I've been introduced to so far through CIRCA. To everyone who...

75 Main St, Dayton, Nevada 89403. Image courtesy of Western Mining History.  I think it’s high time we check out some of the great fixer-uppers out West, like this $190,000 beauty. The movie set vibe of this facade really gets me - like a scene straight out of an old Western! I swear, any second now John Wayne is going to come walking out that door. Actually, this former Union Hotel in Dayton, Nevada...

Having grown up in New England, I have a serious soft spot for a classic Cape house. I've always thought of Capes as little, historical jewel boxes. Though really, what's not to love? They've got charm, history and all that New England beauty bundled up in a perfect, manageable size. But what makes today's featured Cape house even more special is that it was RESCUED! The little gem at 27 Station Avenue in...

Welcome to "You Should Move To...", in which Lindsay travels the country scoping out beautiful, under-the-radar old house-filled cities and towns where big charm can be had for little cost. Have a city, town or neighborhood to recommend? Send it along to [email protected]!   Welcome to December, a month of festivities and excitement! Be it the hustle-and-bustle of a local holiday market or the...

This week's edition of 10 Under 50 is sure to please those lovers of Victorian houses and of big, stately mansions (and if you're reading this, I'm going to assume you fall into one or both of those categories). To round out the mix, we've got an early Vermont colonial and an old school country store! Everyone: Get out your Christmas lists, and join me as we sit back, relax and see the potential in this...

511 W 6th Street, Covington, KY 41011  On the banks of the Ohio River - just across the way from Cincinnati - stands the city of Covington, Kentucky. Known for its Oktoberfest, Covington also sports an historic district filled with great old houses. And lucky for us, we get to take a peek at one Italianate fixer-upper that just came on the market! She’s not only a beauty, but she’s also joined by...

I suppose I love a millionaire's den as much as the next person, but I'll be honest: Perfect, expensive houses can get a little boring. What do I really love? Houses with POTENTIAL. Fixer-uppers! Hidden charm. Something I could pour my heart into. Something undiscovered. Something to lure me to unchartered territory, to toss away my life as I know it, to invest all of my time and energy into a labor...

This house. THIS HOUSE! JUST LOOK AT IT! Surrounded by the beauty of the Chesapeake Bay, it's everything I love in a big, old house. A little rough around the edges (there's that word we love: "potential!") but still steeped in old-fashioned grandeur.   Earlier this month I was in a bookstore and passed by a book called Life Would be Perfect If I Lived in That House. Oh, if I only had a...

Good people of Georgia! There’s a home in Lexington about a half hour outside Athens just waiting for your tender loving care this holiday season. When I saw this listing my heart broke; surely, this great old southern beauty deserves more. And while it’s not going to be easy, I just know someone out there has what it takes to bring her back from the brink, and for a mere $65,000 upfront. This is the...

Image courtesy of the Portland Press Herald.   Every Sunday growing up my parents would take us to our local Catholic church; it was called the "Beach Chapel" since it was close to the shore and smaller and less formal than the main site. Religion aside, there was always something comforting about the ritual and the way in which, for at least that hour, there was nothing to worry about. When I saw a...

Baker City, Oregon. Image courtesy of Travel Oregon.  Welcome to "You Should Move To...", in which Lindsay travels the country scoping out beautiful, under-the-radar old house towns where big charm can be had for little cost. Have a city, town or neighborhood to recommend? Send it along to [email protected]!   Named after Edward Baker, the only US Senator ever killed in combat, Baker City is...

So, you want a house with a little bit of history? How about one owned by a Revolutionary War patriot who used the second floor as a Masonic chamber? If that's not enough, what if I told you that this c. 1760 house is the oldest wood frame structure in Williamstown, Massachusetts and comes with original paperwork signed by the builder? The list goes on -- the Clark-Young House is indeed a gem. Now let's...