If you live in a home built in the early 20^th Century (or before), cold winter evenings can send visions of new homes dancing through your head. With floors that creak and windows that barely slow the icy gales of January, even the antique charm of your original wooden banisters can wear thin (most noticeably after your sister’s kid knocks another handrail loose).

But don’t despair. While new homes in Annapolis may be a preferred investment for some buyers, duplicating the authenticity of your hand-hewn, turn-of-the-century Victorian is, quite simply, not possible.  With the right specialists to help, keeping your original home in top repair might not be as time consuming or costly as some fear.

Original windows, for example (the kind famous for letting chilly drafts pass unmolested) don’t necessarily need complete $1,000 replacements. A less expensive solution is to call in an experienced carpenter for an overhaul.  True pros know how to remove built-up paint, add new hardware, wax the rails, and most importantly, weatherstrip the gaps.  That cost is usually between $100 - $200.  Another common problem is wooden floors that squeak after decades of wear and multiple re-finishings. That noisy problem can often be fixed by using tiny screws to secure them to the framing below.

That creaky banister?  Locating the newel post and the corresponding nut at the base of the stairs can often strengthen the rails – they were designed to tighten the whole banister.   DC contractor Stephen Ortado (a veteran whose clients include the White House) says, “This is a simple $200 fix for someone who knows what he’s doing.”

Of course, if one of the new homes in Annapolis, Maryland is your ultimate goal, repairing and restoring your older home before listing it is a doable project.

The fact is, I delight in discovering the magic in both new homes and older ones -- contact me today if you would like an up-to-the-moment pricing evaluation.

The G-Team your Maryland Real Estate Connection, is a full-time team with over 22 years of experience. We provide service to our clients in all areas of Maryland. Our areas of specialty include Real Estate in Central Maryland.

We are located in Millersville, Maryland between Baltimore and Annapolis in Anne Arundel County convenient to Fort Meade. We also service Howard, Harford, Carroll & Queen Anne’s Counties and central Maryland. Whether you are BUYING, SELLING, RELOCATING or SHORT SALES. Call us we can HELP.

If you or someone you know is interested in Buying a home, Selling a home or renting a home, CALL US WE CAN HELP! We provide Experience, Integrity and Solutions to help you through the real estate process. Our website www.MarylandHomeSearchSite.com has all the information you need. It is designed to share info about the community, it’s neighborhoods, real estate trends, housing prices and the ability to create your own search for listings.

Call us at (443)790-6918 or email theg-team@theg-team.com or Contact The G-Team.