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Custom homes are changing direction, getting smaller while adding a much richer set of features and finishes. You probably can’t imagine living in a home that’s less than 1,000 square feet but that was the norm in 1900. Most houses were small with two or three bedrooms, and 1 bathroom or no bathroom – can you imagine? A hundred years ago many families shared one or 2 rooms, and they lacked complete plumbing systems or central heat which we take for granted today.
American homes are evolving (read the Chicago Tribune’s Fun Housing Facts) and it’s common for custom homes to lead the way in adopting new trends. What’s fun about living in Newburyport, Massachusetts is the blending of historic homes with newer homes that show how American homes have changed over several hundred years. From a town of 2,800 people living in 357 homes (averaging 7.8 people per house) in 1764, Newburyport prospered in the 1800s with industries built around the Merrimack river.
Today we have many beautiful historic homes today, thanks to renovations done in the 1970s to preserve our unique city, making it highly sought after by many from the greater Boston area. Newburyport is recognized for maintaining it’s architecture and heritage, with a lively downtown area that attracts tourists and new homeowners.
Custom Homes in Downtown Newburyport
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One of my passions is restoring Newburyport’s older homes, and contributing to my home town’s cultural history. Collaborating with Tina Gleisner, founder of Home Tips for Women, has allowed me to explore Newburyport’s housing history and together, we’re starting to write about the different custom home styles that you find in and around Newburyport.
As a custom home builder, it’s important to learn what your buyer’s want. Builders should guide their clients who are building custom homes, to insure their decisions fit their lifetyle with maximum value based on the neighborhood where the house will be built. While it’s true that a home’s value is based on location, location, and location, it’s also possible to overbuild or pick a house style that lowers the value of your investment.
Building Custom Homes that Fit Into Your Community
The challenge when building custom homes in Newburyport, often starts with the size and shape of the building lot. Houses in the downtown historic district (versus High Street) tend to be small and deep. Building a new house or remodeling must follow today’s building codes and depending on the location, may be affected by rules for buildings in the historic district (looking for a link to the latest information).Image may be NSFW.
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Living in the historic district is wonderful as you’re able to walk to so many great restaurants. It’s a trade-off that many homeowners make, opting for smaller houses and yards with access to the many parks in Newburyport, and of course, downtown. For homeowners who want larger custom homes, you’ll need to pick a neighborhood with larger lots.
In either case, our team at Greene Construction has the expertise to help you. Some of the houses here show what we’ve done. The white federal style house is one I built in downtown Newburyport. The portico was added to an existing federal style home and looks original, where there wasn’t one before. My passion is working on older homes (or new ones with the detailing of older custom homes) to provide your dream home while preserving Newburyport’s historic look and feel.
Call me at 978-790-4881, to discuss how we can help you create your dream home!
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