Can you protect your historic house from demolition by a future owner? Perfectly good historic houses are being demolished and replaced by McMansions. There are several ways to protect a historic house from being demolished by a future owner.
The first is being located in a local historic district that provides protection from demolition. National Register listing does not protect a property from demolition. Only a local ordinance can do it.
If your house is not in a local district, placing a preservation easement on the deed is another option. This is a legal restriction limiting what a future owner can do to the property. Typically, the easement is held by a non-profit preservation organization or the state historic preservation office which has the authority to visit the property and force compliance with the restrictions in court if necessary.
Placing an easement on a property can affect the value of the property. It may be possible to donate the easement to the non-profit and receive a tax deduction to offset the loss of value. Talk to your local preservation org and tax advisor to determine what is possible in your state.
Generally, the easement is accompanied by a document identifying the character-defining features of the house and what can and cannot be changed by a future owner.
An example of this is described in Chapter 2 of “Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners.”
Signed and personalized copies of the award-winning and bestselling 720-page hardcover book are only available in our online shop at YourHistoricHouse.com/shop/.
Our shop also carries select preservation and restoration titles by other authors. Save on cost and shipping with our multi-book combo packs!
© Scott T. Hanson 2025.
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