Most houses in the Fan went up in the first decades of the 1900s, shoulder to shoulder, on narrow lots with an alley out back. That age is the charm and the work. Here is what I look at before I let a client get attached.
The roof and the box gutters
Many Fan rowhouses have flat or low-slope roofs hidden behind a parapet, and some still have built-in box gutters at the cornice. Both are fine when maintained and expensive when ignored. Ask the seller for the roof's age and any invoices. On inspection, ask for photos from the roof itself, not just from the street.
The party walls
You share at least one wall with a neighbor. Look at the top of that wall in the attic or crawl space: is the firewall intact, and is there any staining where the two roofs meet? Water that gets in next door can end up in your bedroom.
The back of the house
Rear additions and sleeping porches were often closed in decades ago. Check whether the floor slopes where the original house ends, and whether the addition has its own foundation. Permit history from the city tells you who did what and when; I pull it for every house we write an offer on.
Windows, plaster and floors
Original wood windows can be restored, and many owners prefer that to replacing them. Plaster walls with hairline cracks are normal. Wide cracks that run diagonally from a door or window corner are worth a closer look. Heart pine floors are common and usually worth saving.
Mechanicals and the electric panel
Ask about the age of the heating and cooling system and the water heater. Older houses sometimes still carry knob-and-tube wiring in a wall or two; your inspector and insurer will both want to know. Radiator heat is common and well liked, but central air may be a retrofit with ducts in the attic.
Old and Historic District rules
Parts of the Fan sit inside a City Old and Historic District. Inside one, changes you can see from the street, such as windows, doors, porches and roofing, need approval first. That protects the block and also affects your renovation plans, so we check the address before you write an offer.
Parking and the alley
Most Fan houses have no driveway. Some have a rear parking pad off the alley, which is worth real money to many buyers. Street parking in some blocks needs a residential permit. Walk the block at night before you decide.
What it adds up to
None of this should scare you off. It should shape your offer: the inspection period, the repair requests, and the number you are comfortable with. Ask me for current figures on what similar houses on that block have sold for, and I will bring the permit history and comparable sales to the first showing.