Period homes have never been more popular in the inner suburbs of Australia’s capital cities than they are right now.
That old-world charm, rock-solid build quality and almost timeless elegance have put them at the top of the list for many buyers who are prepared to pay a premium to own a piece of historic architecture.
But will all of those distinctive period features both inside and outside the home stand the test of time? Or will some fare better than others?
Here are the features that will best retain their value in the coming years.
The façade
Find any property listing for a period home and it’s almost a given that the hero shot will be a stunning view of the front of the house from the street.
Jellis Craig director Andrew McCann says buyers are forever enamoured with period façades, which he says will continue to be the number one drawcard for most homes from that era.
“The market is very drawn to that architecture and that style,” McCann says.
“So I think if you can retain the integrity of the façade and have it well framed, for example not taking away an original verandah from a Victorian home, they’re the things not to change or alter.”
“Properties with a picket fence and a nice attractive Hawthorn-brick style with a traditional roofline really seem to appeal to most buyers – this look tugs on the heartstrings.”
“Respecting the colour palette is important with the façade rather than trying to make it too contemporary. That also applies to the front door, window furnishings and those types of things as well.”
READ MORE: 10 FEATURES TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING A PERIOD HOME
The front rooms
McCann says that when people walk into a period home, they expect the front rooms to reflect the design and feel of that era.
That means retaining the original floorboards, as well as the “integrity of the principal rooms” at the front of the home.
“If you’re walking into a double-fronted home, having the main rooms – which are often the front bedroom or a formal sitting room or dining room – still intact is a real feature,” he says.
“Heritage homes often have high ceilings and grand rooms of good proportion. If you can get that part right, along with retaining the original floorboards, buyers usually respond very positively.”
When people walk into a period home, they expect the front rooms to reflect the design and feel of that era. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
The windows
Flowing on from the general façade is the retention of original period windows at the front of the home.
McCann says original windows are critical to sustaining the period appeal and value over time.
“If the windows have been replaced, often that alters the look of façade look and the integrity of the property. I would say you want to try and keep originality in the front portion of the home as intact as possible. Look to make your alterations in the second half – that’s where the best balance comes.”
Original front windows are critical to sustaining the period appeal and value over time. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
What about period detailing?
Many people associate period homes with the ornate detailing that is the internal calling card of those eras.
But McCann says those components are less critical.
Period detailing such as decorative ceilings are less important to most buyers. Picture: realestatecom.au/buy
“Things like cornicing and mouldings are probably not as important in a buyer’s mind these days as the home being light and airy and more simplistic in style,” he says.
“Houses that are very ornate really appeal to a smaller market.”
“I think people still probably want to see the cornicing and the mouldings in place, but they would usually update them with more contemporary paint colours. Those traditional federation and period colours and paint detail of the ’80s and ’90s, where it’s a lot of greens and maroons and traditional Victorian colour schemes, that’s now viewed as being a bit outdated.”
READ MORE: RENOVATING HERITAGE HOMES IN AUSTRALIA
A blend at the back
McCann says that the strongest market is for period properties that are in almost original condition at the front, but have been renovated with a modern extension at the rear.
The strongest market is period homes with contemporary extensions at the back. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
“A house that’s got a very good blend of the functional parts of a period home, updated with modern architecture and contemporary tones from an interior perspective, that’s really the best balance you can find in the marketplace,” he says.
