MARKETING THE HISTORIC HOME

Real Estate Seminar In Sussex County A Success!

For the second year, Preservation Delaware, in collaboration with the Center for Historic Architecture and Design at the University of Delaware and the Delaware State Historic Preservation Office, presented a continuing education course to educate Realtors® and real estate agents about historic architecture in Delaware. Modeled after two classes held in spring 2000, this class introduced southern Delaware’s real estate community to the unique qualities of historic properties to make it possible for them to effectively integrate preservation ideals into their sales and marketing efforts. On May 31st, twenty-eight real estate professionals from the Sussex County Association of Realtors took part in the three-hour course, which is accredited by the State Division of Professional Regulation and offers required continuing education credits. The course included an introduction to architectural styles, preservation incentives, and the National Register of Historic Places.

Three Delaware preservationists served as course instructors, sharing with the class their expertise in and enthusiasm for historic preservation. Mary Jane Elliott, former president of Preservation Delaware, advisor to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and real estate agent, introduced participants to the historic home real estate market with a slide presentation that introduced historic architectural styles and vocabulary. Elliott also discussed the preservation incentives that are available to owners of historic buildings, namely the State Historic Tax Credit and the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Credit. Robin Bodo, National Register of Historic Places Coordinator for Delaware, presented a talk about the historic designation, with a specific focus on the National Register of Historic Places. Sussex County Preservation Planner, Brian Page, concluded the class with an overview of Sussex County’s historic architecture. The course instruction was supplemented with a Historic Home Handbook that includes a variety of resources for identifying, marketing, and maintaining historic properties.

In addition to providing real estate agents with the opportunity for earning continuing education credit with new and interesting course material, the course supplied valuable information to those who are "in the trenches" with historic buildings and thus have a tremendous impact on the future of Delaware’s historic resources. Courses like this one are an important method for educating real estate agents about the First State’s architectural heritage and instilling in them (and by extension, in their clients) an appreciation for and understanding of historic preservation.

For more information about the continuing education program for real estate agents, please contact (302) 651-9617 ext. 11