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Conrad Neuf graduated from V.M.I., served as an officer in the Marine Corps, then settled into a 25 year career in home building, remodeling, and commercial construction. He lives in rural Virginia with three rescued Dobermans and a semi-adopted donkey. He is in the process of renovating his old farmhouse.

GPS puts historic lighthouses on the auction block

By: Conrad, Contributing Writer
In: Historic Preservation, In the News, Uncategorized, old house musings, old houses

As I've discovered the past several weeks, historic old houses come in all shapes and sizes. I'm not sure I could handle living in an old English defense tower conversion and while an old water tower home conversion sounds intriguing, that doesn't seem like me either. But living in a romantic old lighthouse -- now we're speaking my language. However, before I get into lighthouse living, I want to remind everyone about the twitter ...

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Jun

Get thee to a convent and convert it to a home

By: Conrad, Contributing Writer
In: Historic Preservation, In the News, Old House History, Uncategorized, non-residential buildings, old house construction, old houses

Every so often a great opportunity comes along and you know there's a good chance you'll regret it later if you let it pass you by. The Twitter chat with Bob Vila on Thursday, June 30 is just such an opportunity for old house enthusiasts and those who don't have old homes, but are planning an exterior renovation project. The Twitter chat is at 10:00 AM Pacific time or 1:00 PM Eastern ...

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Jun

Turn that historic water tower into a home

By: Conrad, Contributing Writer
In: Historic Preservation, In the News, non-residential buildings, old house musings, old houses

According to some people, old churches are now the number one choice for building conversions by families who want to save historic structures and live in "something different." That surprises me, as I always thought old barns would head up the list. But perhaps they've been overtaken by churches, or else, someone just said that to make a church-to-home conversion listing sound more attractive -- as difficult as that may ...

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Other Posts:
The housing market: is 2012 the rebound year?
Going, going, almost gone: the Federal Energy Tax Credits
Slide down the pole into your old firehouse conversion
GPS puts historic lighthouses on the auction block
Get thee to a convent and convert it to a home
Turn that historic water tower into a home
Could a low appraisal kill your old house purchase?
Old church conversions: architectural creativity on display
Could you live in an old church?
National Preservation Month and historical definitions
Preservation fees for new construction could save historic homes
Preservation tours for developers
Preserving an old house: a movement in 3 parts
Old houses and outbuildings
Old house restoration: achieving your dream one step at a time
Old houses and fond memories
What’s an old house?
Old house curatorship programs revisited
Waiting for the Sears catalog
Hardboard siding: as bad as they say?
Get ready for an alien invasion
Demolition by neglect
Take advantage of a buyer’s market
In search of an old hardware store
Thermal distortion and your old house
Old houses and reclaimed brick
Preservation effort
Preserving the past while moving into the future
Developing preservation
Your Local Resources for Energy Saving Tips
Local Historic Preservation: Plan Another Visit
Foreclosures: What Do the Numbers Mean?
An Old House Roof: Traditional Look with Modern Energy Efficiency
Old Towns: A Story Behind Every Building
Old House Moving: It’s a Part of our Heritage
A New Decade and Lessons Learned
Resolutions for the New Year
An Old House Christmas Carol
Old House Restoration: Passion Gone Wild
Honolulu’s Old House Owners Losing Tax Breaks?
New Life for Federal Energy Tax Credits?
Old Houses: Beauty in the Eyes of the Beholder
Preservation Stories for the Holiday Season–Part II
Preservation Stories for the Holiday Season
Old Houses and Chimney Fires
Restoration Goals
Home Energy Score Pilot Program
Preservation Innovation
New Old Houses?
Old House Restorations and Clean Watersheds
Old House Moving: When Good Intentions Go Bad
Federal Energy Tax Credit: Use It before You Lose It
Preservationists Unite in Cincinnati
Old House Painting and New EPA Rules
Becoming Part of an Old House
Customer Service Done Right
Wanted: Families for Old Houses
The Cape Cod: An American Original
Old Houses and Ladder Safety: Avoid Taking the Fast Way Down
Create Your Very Own Old House Tour
Old Houses, Fathers, and Sons
Old Houses and Dry Cisterns
Recession Over For Whom?
Old House Bits and Pieces and Lots of Paint Chips
An Ounce of Prevention: Old Houses and Fire Hazards
Old House Restoration: Let Your Personality Live On
Old House Moving: One if by Land; Two if by Sea
Flexibility: The Key to a Successful Restoration?
Festivals, Foliage, and Old Houses
Recycling History
Old Houses and the Search for the Silver Lining
That Old House “Character”
Old House Saga Continues in Cincinnati
Virginia’s Old Houses at the Beach
Preservation is Alive and Well in Oklahoma
Old House Family Cemeteries
In Praise of the Front Porch Swing
House Moving: Something Old, Something New
The End of the American Dream?
Riding the Preservation Rails
Preservation on a Large Scale
Thwarted Preservation in the Heartland
Old Houses, Hot Summers, and the Sleeping Porch
Foreclosures Are More Than Just Numbers
Old Houses and the Sawmills That Built Them
Old House Movers and Shakers
Empty Coffers and the Historic Old Houses of California
Preservation Can Be a Moving Experience
Let’s Go to the Beach!
First, the Good News
Preservation in New Jersey
What Housing Market?
Preservation Doesn’t Have Age Restrictions
The Old Houses of Key West
Moving Season
Old Houses and Old Memories
Saving Old Houses through Social Media
Spiritual Preservation
Preservation by Recycling
Preservation Success
Spreading the Word on Preservation
Preservation Challenges Continue in New Orleans
Cash for Caulkers Bill: Savings for Energy Efficient Restorations
Preservation in Good Times and Bad
National Preservation Month 2010
California on My Mind
What Defines Historic?
Old House Intrigue
Restoration Motivation
A Salute to Old House Societies
Old House Spring Cleaning
The Housing Market After April 30: Going Up or Going Down?
Historic Old Houses Offering Rent-Free Living
What Saves An Old House?
Reclaimed Antique Lumber: Beautiful, Green, and a Story to Tell
Colonial Revival: A Celebration of Colonial Architecture
Green Restoration and Gamble House Revisited
Opposite Coast Bungalows
Toledo Old West End Festival: An Old House Style for Everyone
Time Traveling With Photographs
Green Restoration Compromises
Preservation Group Fights for Permission to Demo 180 Year Old House?
Victorian Love
I Like Snow, My Old Farmhouse Evidently Doesn’t
When Walls Can Talk
Pride in the Best Old House Neighborhoods
Passion and Old Houses
Will the Spring Housing Market Still Be Strong?
Old Houses and Outhouses

Spring is the Season for Old House Fairs
Saving Old Houses Isn’t New
Historic Old Houses Becoming More Affordable
Look for the 12th Annual Old House Fair this June
5th Annual Old House Expo in Kalamazoo, MI This Weekend
U.S. Navy and Local Population Save Historic Whidbey Island House
Temperatures are Going Down, Number of Fires is Going Up
Old Houses Being Saved, and Needing to be Saved
More Bad News for the Real Estate Market?
Happy New Year!
Looking For an Old House
Christmas Eve Old House Musings
Spring May Be Kind to Old House Buyers and Sellers
Old House Holiday Thoughts Part II
Old House Holiday Thoughts
Start the New Year with an Old House
Old House Restoration Reading for an Almost Winter Evening
Happy Ending Stories for The Holidays Part II
Happy Ending Stories for the Holidays
Buying an Old House Now Might Really Help a Family
Old Houses and the Holidays
Old Houses Have Many Saviors
Walk, Don’t Run When Purchasing an Old House
First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Extended, Most Likely
Please Help Save These Old Houses In California Part II
A Couple of Random Thoughts on Old Houses
Please Save These Old Houses in California
Here We Go Again!
Fire Safety and Old Houses
Winter’s Coming!
Would the People Working Backstage Please Come Forward and Take a Bow
Save That Old House and Make It a Home
Virginia Is for Old House Lovers