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home + design
Twentieth Century Revival
Sweat equity turns some of Ashland’s plainest
old houses into valuable modern gems
ASHLAND IS KNOWN FOR its cuddly
cuteness, with its boutique downtown area
and charming Victorian houses set in leafy
historic districts.
But like many American towns, Ashland
went through the building boom of the 1960s,
’70s, and ’80s, which saw many small ranch and
other plain “builder-type” houses constructed
in response to growing demand.
Today, these homes are undergoing a creative
renaissance, as energetic do-it-yourselfers
are buying these affordable residences and
transforming them with inventive style and
artistic sensibilities.
Not only that, those houses have turned out
to be the hottest-selling type of residential real
written by John Riha
photography by Bill Purcell
estate in southern Oregon, helping fuel a
resurgence in housing value and overcoming
the general real estate face plant of 2008-09.
According to Zillow.com, Ashland’s housing
value has soared 13.9 percent in the last
year, outpacing Bend, Portland, Eugene and
nearby Medford.
“Those types of houses are definitely in the
sweet spot,” said Marie Lange, a real estate
agent in the Rogue Valley since 1988 and
owner of Ashland Homes Real Estate. “They’re
simpler, a lot easier to remodel, and many
are single-level, all of which is very attractive
to prospective buyers. Plus, they’re relatively
affordable compared to the overall market, so
remodeling them is a very good investment.”
Ashland is filled with small
ranch homes that are getting
ellaborate remodels.
48 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2017