5 Places Where You Can Still Find Affordable Historic Homes
New houses often offer a slew of modern amenities, but it’s hard to beat the beauty and charm of an historic home. With their cozy rooms, intricate millwork, wide-plank floors, and distinctive windows, they exude character. People tend to associate antiques with quaint New England towns, but historic homes exist in towns and cities all across America, often at a substantial price tag.
For the best deals, experts say to head south. “In general, cities in the South are more affordable than much of the country, and the historic homes in the region align with this trend,” says Hannah Jones, a senior economic research analyst at Realtor.com. While historic homes are typically more expensive than the average home in the South, they’re still cheaper than what you’ll find when you venture farther north or west.
According to data for Realtor.com, these are the top five cities where you can still find a historic home that won’t break the bank. If you buy an antique in one of these areas, you can take all of the money you saved and put it towards spiffing it up—adding additional value to your vintage gem.
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Macon, Georgia
Median Listing Price for a Historic Home: $289,000
Thanks to its location on the shores of the Ocmulgee River and the fact it was given a stop on the railroad in 1843, Macon enjoyed thrived in the 19th century—and this is reflected in the city’s historic homes. This “city within a park” has numerous green spaces and wide streets, and the homes in the historic districts are an eclectic mix of Federal/Regency, Gothic Revival, Greek Revival, Italian Renaissance, Queene Anne, and other architectural styles. Macon is known for its rich musical history—people like Otis Redding, Little Richard, and the Allman Brothers got their start in Macon—and the city’s culture and beauty have inspired many well-known songs.
Birmingham, Alabama
Median Listing Price for a Historic Home: $300,000
Situated in the middle of Alabama and a little more than two hours west of Atlanta, Birmingham is a historic steel and iron city that was established in 1871 at the crossing of two rail lines. It’s the site of many important civil rights events (you can learn all about the city’s role in the Civil Rights movement by visiting the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution). The city’s history can be seen in areas like Morris Avenue, with its cobblestone streets and old, architecturally significant buildings, and Five Points South, a National Register of Historic Places neighborhood close to downtown and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, which has landmark homes (you’ll find many bungalows, cottages, Tudors, and Craftsmans) and apartments—and some of the city’s best restaurants.
Conway, South Carolina
Median Listing Price for a Historic Home: $319,000
About 15 miles inland from Myrtle Beach lies the charming historic river town of Conway. It’s one of the oldest towns in South Carolina (founded in 1732), which means it has some of the oldest houses. Within the city’s historic residential district, you’ll find a wide variety of architectural styles, including Colonial Revival, Queen Anne, and Craftsman—and Conway is so serious about preserving the charm of their city that even the oak trees that line the streets are protected by a tree ordinance. While you’re house shopping (as of the publication of this article, there are 72 historic homes on the market), make sure to take a stroll down the famous Conway Riverwalk, which is perched on the shores of the Waccamaw River.
Mobile, Alabama
Median Listing Price for a Historic Home: $350,000
Mobile is a coastal port city often compared to Charleston and New Orleans, and its historic districts are full of beautiful, well-maintained old homes—some of which were built by famed architect George B. Rogers, who arrived in Mobile in 1901. “Most interior neighborhoods contain Greek Revival, Creole cottages, bungalows, folk gothic, Italianates, and even shotgun homes,” says Bryan Olson, a real estate agent with Roberts Brothers, Inc. who lives in a grand, tile roof home named 19 Columns. “The boulevards that run from downtown through each district feature large mansions built by city merchants and civic leaders—and are in the styles of Colonial, Federalist, Mediterranean, Tudor, Victorian, and Mission Revival.” According to Olson, prices are rising—mostly due to expansion projects at companies like Airbus and Austal that are resulting in thousands of new jobs—but the city still remains remarkably affordable.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Median Listing Price for a Historic Home: $385,000
Oklahoma City’s old homes are clustered into six historic districts, and many of them were built in the 1920s and 1930s (Oklahoma became a state in 1907, and there isn’t anything much older than that). You’ll find large Georgian, Greek Revival, Mediterranean, and Tutor homes on streets lined with magnolia and sycamore trees, but also charming smaller homes, especially in the Mesta Park and Crown Heights districts. “People have strong allegiances to their neighborhoods and take great pride in their old homes—Oklahoma City’s old houses are very well-loved,” says interior designer Bebe MacKellar of Fanny Bolen Interiors, who has decorated homes in the historic districts.
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