Craftsman Homes Near Dix Park: A Raleigh Home Style Guide

Caul Group Residential, brokered by eXp Realty

The biggest group of Craftsman homes near Dix Park is in Boylan Heights, the historic neighborhood on the park's north side, where the City of Raleigh says Craftsman bungalows fill the curving streets. Many of these homes sit in a local historic district, so changes to the outside of the house need city approval before work starts.

This guide covers what a Craftsman home looks like, how Boylan Heights was laid out, and the historic district rules to know whether you are selling, moving to Raleigh or buying. This is general information, not legal or tax advice.

What makes a home Craftsman?

The Craftsman style was popular in the early 1900s. Its most common house type is the bungalow. City of Raleigh historic district documents list these common features:

• One or one and a half stories, with a snug, low shape
• A front porch, often tucked under the main roof
• Porch posts made of wood, often tapered, set on brick piers
• Large dormers that add room upstairs
• Wood shingles in the gables and on dormers
• Triangle-shaped brackets under the roof edges
• Windows with three or more tall, thin panes in the top half
• A kitchen and dining room built into the main house, not in a back wing

Many Craftsman homes also show exposed rafter tails, the ends of the roof beams that stick out under the eaves.

Boylan Heights: the Craftsman neighborhood next to Dix Park

Boylan Heights is one of Raleigh's earliest planned suburbs. Lots went on sale in 1907, and homes went up through the late 1920s. The City of Raleigh lists its period of significance as 1907 to 1930.

According to the Raleigh Historic Development Commission's design guidelines, the neighborhood:

• Had the city's first curving street plan, shaped to fit the hills
• Is bordered on the south by Rocky Branch, the Dix Hill grounds and Western Boulevard
• Has service alleys behind most blocks, with garages and sheds along them
• Has front porches on almost every house
• Has lots that are often 30 to 50 feet wide and about 130 feet deep
• Has many driveways of gravel or concrete strips running beside the house

The guidelines call it "the suburb of the bungalow."

What you will see on different streets

• Boylan Avenue: the main curving street, with bigger homes and deeper front yards. Styles here include Queen Anne and Colonial Revival blends, Dutch Colonials, and Foursquares, some with Craftsman details.
• Side streets and edge streets: mostly bungalows, many in the Craftsman style, on smaller lots set closer to the street.

Boylan Heights is listed in the National Register of Historic Places (1985) and is also a local historic district (1984).

Dix Park's own historic district

The park grounds are their own National Register district, called Dix Hill (1990). The National Park Service lists its styles as Colonial Revival, Bungalow/Craftsman and Stick/Eastlake. These are former hospital and park buildings, not homes for sale.

Local historic district vs. National Register

These are two different things, and they have different rules.

Boylan Heights is both, but the city notes the boundaries can differ.

Is the home in a local historic district?

The City of Raleigh's COA page explains how to check in the city's iMAPS tool. Turn on the "Historic Properties" layer and the historic overlay district layers. Local historic properties show a brown dotted or diamond pattern.

If you plan changes: the Certificate of Appropriateness

In a Raleigh local historic district, any change to the outside of a home needs a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) before work starts. This is on top of any other city permits.

• Routine maintenance does not need a COA if nothing changes in design, materials or look (COA review list).
• Minor work is reviewed by city preservation staff.
• Major work, like additions or new buildings, goes to the RHDC COA Committee at its monthly meeting.

Common projects that may need review include new windows, porch changes, siding, roofs with a new material, fences, decks and additions. Read the design guidelines before you plan.

If you are selling a Craftsman home

• Gather your COA records. Buyers may ask whether past outside changes were approved.
• Gather repair records. Keep invoices for roof, porch, window and system work.
• Know what is original. Point out original windows, porch posts, trim and floors you have kept.
• Share the rules up front. Let buyers know if the home is in a local historic district, so they can plan.
• Tax credit records. If you used a historic tax credit, keep the paperwork for your tax pro.

If you are moving to Raleigh or buying

• Ask whether the home is in a local historic district, the National Register, both or neither.
• Read the RHDC design guidelines if you plan to change the outside.
• Budget for older-home items like windows, porches, wiring and plumbing. Ask your inspector what to check.
• Note that a buyer with a purchase contract can apply for a COA, according to the city.

Historic tax credits for homeowners

The NC State Historic Preservation Office runs a 15% state tax credit for fixing up an owner-occupied historic home. Key points:

• The home must be in the National Register, or count as a contributing building in a National Register district or in a certified local district in Raleigh, Goldsboro or Madison.
• Rehab work must be more than $10,000 within 24 months.
• Eligible costs are capped at $150,000, so the most credit is $22,500.
• You can use it once every five years.
• Work must meet federal rehab standards, and the state office reviews it.

Under state law (Article 3L), the program ends for costs on or after Jan. 1, 2030. Talk with a tax pro and the state office before you start.

Frequently asked questions

Where are the Craftsman homes near Dix Park?

The largest group is in Boylan Heights, on the north side of Dix Park. The City of Raleigh says Craftsman bungalows fill its curving streets.

What does a Craftsman bungalow look like?

It is usually one or one and a half stories with a front porch under the main roof, tapered wood porch posts on brick piers, wood shingles in the gables, roof brackets, and windows with tall, thin panes on top.

Is Boylan Heights a historic district?

Yes. It is a local historic district (1984) and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places (1985).

Do I need permission to change the outside of a historic home in Raleigh?

If the home is in a local historic district or is a Raleigh Historic Landmark, yes. You need a Certificate of Appropriateness before work starts. Routine repairs that do not change the look do not.

Does National Register listing limit what I can do to my home?

National Register listing alone does not require a city COA. The local historic district is what brings the COA rules.

How do I check if a home is in a local historic district?

Use the City of Raleigh's iMAPS tool and turn on the historic properties and historic overlay district layers.

Is there a tax credit for fixing up a historic home in NC?

Yes. NC offers a 15% state credit for qualified rehab of an owner-occupied historic home, up to $22,500. The program ends for costs on or after Jan. 1, 2030.

What should I gather before selling a historic Craftsman home?

Your COA approvals, repair invoices, any tax credit paperwork, and a list of original features you kept.

Selling or buying an older Raleigh home?

• Get a home value estimate

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