Comments
Old House Owner Takes Ice Fishing to Next Level
I feel like I have been writing a lot lately about old houses being moved. I think one reason is because I’m happy that moving an old house to save it has gone from being an option for only those with deep pockets to becoming a viable alternative for anyone who wants to save a house from demolition and spend time restoring it.
The other reason I have been writing about it so frequently is that old house moving seems to be happening a lot these days. I know that in most of these cases the purchaser is an old house enthusiast who has fallen in love with the house and wants the opportunity to live in and restore the home. Sometimes it’s because of the home’s history. However, while it might not be the buyer’s prime motivation, there are also occasions when moving an old house and restoring it can even be a good financial decision.
I’ll Have My Old House with Ice, Please
An old house move that happened over a year ago was so amazing I had to include it here. The owner of this house had it moved by truck across White Bear Lake in Minnesota while it was frozen over! The move cost him $65,000, but he was able to keep his home from being torn down. In some ways it was an easy move as there were no power lines in the way or traffic to contend with. The only concern was whether the 60 ton house and moving truck would crash through the ice and sink to the bottom of the lake!
Great Old House Deals, If You Can Find Them
A Fort Collins, Colorado, man got his dream home when he agreed to move the old house from its Loveland, Colorado, location. He estimates that he has spent about $83,000 on permits, moving costs, and preparing a foundation for the house to sit on. And of course he is going to have a substantial amount in restoration costs over the next five or more years, but even if that’s another $100,000, he may have made a smart decision. He will have saved a historic old house from being destroyed and have his dream house for under $200,000–which isn’t a bad deal at all.
A 115-year-old house in Muscatine, Iowa , was recently purchased for $1,001 and moved down the street to its new address. The new owner plans to restore the home, and his family will add to the old house’s rich history. Not only did he save a house; I think he made a pretty good investment at the same time.
