The Arizona Republic had an interesting article today about increased interest in mid-century homes, a gentle way of saying the homes are 40 to 50 years old. There's a certain cache with the homes discussed, primarily a link to the Valley's great architects. But it's still remarkable in that the Phoenix area really doesn't do old.

Much of what you see when you visit the Valley has been developed over the past 30 years, when the first wave of Californians first crossed the Colorado River and invaded the state. There are pockets of older homes and buildings, but our definition of old here is far different than what would qualify as old on the Eastern seaboard.

Having sold a 1950s-built home about a year ago, there is a very particular buyer for this type of property. The feedback we received was almost universal: love the brick construction, love the floorplan, love the oversized lot ... but those bedrooms. The master bedroom was about 13 foot by 11 foot, one secondary bedroom was 10 by 10 and the last was around 9 by 9, small by any standard. The master bathroom was functional, as bathrooms largely were until the last 15 to 20 years, not the open rambling fortresses of solitude you find now.

Still, when you live in an area where most homes in most subdivisions look remarkably alike, it is nice to know there are some options available.

(c) Jonathan Dalton, 2006 / Jonathan Daltons Arizona Homes