After two years of dreaming, online scouring, and in person searching, we finally pulled the trigger and bought a second home that will be both a vacation/relaxation space, and another home for many more projects. For the long-winded explanation of our thought process in buying this second place, feel free to give our last post it a look. But if you’re here to get down to business and see house number one (of our top contenders), you’re in the right place.
This first house we’re going to take a look at from our home search is an 1882 Victorian waterfront farmhouse in Maryland.
The instant we saw this listing Wendy and I were very intrigued and a little smitten by the look of the home. Typically 19th century farmhouse style homes aren’t situated quite so close to the water, because owners 100 plus years ago didn't much care about "water views." But this house, sitting on several acres of land, has over 500 feet of waterfront visible from several rooms of the house.
The more we looked at the listing the more interested we became, so we contacted an agent (since Wendy isn't a licensed Realtor in Maryland) to show us the property and headed out on a day trip for a little weekend visit.
Upon our arrival, the long treelined driveway entry to the property had both of our jaws on the floor. There was just something that seemed special about it. The white picket fence, white farmhouse with black shutters in the distance, and beautiful approach that included a water view seemed to have everything going for it. It just seemed to speak to us.
As we walked up to tour the house, we glanced around the yard and could see the potential of the space. I envisioned a fire pit by the water surrounded by several chairs or maybe a horseshoe pit or bocce court cut into the expansive grass. It seemed like it would be a great place to have a quiet gathering with friends or a large outdoor party.
The entrance to the home through the side door brought us up onto the house’s porch and past a swing, which also had some great water views.
Once inside the house, we were suddenly transported back into the late 1970s and early 1980s. While the home still had many original details, such as period moulding and antique windows, much of the interior had been transformed with wall to wall carpet covering the remaining original floors...
…acoustic panels on the ceiling, and extensive use of tongue and groove knotty pine.
It was obvious to us that the couple who had purchased the home nearly four decades ago had put an extensive amount of effort into this home to lovingly make it their own, but it also left a very definite fingerprint on the property. Though the configuration of the home had been altered quite a bit, much of the original structure was still somewhat visible from room to room. But the big question remained, "If we buy this house, can we restore it to something period, or would we need to essentially make it more modern and open?"
The more we explored the more we realized the front portion of the house was actually added on at some point around 1980 as a large addition. This is the same area that houses the formal living room and master bedroom.
The small dining room has some of the nicest views from the house across the waterfront and pier, and a quaint but non-functional fireplace sits at the back of the room. The upper portion of the chimney was removed for a bathroom renovation.
Upstairs, the home’s three bedrooms are all moderately to generously sized and offer some excellent views of the yard’s gardens and waterfront.
And downstairs the owners added a curved glass atrium room with brick floor that allows you to sit outside under the stars and trees no matter the season.
As unexpected as several aspects of this house were, the biggest shocker came upon our entry to the kitchen.
YOWZA!!! That tile! Am I right?
Nothing could really prepare us for what we had just seen. The photos of the kitchen weren't available on the listing when we saw it, so it was quite a shock. It was like someone had frozen a kitchen in time from my childhood or transported one with a time machine.
Though we were very surprised by the kitchen’s décor, the layout was somewhat workable and we could see the potential of the house. We’d just need to change out a lot of the finishes, details, and décor to make it work for us.
The bathrooms are all updated, which means functional plumbing and good electrical, but they aren’t really our style, which means we’d need to swap some fixtures and replace some surfaces.
Beyond the house, the property has several great outbuildings. From a large old pole barn…
…to a small building that could be converted to an adorable guest cottage.
There’s even a large metal garage/barn that could serve a pretty amazing role as my true and official wood shop and workshop, where we’d surely be able to do all of the building and constructing necessary to turn this house into something truly special. I’m not saying it would be easy, but since when is something major and worthwhile also something that’s easy?
If we wanted to head out for a quick kayak trip, a small dock is right there for us, and Lulu can use the same dock to take her beloved swims.
All in all, this house has a lot going for it. The large yard, great water frontage, classic farmhouse look and style, and the amazing outbuildings all sing to us as a special property that’s just in need of a little TLC.
However, that little bit of TLC is actually a whole lot of TLC. Pretty much every room needs to be thoroughly overhauled to fit what we want in a home, and a lot of the original characteristics and charm have been lost over the years and need to be returned.
Alex’s Take: The history of a late 19th century Maryland farmhouse is more than just intriguing, and the general look of the house is one of quintessential farmhouses. It has most of what we’re looking for in a house, and even has the long term potential of a guest suite outbuilding with some of the best views of the property. I can’t help but imagine all of those daydream scenarios that include many nights gathered around the fire with friends and family while making s'mores, but the work and effort we’ll need to put into the project is more than significant. However, given the house and what it is/what it could be, that effort may very well be worth it.
Wendy‘s Take: I love the look and style of this home, and the long treelined driveway sets the tone I'm looking for in a weekend retreat. The water views, amount of land, size of the home, outdoor space, and project potential are all really attractive to me. On the downside, the home's lack of central air conditioning, busy main road, and choppy floor plan are negatives that aren't easy or inexpensive fixes. I also have concerns about the amount of upkeep necessary for the large yard and gardens, but it could still work.
So what do you think? Can you see the potential and the property for how amazing it can be? Do you think this is the one and can you see us in this house? Or do you think it’s just too much work?
All Photo Credits to: Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, Inc.
