The other option

We love the 1928 Tudor down the street too.

If you're shopping Willo you're comparing us to it, so let's do that honestly. Same address, same palms, same Home Tour. Here's what's actually different, and where the old house wins.

The Bower Willo

New, finished, inside the district

A typical Willo resale

1920s–1950s, updated over time

Address

Inside the Willo Historic District, 85003

Roof

New. Warranted.

Often 15–25 years old; a replacement runs $25–60k

Electrical

New 200-amp service, wired for EV and solar

Frequently partial updates; knob-and-tube or cloth wiring still found; panels may be undersized

Plumbing

New PEX / copper, tankless or high-efficiency water heater

Galvanized or cast-iron lines common; sewer line to the street is the classic surprise

Cooling in a 115° July

New high-efficiency HVAC, sealed ducts, modern insulation

Retrofit ducts in a 1928 attic; higher bills, hot rooms

Garage

Two-car, attached (Rooftop) or alley-loaded (Heritage)

One-car detached or carport; often converted to a casita

Bathrooms

2.5 (Heritage) or 3.5 (Rooftop)

Usually 1–2; adding one means opening walls

Layout

Open great room, primary suite, walk-in closets, laundry room

Small rooms, small closets, laundry in the garage or a hall closet

Outdoor

Porch + yard (Heritage) or sky deck with skyline (Rooftop); gated paseo, bocce, dog park

Bigger lots; mature trees; sometimes a pool

Character

New build designed to the district's vocabulary

Ninety years of it, and details you can't buy new

Historic review

Exterior changes reviewed like any Willo home; interior is yours

Same, plus every repair to original elements

Insurance

New-construction rates

Older-home surcharges; some carriers decline pre-1950 wiring

First five years of ownership

Warranty period; budget for furniture

Budget $30–80k for the systems above, in a typical case

Closing

Finished and ready; as little as 30 days

Inspection contingencies, repairs, negotiation

Shaded = the advantage. Resale figures are typical for the district, not a specific listing; get an inspection on any home you love.

Where the old house wins

· A story nobody else has, and 90 years of patina
· Often a bigger lot, sometimes a pool
· Original details: arched doorways, plaster, casement windows
· The Home Tour committee knows your house by name

Where The Bower wins

· Nothing to fix for a decade; warranty on what's left
· Two-car garage, closets, laundry room, 2.5–3.5 baths
· Insurance, utility and maintenance costs a fraction of a 1928 home
· A roof deck with the skyline, which no historic house can add
· Gated, with neighbors you'll actually meet on the paseo

Do both

Tour a Bower model, then walk two blocks and look at what's listed. Same afternoon.

Book the afternoon