Mansions, Bungalows and Cottages … Condos, Restoration Projects and Classic Old Houses
Most houses listed on this site were built before 1940, except for Mid-Century Modern. A few particularly interesting houses from later decades are also included.
What Makes a Home ‘Historic’
In some cases, the historic quality of a house is an objective judgment. Some were built or owned by prominent people. Others were designed by significant architects. Some houses, of course, have been the scene of historic events. Just surviving reasonably intact for 150 or 200 years or more can make a house historic.
For most houses, though, the judgment is more subjective. Most of the listings here are for distinctive homes that exemplify the architecture of a particular period.
Mansions
Houses that are seriously bigger than average — usually at least 4,000 square feet and four bedrooms. They tend to sit on oversized lots of at least a third of an acre, typically a half-acre or more. Often they have guest quarters and other outbuildings.
Most of the B&B listings are mansions as well.
Historic Mansion listings
B&Bs, Wedding Venues, Vineyards and Such
Bungalows and Cottages
“Bungalows are most often one-story houses, although they often also include an additional half story, usually with a sloped roof. There are various types of bungalows, including raised bungalows that have basements partially above ground to let in additional sunlight. There are also some bungalows that branch away from the original definition by adding additional levels such as lofts and half levels. Common features of the bungalow include a dormer window and a veranda.” (Investopedia)
“Cottage” as an architectural style (rather than as functional description, such as vacation cottage) describes small homes, informal and descended from modest farm houses and other rural dwellings. “The word ‘cottage’ has been around for a long time, and thanks to its usage by different cultures and communities, it’s come to describe a category of house, not one specific architectural style. No matter what, the one thing cottages have in common is that they’re smaller homes with lots of charm (inside and out),” as Southern Living would have it.
Condos
Condo listings fall into two types: former apartment houses in which the units are all owned separately and buildings that previously had other uses, most often factories, that have been divided into multiple dwellings. In the latter type, interiors tend to be modern. In many condo buildings, so many units are rentals that they might as well be apartment houses.
Restoration Projects
Broken-down, run-down and down-on-their-luck … homes of almost any sort that need restoration to be habitable. This category is mostly reserved for projects that require major work.
Classic Old Houses
Everything else — Foursquares, Queen Annes, Colonial Revivals, Tudor Revivals and all the rest.
Piedmont Historic Homes 