There are many things you should be aware of when buying historic homes in Old Town Fort Collins. Not all buyers are Old Town buyers and willing to accept the nuances of the historic home. It is important to understand the beginnings of our community. It was a military outpost of the United States Army in 1864 and settlers began arriving almost immediately. The fort was decommissioned in 1867 and later the city’s first population boom came in 1872, with the establishment of an agricultural colony so these weren’t extremely wealthy settlers. Fort Collins provides a historic district that is possibly not as affluent in its beginnings as other areas across the nation, hence we have small bungalows which don’t usually offer modern conveniences but do provide the benefit of location, the numerous amenities of our downtown area, beautiful parks, great sense of community, neighborhood diversity and no homeowner’s association other than what the City imposes in the way of ordinances and historical review.
Old Town Sellers need to understand what current buyer’s expectations are. If a homeowner in Old Town has a lot of deferred maintenance or hasn’t dealt with some of the issues of the older home, buyer and seller need to be prepared for these items to show up on the inspection. It is a good idea to brainstorm strategies with your agent on how to handle inspection items and not to allow it to become an emotional process.
The historical home has it’s negatives and positives and I think it is certainly more challenging to buy and sell than newer, modern homes. If you were 100 years old you might have some issues too!
Please see the list below of 10 things to consider when buying/selling in historic Old Town Fort Collins. First before moving forward let’s determine what is considered historic? The city considers anything 50 years or older as “historic” citywide, and is subject to certain City ordinances placing restrictions on exterior improvements as well as additions, building, etc. For example, you can’t replace the windows on a home 50 years or older without consulting with Landmark Preservation and obtaining their approval first.
I will also provide my disclaimer – I don’t pretend to be an expert and you shouldn’t either! All information is subject to your specific plans for improvements and additions and it is extremely important to understand this is a buyer’s responsibility to perform extensive due diligence and understand the costs and proper courses required by the City of Fort Collins.
1. Flood Plains
Start your research with Mark Taylor with Fort Collins Utilities (flood plain division). In lieu of last year’s floods, things have changed with regard to flood insurance and floodplains. In Fort Collins, floodplains are designated by the City as well as by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The FEMA-basin floodplains covers only the major drainage’s. Changes in these floodplains must be approved by FEMA. The City-basin floodplains further identify the flood hazard. Some of the flooding in City-basin floodplains is from irrigation ditch spills or undersized storm sewers that result in overland flooding. Changes in these floodplains can be approved by the City. For floodplain regulation purposes, a floodplain property is either in a FEMA-basin floodplain, a City-basin floodplain or the Pourdre River floorplain. Here is a link for more information: link
2. Survey and Land Line Issues
These can be sticky issues! It is up to the buyer whether they would like to obtain a survey and/or Improvement Location Certificate for the property. This is imperative if owners are putting in fences or additions or even tearing down and building something new. Owner’s Extended Coverage is an extension of standard coverage policies to give homeowners the same broader coverage given previously only to mortgages. In addition, owner’s extended coverage protects the homeowner on easements or claims of easements not shown in public records and rights or claims of parties in possession. It also covers forced removal of the existing structure, other than a boundary wall or fence, because it extends onto adjoining land or onto any easement. Improvement Location Certificate (ILC) vs. Survey Improvement Plat. An ILC is a method of describing and approximately locating a property. It is often required by lenders and title companies and offers certain reasonable assurances regarding potential boundary or encroachment problems that may affect their interests. It also illustrates the location of improvements and conditions of the property. It represents boundaries and improvements based on a surveyor’s general knowledge of an area. It depicts the property boundaries showing the size and shape of a parcel based on the legal description provided in the warranty deed. It is not a survey and does not locate exact boundaries or establish property corners. The improvement survey plat is comprised of the same precise information as the land survey plat but, in addition, indicates the location of all structures and improvements situated on the parcel of land. The improvement survey plat will also show visible encroachments including any fences, hedges, or walls on or within two feet of both sides of all boundary lines. The improvement survey plat will show the location of all visible above-ground utilities, and all underground utilities for which there is visible surface evidence.
3. Arthur’s Ditch
Much of Arthur’s Ditch runs through much of Old Town. The ditch provides irrigation water to larger corporations in town. As a buyer, you must be aware of the potential work on this irrigation ditch as it runs along many main streets. Recently the city completed work on Mountain Avenue and well as Laporte to make repairs.
4. Zoning
Neighborhood Conservation Low Density (NCL) Zoning: This zoning has more restrictive City standards. 11,00 square foot lot required to build habitable space. Neighborhood Conservation Medium Density (NCM) Zoning: 10,000 square foot lot required to build a habitable space.
5. Eastside Westside Ordinances, Floor Area Ratio
It is important to consult with the building and zoning department and encourage your buyers to do the same. On March 5th, City Council adopted Ordinance 033, 2013 that includes a package of Land Use Code (LUC) amendments to implement recommended strategies identified in the study process. The amendments are applicable to the NCL and NCM density zoning districts, which comprise the Eastside and Westside neighborhoods. The new standards will go into effect May 15.
6. Architectural Design Services
Many are not aware the City offers $2,000 of architectural design services FREE per property per year. Who is eligible?
7. Knob and Tube Wiring
Sometimes abbreviated K&T, was an early standardized method of electrical wiring in buildings, in common use in North America from about 18880 to the 1930’s. It consisted of single-insulated copper conductors running within wall or ceiling cavities, passing through joist and stud drill-holes via protective porcelain insulating tubes, and supported along their length on nailed-down by knob insulators. Where conductors entered a wiring devise such as a lamp or switch, or were pulled into a wall, they were protected by flexible cloth insulating sleeving called loom. The first insulation was asphalt-saturated cotton cloth, then rubber became common. Wire splices in such installations were twisted together for good mechanical strength, then soldered and wrapped with rubber insulating tape and friction tape (asphalt saturated cloth), or made inside metal junction boxes. Knob and tube wiring was eventually displaced from interior wiring systems because of the high cost of installation compared with use of power cables, which combined both power conductors of a circuit in one run (and which late included grounding conductors). At present, new knob and tube installations are permitted in the US only in a few very specific situations listed in the National Electrical Code, such as certain industrial and agricultural environment.
8. Sewer Scopes
The purpose of a sewer scope inspection is to determine the condition of the property’s sewer line and to determine if the system is functioning as designed. Sewer scope inspections have become a standard component of the pre-purchase inspection period.
9. Structural DON’T PANIC
Stone Foundations are usually found in homes built in the late 1800’s to early 1900’s. They are composed of area stone either taken straight from the ground or quarried. Most homes in the area will be composed either of granite composite, or sandstone (most commonly Peach Blow Sandstone). Some foundations are composed of Claystone, though it is the least common stone used. If the stone was removed from the lot, or other nearby soil, then you’ll notice varying sizes and shapes, possibly even different types of stone in one foundation. These foundations are generally older than quarried stone foundations and have more mortar. More mortar is present to smooth out of the varying sizes of stone. The mortar is also usually hand mixed and rougher in texture. Quairred stone foundations tend to have smoother edges, similar sizing, and are all the same type of stone. You’ll probably notice that the mortar is more consistent in color and texture.
10. Shared Driveways and Garages
This is defined as walls shared by adjacent properties are usually jointly owned by the two owners and are termed party walls. The Party Wall Agreement will be recorded and reflected on title.
Like with any home purchase/sale, my approach is to guide my clients through the process. Ultimately it is your due diligence to do research on any deficiencies with the property and the seller’s to disclose any potential issues of the property.
Comments are closed.