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Cheap Old Houses: An Unconventional Guide to Loving and Restoring a Forgotten Home

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Arrives Monday, Nov 25
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Description

From the founders of the HGTV show and Instagram Cheap Old Houses comes a stunning collection of beautiful, affordable homes and inspiration for buying and restoring an historic house. Welcome to the magical world of Cheap Old Houses, where the new American dream comes with zero mortgage and an affordable lifestyle fit for a storybook. Ethan and Elizabeth Finkelstein have scoured the country to find homes in desperate need of saving—including a $45,000 Victorian in Mississippi, a $25,000 mansion in Indiana, an $82,000 recreational camp in Maine, and more. Cheap Old Houses features the stories of how these homes were acquired and lovingly restored. Within these pages, you’ll discover sprawling Victorian mansions, Italianate-style farmhouses, off-the-beaten-path cabins, and even old churches turned into residences. You’ll meet a couple who camped out on their back porch while they made their 6,000-square foot manor livable, and homeowners who found a free bungalow and moved it seventy miles to their property. Additionally, Elizabeth, a historical preservationist, gives information on the details to preserve in historic houses, from pocket doors that might be hiding in the walls to badly cracked plaster walls that are worth repairing and butler’s pantries that are once again more desirable for storing dishes and small appliances. With hundreds of beautiful photographs capturing these homes in all their glory, you’ll be inspired to find “the one”—a fixer upper to rescue that will rescue you right back. Read more Read less

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Clarkson Potter (October 10, 2023)


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 288 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593578767


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 66


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.72 pounds


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.32 x 1.15 x 10.82 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #76,615 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #1 in Historic Architectural Preservation #126 in Construction Engineering (Books) #235 in Home Decorating (Books)


#1 in Historic Architectural Preservation:


#126 in Construction Engineering (Books):


Frequently asked questions

If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is: Monday, Nov 25

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Top Amazon Reviews


  • A Must Read for Anyone Who Has Ever and Will Ever Live in a Home (That’s You!)
This book is a haven for creators and dreamers, and practical measured thinkers alike. With beautiful photography that evokes a romantic sense of home in all sorts of settings, it captures remnants of a bygone era, while also providing a plethora of resources from around the country for all things necessary in rehabilitating an old home. It gets at the heart of the American dream, what connects us to those before us, and how to preserve our resources for those who will come after us. It’s a love letter to regular people doing extraordinarily unconventional things in their old houses. It’s both eye candy, and a resource to come back to again and again. The message is abundantly necessary in today’s fast paced, bigger is better culture, where uniformity in homes is the norm. Cannot recommend more highly! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2023 by Rumfield Homestead Rumfield Homestead

  • Nice Book
Beautiful pictures and stories of old homes
Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2024 by Joseph Petrozola

  • A must have
Loads of pictures amazing color information priceless
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2024 by Ingrid Leon

  • Cheap Old Houses
The HGTV series caught my attention, so when the book was published, I was eager to add it to my library. I will first point out that this book is more about story and history and less about interior decor photos. I do wish there were more photos of the featured homes, but find the stories and history quite interesting and fascinating, thus I can forgive the overall “lack” of interior detail photos. The print is small by most readability standards, so read with sufficient light. I remain intrigued by such an idea of acquiring and restoring lovely old historical properties. This book does a solid job of explaining, demonstrating and pointing out the mass amount of work required and involved. But the investment has been very worth it for the hardy, hearty people featured in this publication. Be realistic and informed, but even more so, be inspired! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2023 by P. C. Nepean

  • Stunning Book! 😍
I am so happy I bought this book! I absolutely adore this couple's IG page and passion as a homeowner of a 1911 Craftsman and this book does not disappoint! It is comprised of sseveral 5~ page stories that are easy to read. Each story includes a background story of the homeowners, their journey to purchasing the home and their restoration. There are beautiful pictures and explanations of each home and each home ends with a feature page on a historical detail (Plaster, Wavy Glass, etc). I've already read several stories in one sitting and can't wait to finish this book! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2023 by J. Linder

  • A must for old house lovers!
If you have an old house, had an old house, or just simply love old houses, you NEED THIS BOOK! It is filled with amazing stories from homeowners who have dedicated themselves to saving history, and showing the beauty in an unconventional way of living. In addition to the stories, the pages are filled with beautiful photos, providing an abundance of design inspiration. This is definitely going on the Christmas gift list for every old house lover in my life this year! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2023 by Candi

  • A love note to old houses and the people that love them
Elizabeth and Ethan have created a beautiful book. As a long time Cheap Old Houses follower, subscriber, and recent Cheap Old House owner, I've been incredibly anxious to get my hands on this book. Those of us with this crazy affliction know that there's nothing like the beauty of an old house, and that sometimes those old homes provide us with more inspiration than the blank slate of a new build. I've now flipped through my copy a dozen times, and have found inspiration for my upcoming project. I only hope to accomplish as much as the dreamers featured in this book and to inspire others to make the same crazy decision, that didn't seem like much of a decision at all. Thank you for these stories! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2023 by amchammer amchammer

  • A TREASURE of a book
This book is so beautiful and full of the most incredible stories about people and their homes. In these pages, you get a sense of our country's history, through the eyes of restoration and architecture. If you love old homes, unconventional decisions, or if you just want to be inspired by beautiful images and the stories behind them, this book is for you! It is also a gem of a gift to give. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2023 by Rebecca Letwin

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