New Castle, Del. —
The City of New Castle is featured in this month’s edition of the popular home improvement magazine “This Old House” as one of the “Best Places to Buy an Old House” in the United States.
Ranking alongside other well known addresses like Galena, Ill., Old Louisville, Ky. and Pleasant Ridge, Mich., New Castle gets the thumbs up from the magazine for its “timeworn historic buildings that make it feel more like a European village than an American city.”
Michael Connolly, executive director of the New Castle Historical Society, praised the town’s rich array of architecture that includes Italianate, Queen Anne, and Craftsman styles in addition to its well known colonial and federal period buildings.
“We’ve got a variety of buildings,” he said. “But the key is we’re a walkable town. There are restaurants, the post office, the bank, the drug store all within an easy walk.”
New Castle, of course, is also a popular tourist destination due to its history and Delaware River vista. The article also cites New Castle’s proximity to Wilmington – Delaware’s employment hub – as a draw to those looking to purchase older homes.
Prices in Old New Castle can range from $385,000 for a federal in good condition, to nearly $1 million for larger homes near the river, according to the article. Other homes in less pristine condition can go for less, and interested buyers may be eligible for a state-sponsored tax credit program, which allows for up to $20,000 in tax credits to offset the cost of repairs.
Tim Scully, a New Castle realtor, said that despite the draw of the homes, New Castle is just as affected by the slumping housing market as other communities. He said a lot of homes in the $500,000 to $800,000 range are remaining on the market for several months before they sell.
“It’s a tough market, but this neighborhood does have a lot of extra lure,” he said. “There’s a lot of different style of houses down here. Something for everyone.”
Connolly, who nominated New Castle for the article, said he did it to promote the city.
“New Castle is a great place and we like to promote preservation and try to attract preservation-minded people here so all of these buildings can continue to exist in their most historic state,” he said.
“This Old House” is not the first publication to recognize New Castle’s historic charm. The city was featured in the 2007 book “1,000 Places to See in the U.S.A. & Canada Before you Die.”
