The Poole House

A desire to move near her daughter led Rita Romero to rehabilitate a 1927 side-gabled Colonial Revival in downtown Carthage, NC.

Tell us a little about yourself.

My name is Rita Romero and I am an aircraft mechanic by trade and work as a civil servant for the Department of the Army. I enjoy fixing things and love my job at Fort Bragg. I have two daughters, Stephanie and Emily, and three beautiful grandkids that are my world. My daughter Emily Yopp is rehabilitating the historic Waddell-Larkin house on McReynolds Street in Carthage.

How did you find your house?

I wanted to move out here to be closer to Emily and her family. I looked at several older homes in the area but none of them were big enough for my collection of antiques and furniture- and I was not giving up any of it! One day Emily was on her way to Aberdeen and saw a For Sale By Owner sign in the front yard. She snapped a picture and sent it to me asking if I might be interested in looking into this home. I loved it from the start so of course, I said yes! Miraculously, the seller answered the phone that day because apparently she was being flooded with calls from interested buyers - primarily house flippers - making low offers. She told Emily that she wasn't going to answer the call that day - thinking it was just another low-ball offer - but she did and so the journey began.

Why did you want to rehabilitate a historic home versus buying new?

I wanted to rehabilitate a historic home because I have had many cheaply built houses throughout my life and was looking for something that was built to last. One of the things I love most about historic houses is that they were built for generations. They were built with love and care, evidenced in this home by the beautiful trim work, quarter-sawn heart pine flooring, wavy glass wood casement windows, as well as the overall layout and design of the home. This house was definitely built with love and I see it and feel it every day.

What is the history behind your home?

It is known locally as The Poole House and it has four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a formal dining room, a formal living room, a galley style kitchen, an open pantry, a 1960s den addition, an original detached garage with cupola, and a root cellar. It sits on about half an acre in downtown Carthage.

What challenges did you face when rehabilitating your home?

The most daunting challenge was working with contractors on a timeline as per the requirements of my mortgage company. It can be nerve-wracking seeing deadlines loom closer and work still needing to be done. Another challenge is making a list of everything you want to do and then having to narrow that list down further to the things you need to do to make the house safe and comfortable. And then there are the unforeseen issues that you couldn't plan for and the compromises that have to be made to deal with them.

Are there any features you had to replicate? What features did you have to update? 

I didn't have a situation where I had to replicate anything because the house has been maintained pretty much in its original state. I did have to make a few updates such as full bathroom renovations, new plumbing throughout, updating the main sewer line, putting in new HVAC, and updating the electrical.

Describe your favorite part of your home.

I honestly don't have a favorite part because I love everything about this house. Every room has its own unique character from the architectural trim work, the original floors, the french doors, and all of the nooks and crannies found in the home. The exterior is beautiful as well with its multiple dormers and steep rooflines. I love it all.

Did you utilize any special financing or the 15% state tax credit for your project?

My house is not registered individually on the National Register of Historic Places nor is it located within Carthage’s National Register District, so I could not utilize the 15% State tax credit. I used the Fannie Made Homestyle Rehabilitation mortgage program.

What is one piece of advice you would give someone wanting to rehabilitate a historic property?

Make sure the house has "good bones.” I had originally made an offer on another house here in Carthage but an offer from a house flipper beat my offer so I lost the house. I later heard that when they started removing the floor of the kitchen the walls started caving in due to a severe structural issue. As much as I loved that house as well, I am glad I did not have to deal with that.

I also feel it is important to love a house for what it is and not go into a project with plans to completely change it from the way it was initially intended. Sprawling bathrooms and kitchens or huge master bedrooms are not often found in historic homes. One should be willing to accept that about a home to save its integrity for future generations.

*some responses have been edited for clarity