Another Ohio gem, the Sorg Mansion sold in 2013 for a mere $225k but it really has some remarkable woodwork and stonework.
More photos from Old House Dreams
I'm partial to this style, maybe it is a Cinderella-castle-thing. But right now this is the only castle in my life, see the resemblance? Just kidding. :)
Hello Ann, The Sorg house is very beautiful, and looks like it would be a lot of fun to live in. Of course, with these huge old houses, the purchase price doesn't really mean that much. I am sure that at least a million will need to be invested, to say nothing of maintenance and heating costs. Think of those Ohio winters!
I run away from the word "cozy" in real estate ads, and would absolutely love to have that kind of space to kick around in, although perhaps my preference would be for a house at least a couple of decades older.
By the way, take care. I have read a number of stories of people who looked at huge old monstrosities for a joke, and ended up with one!
--Jim
Hi Jim!
No plans for such an involved undertaking any time soon. I would like to restore a house and have thought quite a bit about maintaining such a large building. I think the best way is to establish a trust of some nature for the building to use the returns for the things that will inevitable pop up, not the mention the running costs.
I was a member of the Newport Preservation Society and they often still send mailers. I read recently that admissions fees cover only a percentage of what it costs just to keep the houses lit and heated. Maintenance projects and the rest of upkeep come from donations so fundraising is a real necessity. Very interesting to think about the business of keeping up an old house!
But then again, someone has to keep them as part of our architectural inheritance, right? :)
Hi again, My recent post shows Gore Place, which solved this problem in an interesting fashion. When the area was being developed, they kept part of the land near the house, some of which they leased to a corporate headquarters. This way, they get some income, they can control what is on the land near the house, and the land actually adjacent to the house can be kept to preserve its original setting and appearance.
--Jim
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