For Roy Pachecano, his 130-year-old house called the Albert Steves House is more than just a roof over his head, it's a time capsule. To the San Antonio native, every house has a story, and he's honored to be a part of his home's legacy.

Older homes that sit in historic districts or have historic designations are becoming a popular alternative to prospective homebuyers looking for something other than the cookie-cutter homes of suburbia. Older houses are well built and have unique designs and layouts that appeal to buyers looking for a historic allure, said Debra Maltz, a local real estate agent.

“If someone is of that ilk that wants an older home, a historic designation tells them that it's going to be preserved,” she said.

Research into Pachecano's historically designated home reveals it was built by Alfred Giles, a well-known 19th century architect, and once belonged to a former San Antonio mayor. It has a library where the ideas were first hatched for the city's zoo and Brackenridge Park, Pachecano said. He not only feels privileged to live in the 5,000-square-foot house, but he feels a responsibility to preserve its history.

“When you move into a house like this, you're never really owners of it. You're sort of stewards passing through,” he said. Owning a historic house is a continual effort. But if you're up for it there are rewards. They are that you're maintaining a part of history and part of a continuum in time.”

San Antonio has 27 historic districts and there are 112 buildings that are Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks, a designation the state grants to worthy structures older than 50 years. Homes with historic designations or in historic districts must adhere to strict guidelines that require owners to maintain the integrity of the structure.

Historic designations can be sought through the city's Office of Historic Preservation or through the Texas Historical Commission, which grants state and federal designations.

Owners seeking historic designation for a home can be eligible for tax abatements, tax freezes and other incentives. In San Antonio, historic homes that are substantially rehabilitated are eligible for incentives such as a tax freeze for up to 10 years, and homes within a new historic district can receive a 20 percent tax exemption for up to 10 years, according to the Office of Historic Preservation's website.

While a subset of people might be drawn to buy older homes, finding one that has a historic designation might be difficult since many times, the houses stay in the family, said Patti Nelson, an agent with the Phyllis Browning Co.

Still, when homes hit the market, the historic designation adds a value to the house in more than one way. The architecture and layout of a historic home are charming pluses that make a house unique. Plus, there's an emotional tie to a house's story if the tale is compelling enough, and those historic tidbits could increase a home's value, Nelson said.

“It's going to add value to the house but it's not for everyone,” Nelson said. “For some people it's something really important to them. They want to preserve history and be a part of it.”

Currently, Nelson has one historically designated home listed. The owners claim was a summer retreat for Walt Disney and the inspiration behind the wood cabins featured in the movie “Old Yeller.”

The 6,000-square-foot Vogt-Clegg Log House in Boerne, which was built in the 1860s, has much of the old feel of a frontier home with a wood and stone façade. The four-bedroom, 3½-bath residence sits on more than 4 acres and boasts extras such as a pool, game room, and a three-bedroom caretaker's house and is priced at $1.5 million.

Originally built as a one-bedroom log cabin, the house was expanded and remodeled over the years. The last project was a full restoration in 2005.

In San Antonio's King William Historic District, John Whitehead is looking to move on from his nearly 5,000-square-foot home, which the state designated as historic 2006. He's selling the four-bedroom, 4½-bath house to move to East Texas where he hopes to find another historic gem, he said. The house, which is known as the Oscar and Rachel Berman House, was built in 1906 and features a neoclassical design with corinthian columns, three living areas, game room and a maids quarters. It's priced at $960,000.

Whitehead points to the house's close proximity to the San Antonio River and downtown as main reasons why he chose to live there, but he added that the home's history also played a role.

“Understanding the history behind the house was a good added feature,” Whitehead said. “It adds to its appeal.”

The process of restoring and rehabbing a historic home is time intensive, said Pachecano. When his company purchased the Nix House in King William to rehabilitate, it took him two years to research the home's history and have the state approve his application. But for him it was worth it.

He also reminds people that not everything in the home's history will be good news. When he researched the history of the Albert Steves House, he found out that part of the house collapsed in 1900. Although it might be a black mark on the home's history, he said it helped to know that information in case there are ever any problems with the structure.

“You're learning about your building, but it might not be the best news,” he said. “The reality is that nothing is perfect, but it's worth saving.”