What’s the History of Your Home?

Your Home’s History

Have you ever wondered about the history behind your house? Here are three of the many ways to research the history of your home.

1. Examine the home’s construction

There are many ways to examine your home’s construction. Firstly, you can look at the materials used to construct the home. The types of materials can give some leeway about when the house was built, or at the very least, when the house was last renovated. You can also scrape through layers of paint. Walls of older homes can have ten or more layers of paint. The composition of paint can be analyzed to link it to a specific era of time.

2. Pull official records

Make a visit to your local courthouse or county recorder. Keep in mind that you may not find correct information if you use your street address, since addresses can change over time. Property grids may have changed a lot since the time that your home was built. Official record keeping of land uses a different system that allows you to track the history of your home, starting from when it was built. You can also find a copy of your home’s abstract. An abstract records all deeds or legal transactions that are associated with your property. Your home’s abstract is typically held at your local county courthouse. Look at the purchase and selling price of your home. Any increase in selling price may be attributed to a new room being added on or the home having a large renovated.

3. Dig through archives

One of the most time-consuming ways to find the history of your home is by searching through archives. Start by looking through old editions of your local newspaper, which is typically kept at your local library. You can also visit your town’s historical society. If your home is less than 200 years old, the society may have a lot of information concerning your home, especially if previous owners were well-known in the community or if something significant happened on your property.