Craftsman or other interesting architecture other than downtown

[sxb317]

Thank you all, this is great information to help us get started on the search. Very interesting stories as well from the owners of these homes.

[lisabconnor]

Originally Posted by echo42

I say this not to discourage and shy you away, because the area is beautiful and so is the architecture, but you must be prepared to shell out money and time on these houses. Most are near 100 years old.

Just some things you may have to fix or upgrade:

Electric...many are still on fuses. This will hinder you in getting fire insurance
Plumbing-almost all have cast iron plumbing and will need an upgrade to copper and pvs
Roofs-this is the case with any home, but be careful with the architectural details that are in the roof and soffets, get an expert or they will eff up your roof.
Termite damage beyond the socal normal.

Love the Flying Dutchman story! Thanks for sharing.

Separately, I would completely agree on the know what you're getting into before buying point. We own a 1923 craftsman, which I adore. I love the amazing character and charm. It's so much better built than newer homes we've owned in the past. We were lucky to have had many of the common old home issues taken care of when we bought our house (roof, plumbing, electrical).

That said there are still a number of issues that crop up fairly regularly. I know a lot of people buy single family homes in the older neighborhoods to avoid the HOA fees of suburbia. Our realtor gave us a handy suggestion that I'm glad we followed. Pretend like you're still paying that HOA and set that $$ aside each month for repairs and maintenance. He was so right - I estimate we put at least that into our house every year, if not more. We are big DIYers, but we've also acquired a cadre of service providers to help us maintain everything. Get friendly with them if you buy a craftsman - you will be seeing them fairly regularly.

Also, check out the University Heights, North Park, Morley Field, Kensington, Talmadge, South Park areas. There are pockets in each area that seemed to be more predominantly occupied by families. In general they seem to ring the park, but a good realtor can help you identify these areas and the corresponding schools. Best of luck!