Real Estate Showcase - June 2023

Real Estate

Wednesday, June 28, 2023

Wednesday, June 28, 2023

Elkton Homeowner Works To Bring New Life To Old Farmhouse

By HARLEIGH CUPP Daily News-Record

n Joshua Gooden, about Elkton home he’s renovating

American flag hanging from the eaves of the front porch attached to an impressive Victorian era home that is still under construction.

For nearly two and a half years, Joshua Gooden has devoted many weekends to revitalize a farmhouse that has a history longer than the town of Elkton itself, and he uncovered a piece of personal family history in the process.

The house — which stands on Shenandoah Avenue — was built in 1891 and was under ownership of the Miller family for 130 years until Gooden purchased it in February 2021. Gooden was able to date the house based on signatures found written on several pieces of lumber that had to be removed during the reconstruction process.

It was the Miller’s who actually laid out the first blocks of what would grow to become the community of Elkton — which was not incorporated until 1908. The Miller family owns the surrounding properties to this day, but for reasons unknown, this stately farmhouse stood empty for more than 30 years.

“One good thing about not having someone live here is that it didn’t get the ‘80s grown into it,” remarked Gooden. Therefore, the nostalgic features of the house were spared from cheap glue-on linoleum floors and bright paint or wooden paneling on the walls that can be difficult to remove.

The first project Gooden — with the help of his brother and father — tackled was the porch. The boards were rotted and falling in and presented quite the safety hazard. After stabilizing the porch, Gooden scraped off the remainder of the peeling exterior paint from the house’s original siding and applied a fresh coat of “windy blue” and “salty dog.”

“[My brother and I] grew up going to job sites with my dad who does renovation work, so it wasn’t out of the ordinary for us,” Gooden stated, “but it was definitely a much bigger undertaking [than we imagined].”

Gooden pointed to four indentations on the siding that would have

ELKTON — Steady rain pummeled a metal roof while light wind twisted an

Photos by Harleigh Cupp / DN-R

RIGHT: Joshua Gooden stands in front of his Elkton home that has been undergoing renovations since February 2021. ABOVE: An antique barn — still owned by the Miller family — fills the frame of a window in the recently constructed addition.

“

One good thing about not having someone live here is that it didn’t get the ‘80s grown into it.

Farmhouse FROM PAGE 2

held brackets for a much smaller porch. In fact, there is a photograph dating back to 1907 that shows the house with a simpler front porch. Gooden explained that the wraparound was added years later.

We started finding that these two columns are stamped with name of my great-grandad’s construction business. had no clue going into it [that my family name was part of its history].

“We started finding that these two columns are stamped with name of my great-grandad’s construction business,” revealed Gooden. “I had no clue going into it [that my family name was part of its history].”

It turns out the original house was built by Goodens which was then updated by the next generation of Goodens, which is currently being remodeled by two more generations

n Joshua Gooden

See FARMHOUSE, Page 5

Harleigh Cupp / DN-R

A stack of dated newspapers that lined one of the unfinished floors sits in one of the upstairs bedrooms still waiting to be worked on.

FAIR-HOUSING NOTICE

We are pledged to the le�er and spirit of Virginia’s policy for achieving equal housing opportunity throughout the Commonwealth. We encourage and support adver�sing and marke�ng programs in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, na�onal origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap.

All real estate adver�sed herein is subject to Virginia’s fair housing law which makes it illegal to adver�se any preference, limita�on or discrimina�on because of race, color, religion, na�onal origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap, or inten�on to make any such reference, limita�on or discrimina�on.’ This newspaper will not knowingly accept adver�sing for real estate that violated the fair housing law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings adver�sed in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis.For the hearing-impaired, call (804) 367-9753.

E-mail fairhousing@dpor.virginia.gov.

Web site: www.fairhousing.vipnet.org

Joshua Gooden holds a photograph — gifted to him by a resident of Elkton — of the property taken years ago that shows a comparison to what the house looks like today.

Harleigh Cupp / DN-R

Harleigh Cupp / DN-R

A view from the back of the house reveals the addition remodel that took place in the last two and a half years.

of Goodens following that — one of which is serving as the mayor of Elkton — talk about a town rooted in family history. The original Gooden brothers built nearly half the homes in Elkton dated before the early 1930s when they lost their business to the great depression.

Upon entering the front door of the house, one is welcomed by the scent of antiquity and can only imagine the celebration and mourning that occurred in each room.

Even though the house stood abandoned for so long, much of its character was preserved including period glass windows and painted wallpaper the color of a robin’s egg in one of the downstairs rooms. Much of the demolition took place at the back of the house where Gooden took out and reworked the additions that didn’t make sense for the rest of the layout. Much of the front is still waiting for its touch-up — and since construction predates electricity — wires, outlets and insulation still need to be added to each of the rooms.

The upstairs bedrooms hold boxes piled on hardwood pine floors filled with old photographs, receipts, newspapers, an electric bill dating back to 1925 and even pamphlets from a

See FARMHOUSE, Page 6

ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20

Aries, you will likely be giving much thought to your future and strategies that may increase your financial security. Reach out to your network for advice.

TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21

Taurus, if communication has been difficult in the past, you will find that things change for the better in the days to come. You will gain a deeper understanding of others.

GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21

Gemini, useful information reaches you this week, which helps you make important decisions about your finances. Use this opportunity to make changes.

CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22

Cancer, a social gathering presents you with an opportunity to meet new friends who may become valued business contacts. Treat every introduction with care.

LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23

Leo, you may be wondering what the next few months will hold for you. It is impossible to know all the details, but there are strong indications that there is a big change coming.

HOROSCOPES

VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22

Career goals may come together even further this week, Virgo. This enables you to move into a position that will not compromise your needs or ideals.

LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23

Libra, you want to make a new start but may just need a little push to get you moving. Thankfully, your mind is clear from distractions that normally might derail your plans.

SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22

Scorpio, soul searching is to be expected due to the positioning of the planets this week. Once you figure out your true goals you may be surprised at what you discover.

SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21

Take time out from some of the exciting things that have been happening to you, Sagittarius. Figure out if you’re satisfied in your career. You may decide to make changes.

CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20

A new understanding with others comes from improved communication and more flexibility, Capricorn. Optimism and understanding will spill into all areas of your life.

AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18

Your mind is on family and those close to you right now, Aquarius. Any decisions you make in the weeks ahead will be focused on the priority people in your life.

PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20

Information about investments and career potential may come to you soon. Take everything with a grain of salt until you can investigate.

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS

JUNE 25 Ricky Gervais, Comic (62)

JUNE 26 Aubrey Plaza, Actress (39)

JUNE 27 H.E.R., Singer (26)

JUNE 28 Elon Musk, Entrepreneur (52)

JUNE 29 Camila Mendes, Actress (29)

JUNE 30 Michael Phelps, Athlete (38)

JULY 1 Pamela Anderson, Actress (56)

Harleigh Cupp / DN-R

Joshua Gooden sorts through boxes of receipts and photographs he found in the house when it was purchased from the Miller family.

Virginia Junior Hereford Association field day held on the farm July 13, 1968.

“I would say that [one of the best parts of this remodel] is just being able to preserve a home for future generations,” Gooden said. “It’s fun being able to be part of my own restoration project to help revitalize Elkton.”

Gooden hopes to have the home completed within the next two years and be able to continue the house’s history as a home for himself.

ABOVE: Salvaged doors and trim boards fill a downstairs room that would have served as the parlor when the house was built in 1891. LEFT: An American flag hangs on the wraparound porch that was added to the house sometime in the early 1900s.

Contact Harleigh Cupp at hcupp@dnronline.com

Farmhouse FROM PAGE 5

Harleigh Cupp / DN-R

The Role Of Nature In Home Design In The Years Ahead

Metro Creative

Outdoor living spaces were prioritized during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when public gatherings were greatly limited and individuals were urged to stay home as much as possible. Such demands have had a ripple effect on various industries, including home design. According to a survey conducted by the New Home Trends Institute in collaboration with Pro Builder, 58 percent of the more than 300 residential architects, designers and design-minded builders who participated said connection to the outdoors/nature will be an important influence on their design choices in the years to come. In addition, 45 percent of respondents indicated increased attention will be afforded to outdoor entertaining spaces

So what might the outdoor spaces of homes built in the not-so-distant future look like? Respondents to the survey anticipated a growing demand for various built-in outdoor features, including:

• Firepits or fireplaces

• Outdoor kitchens

• Gazebos or pergolas

• Pools

• Spas or hot tubs

Though trends and consumer demands are ever-shifting, architects and designers are anticipating that future homeowners will want more developed outdoor living spaces and greater access to nature, which is something current homeowners can keep in mind when renovating their properties.

Popular trends in home exteriors

Metro Creative

Certain homes have an undeniable wow factor. That instant appeal tends to be noticeable the moment visitors pull up to the curb, and it might be a byproduct of homeowners’ willingness to embrace the latest exterior design trends.

Trends come and go, but recognition of the current fashions can help homeowners create that highly sought-after wow factor. The following are some recent trends in home exteriors that have helped homeowners set their properties apart.

Wood

Natural wood has undeniable appeal, and it hasn’t only found new -

found devotion among home interior decorators. Natural wood garage doors create a sense of warmth and can set a home apart from others with steel doors, which tend to be the most popular garage door material. In addition to the garage door, natural wood entry doors and wood decks are popular ways to impart this classical, warm look to a home’s exterior.

Painted brick

Like natural wood, brick is a traditional material that’s both sturdy and classical. But homeowners can add character to brick with a coat of paint, which has become a popular trend in recent years. Light tones tend to be most popular when painting bricks. The experts at Better Homes & Gar-

dens note that this could prove a longterm commitment if homeowners so desire, as a properly painted brick exterior could last as long as 20 years.

Hardscaping

Hardscaping isn’t a new trend, but it has been trending in recent years. Hardscaping is an umbrella term that includes everything from outdoor living rooms to incorporating natural stone into a landscape. Outdoor living rooms are one hardscaping trend that has become increasingly popular of late. These spaces serve as an extension of indoor living spaces. The home improvement experts at HGTV note that recently homeowners have looked to create covered outdoor rooms that can be

enjoyed more frequently than patios or decks that are not protected from the elements.

Outdoor lighting

It makes sense that individuals looking to spend more time enjoying their properties outdoors would want more lighting outside. Ambient outdoor lighting can be utilized throughout a property. Such lighting can light up walkways and driveways and be used to light up landscaping features like trees and gardens.

Home design trends tend to be fickle. But recognition of the current trends in exterior home design can set homes apart and turn properties into awe-inspiring places to enjoy the great outdoors.