'We're looking for a crazy historian'

[Old house lady]

That's what the seller said. Beautiful home for sale in Boyertown, PA - saw this on the local news yesterday and was blown away by so many original features still being in place. We're hoping to be able to go to the upcoming open house, I doubt we'd be the only looky-loos! I just hope whoever ends up buying it appreciates it for what it is.

http://www.wfmz.com/news/berks/boyertown-home-first-in-area-to-have-electricity-up-for-sale/333363062

More pics and details at zillow http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/103-N-Reading-Ave-Boyertown-PA-19512/8863756_zpid/

[Willa]

It's pretty fancy but the modernized kitchen makes me sad. There were probably great cabinets there, before, as in the rest of the house. Why do people do this ?

Go to the open house and tell us what you see.

The pics on Zillow look much more enticing than the news clip. There's so much original stuff that looks really great. I love that the intercom still works !

[Wackyshack]

Looks like a great house and one like it around here even in our not much to offer town would easily run in the $450's or more. $265 sounds give away...
I did notice it is a duplex on a tiny lot.
The house is fantastic.

[Lily left the valley]

*swoon*

Loved the backyard set up.

I am realizing I apparently have a thing for double shutters as this one has in oh so many rooms. I have no idea what period(s) they really belong to, but when I see them, I always feel the warm fuzzies and smile.

Thanks for pointing this one out, Old house lady.

Looks like a great house and one like it around here even in our not much to offer town would easily run in the $450's or more. $265 sounds give away...
I did notice it is a duplex on a tiny lot.
The house is fantastic.

Is it a duplex or does it just have two front doors? The listing says single family. (Didn't read the article.)

Speaking of the listing...

...19-8 foot windows with original interior shudders...

No one should shudder at those shutters! They are lovely.

[JRC]

It's pretty fancy but the modernized kitchen makes me sad. There were probably great cabinets there, before, as in the rest of the house. Why do people do this ?

Go to the open house and tell us what you see.

The pics on Zillow look much more enticing than the news clip. There's so much original stuff that looks really great. I love that the intercom still works !

I think I saw an original butler's pantry. (only looked at the Zillow listing) If so, there may not have been cabinets in the kitchen, originally.

It's a great house, though!

[vvzz]

It's pretty fancy but the modernized kitchen makes me sad. There were probably great cabinets there, before, as in the rest of the house. Why do people do this ?

It doesn't look half bad. At least it is not some ultra modern abortion or terrible builders grade blandness.

I'm still kind of undecided on the whole kitchen thing. I think the kitchen should go well with the house, but at the same time I feel like the fridge decorated to look like an icebox is tacky.

[Wackyshack]

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Lilly, I by far am no expert. The house just by sight didn't sit well when I look at it. Others may want to chime in on what they think. But this house does not appear to follow the design rules of the era in which it was built. I took a screen shot of 3 houses 2 lots down from this one that was on sale.

The mirror image split right at the center line is what got me to that mode of thinking. Secondly, odd that there are 2 sets of front doors right next to one another.
The listing said "tower" with no mention of a unique twin tower feature that I can't see getting missed as a selling feature. The design of a house like this would be very atypical compared to the single family houses I got a photo of below. They didn't repeat architectural features on a house and do balanced matchy matchy designs.

The sheer size of the house in the top photo has me thinking this beast has to be larger than 3,000 sqfeet.

They only showed one room with a rounded corner from the tower. Unless this company was being super cheap with photos I was curious as to why they would skip the twin room that had the same tower feature.

When I used mapquest I got house lot readings of 103 and 105 but the next building was 111. I wish I could read the numbers over the doors clearer.

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None of these houses appear to have any repeating features. They follow the general rules of house design for the era.


UPDATE: I went to the accessor's records. I found out that the 2-1/2 brick building is listed for one owner at 103, another owner at 105 with the same description, and the building next to it is a (Commercial building), a Funeral Home which I was able to confirm at 111 N. Reading Ave. The driveway even has an arrow painted on it to direct traffic around the building.
They don't show photos of the property on the record pages like they do in my town.

That was an interesting dig.

[Mick_VT]

That was my thought too - that this house was half of a duplex not the full building

[Gothichome]

I have no issues with the home as presented, seams to be an honest attempt to keep the feel of the original, while updates to a modern standard. Being a buplex with high end details, I would think this may have been the city home of some one with means to have a second home some were else, or an upper middle class home.

[phil]

a funeral home might make for quiet neighbors but there probably arent' too many who want to buy into the possible issues with it being half a duplex if that it is. I remember viewing one where I guess the neighbors had a bit of a war going on and one chose to paint his half a different color. I'm sure he reduced the price that way, perhaps to buy it for himself?