If You Lived Here
"It's a starter house, but really it's a forever home."
Clip: Season 3 Episode 12 | 6m 45sVideo has Closed Captions
Christine and John visit a historic 2-bedroom, 1.5 bath home built in the 1790s.
Christine and John visit Leesburg, Virginia's Gibson House, a historic 2-bedroom, 1.5 bath home that was built in 1790s and belonged to the prominent Gibson family. The cozy historic home features heart pine floors, exposed beams, and more historic charm alongside modern appliances and luxury finishes. Realtor Vicky Noufal sums is up best, "It's a starter house, but really it's a forever home."
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If You Lived Here is a local public television program presented by WETA
If You Lived Here
"It's a starter house, but really it's a forever home."
Clip: Season 3 Episode 12 | 6m 45sVideo has Closed Captions
Christine and John visit Leesburg, Virginia's Gibson House, a historic 2-bedroom, 1.5 bath home that was built in 1790s and belonged to the prominent Gibson family. The cozy historic home features heart pine floors, exposed beams, and more historic charm alongside modern appliances and luxury finishes. Realtor Vicky Noufal sums is up best, "It's a starter house, but really it's a forever home."
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship(doorbell rings) ♪ ♪ Welcome to house number one.
I'm so excited to show you the old Gibson house, built in the 1790s and has been completely restored.
There's gorgeous heart pine floors, exposed beams, luxury finishes.
You're gonna love it.
JOHN: If it's any indication, this outdoor area is so lush and beautiful, and then just the profile of this house.
CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.
VICKY: It's like a fairytale.
CHRISTINE: Well, you had me at heart pine, okay.
JOHN: Wow, she's raring to go.
I better catch up, I'll see you afterwards.
VICKY: I'll see you when you're done.
JOHN: Wait for me.
CHRISTINE: Okay, all I have to say is the heart of pine does not disappoint.
From the floors to the walls to the trim.
I might have to sit down.
JOHN: Okay.
CHRISTINE: It's overwhelming.
JOHN: Breathe deep there, kid.
CHRISTINE: Can we talk about this great chestnut?
It is beautiful.
JOHN: Yeah.
CHRISTINE: And look at the character that it adds.
JOHN: What do you call the area between the wood?
CHRISTINE: That's chinking, and if you've ever seen that process, it's really skilled and it takes a long time.
And this is done so beautifully.
And how can we not talk about this fireplace?
JOHN: 1790s feel, but then I see nice, new windows... CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.
JOHN: That, you know, really blend in nicely.
CHRISTINE: Oh, yes.
This is so me.
JOHN: I love it, too.
But this is so you.
CHRISTINE: I know.
And there's more to see yet.
JOHN: Okay.
CHRISTINE: Okay.
JOHN: Let's go check it out.
Alrighty, Tina.
Dining room.
CHRISTINE: This is more of a modern feel.
JOHN: Mm-hmm.
CHRISTINE: But what's grabbing me is this beautiful view out the French doors.
JOHN: Yes.
CHRISTINE: That really is the showcase for the room.
All right, let's check out this room over here.
JOHN: All right.
CHRISTINE: Oh.
JOHN: I love this door.
CHRISTINE: Dutch door.
So, this is a great space.
If you don't want somebody coming through the front door... JOHN: Mm-hmm.
CHRISTINE: It's a great side area.
JOHN: Sure is.
CHRISTINE: So... Oh, they squeezed a half bath in there.
JOHN: You know what I would squeeze in here?
A porch off the back of here... CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.
JOHN: Overlooking that field would be very nice.
CHRISTINE: Oh, that would be lovely.
JOHN: Yeah.
CHRISTINE: All right.
JOHN: An extension of this room.
CHRISTINE: Cool.
Let's go check out the kitchen.
JOHN: Oh, hey, hey, hey.
This is not your great grandfather's log cabin kitchen, is it?
CHRISTINE: Oh my gosh, okay.
The two tone cabinets, you've got blue on the bottom, pine on the top.
JOHN: Yeah.
CHRISTINE: Which blends so beautifully in this kitchen.
JOHN: And you have all these great appliances.
You have a planking stove top, they've got a wine fridge made by Sub-Zero, and a Sub-Zero fridge.
CHRISTINE: You know how I know this kitchen was made for me?
JOHN: How's that?
CHRISTINE: Look at this gorgeous farm sink.
You know I love a farm sink, but this one is particularly lovely.
JOHN: This fits you.
This... CHRISTINE: My kitchen.
JOHN: This should be your house.
CHRISTINE: I didn't think I'd ever say that.
It's my kitchen.
JOHN: Well, let's go see your bedrooms.
CHRISTINE: Ah, you know, look at the character that this pine gives this space.
JOHN: Mm-hmm.
CHRISTINE: You know, from the stairs to the tongue and groove paneling.
JOHN: Before we go upstairs, I'm noticing these beams that lead into another room.
CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.
JOHN: Wanna check it out?
CHRISTINE: Yes, I do.
JOHN: Yeah, look at these for an entrance.
CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.
JOHN: So this room has a lot of character just like the living room.
CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.
The shrubbery surrounding the windows... JOHN: Mm-hmm.
CHRISTINE: It does create a very different mood in this room.
JOHN: It does.
It does.
CHRISTINE: All right now we go upstairs.
JOHN: Bonus.
CHRISTINE: Okay.
So, shall we go to the right?
JOHN: Yep.
CHRISTINE: Oh.
JOHN: All right.
Nice bedroom.
CHRISTINE: Look at the light!
JOHN: Yeah, this is the room your kids study in.
CHRISTINE: Exactly.
JOHN: Keep 'em alert.
CHRISTINE: Look at the ceiling detail.
JOHN: Nice rafters, yeah.
CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.
It really just has a cottage feel up here.
JOHN: It's part of the charm.
CHRISTINE: It is.
JOHN: All right.
CHRISTINE: All right, so let's go across the way.
I would say this is the primary because it is a little bigger than the last one.
JOHN: Mm-hmm.
CHRISTINE: We have the same details in the ceiling... JOHN: Yep.
CHRISTINE: And I'm noticing the difference in the windows, because you have the two smaller windows... JOHN: Yep.
CHRISTINE: Which always remind me of a cottage in the woods.
Okay.
JOHN: And it's quiet in here, too.
CHRISTINE: It is very quiet.
JOHN: Perfect bedroom.
CHRISTINE: Ah-ha.
JOHN: Okay, one more room to go.
CHRISTINE: One more.
JOHN: And, I think I know what that is.
CHRISTINE: Oh, wow.
JOHN: The bathroom.
CHRISTINE: Double vanities, soaking tub, and a huge shower.
JOHN: Yep, with lots of different tiles and marbles.
Looks really nice.
CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.
JOHN: You know, the Gibsons probably never envisioned something like this in their house.
CHRISTINE: No, I don't think they would have, would they?
JOHN: Mm-hmm, no.
CHRISTINE: They probably never envisioned a bathroom in the house.
JOHN: Exactly.
(laughter) And they didn't envision this.
A washer and dryer.
CHRISTINE: Hey, that's convenient.
So we've seen the entire home.
JOHN: Yep.
And now it's time to guess the price.
Let's go find out.
CHRISTINE: Okay.
Hey.
VICKY: Hey, so how did it go?
What'd you guys think?
JOHN: What a starter house!
VICKY: Amazing, right?
CHRISTINE: Oh, my gosh.
Let's just say, I would be happy to start here any time.
VICKY: What were some of your favorite things about it?
CHRISTINE: Oh, gosh.
The minute you walked in, you could just feel the history.
JOHN: And that living room was so wonderful.
It's a mix of classic cabin, but then with, you know, very modern rooms too.
CHRISTINE: Oh, right.
When you walk into that dining room, you see the view outside the windows, and then you walk into that kitchen.
You know, between the restoration, the renovation.
JOHN: It was meticulous.
VICKY: Wow.
CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.
JOHN: And then the den was also yet another great room.
I mean, we, we noticed how some rooms were sun-filled... VICKY: Yes.
JOHN: And others were cozy and yeah, mm-hmm.
CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.
VICKY: Cozy, like you could grab a book and a blanket.
CHRISTINE: Oh, exactly.
VICKY: Yeah.
Now what'd you think of the upstairs?
JOHN: Two great bedrooms.
CHRISTINE: Right, right.
JOHN: Not what you'd expect, especially with the ceiling height.
CHRISTINE: Well, and I think the bathroom especially, because knowing that this is an older home, trying to fit that size of a bathroom... And I say bathroom, it's a spa-like bathroom.
VICKY: It's a spa bathroom.
JOHN: We said the Gibson's would have been wowed by that.
VICKY: Aw, I love that.
(laughter) Something to note about this house is the incredible amount of attention to the landscaping.
JOHN: Mm-hmm.
VICKY: You have the mature trees... JOHN: Mm-hmm.
VICKY: You notice the beautiful pond back there and, uh, just all the details all around.
JOHN: I can't believe this is the starter house.
CHRISTINE: Mm-hmm.
VICKY: Yes.
So you have two bedrooms, and one and a half bath.
It's a little bit over 1500 square feet.
Built in the 1790s... JOHN: Mm-hmm.
VICKY: And about an acre and a third.
And it's a leveled yard, so it's great and very usable.
So what do you think it's worth?
CHRISTINE: This is really hard, 'cause this is the first time we've been in an area further out.
VICKY: Yeah.
CHRISTINE: So I'm gonna say $710,000.
VICKY: Okay.
That's a great guess.
CHRISTINE: Okay.
Okay.
VICKY: What about you?
JOHN: I'm just gonna go with 675.
VICKY: Okay, well the actual list price is $759,000.
CHRISTINE: Yes.
JOHN: Wow.
VICKY: Yay.
JOHN: Wow.
CHRISTINE: See?
JOHN: That's some starter house.
VICKY: It's a starter house, but really it's a forever home.
JOHN: That was a fantastic first home.
What's up for number two?
VICKY: I can't wait to show you number two.
It will be totally different.
JOHN: Okay.
CHRISTINE: Okay.
VICKY: So, let's go.
JOHN: Let's go.
CHRISTINE: All right.
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If You Lived Here is a local public television program presented by WETA