Ralph Oliver fell in love with Union Hill's quirky streets and its Georgetown-like feel. He bought an abandoned cottage that had been cobbled together in the 1930s with the remains of other properties.

The house hadn't been lived in for 10 years. It took two weeks to clear vegetation growing on the first floor.

Oliver could have saved 45 cents on every dollar he invested in the property on federal and state taxes -- if he had applied for historic tax credits.

But he wanted to get the job done. He said he didn't want to be bothered with the paperwork, deadlines and restrictions, even though his house qualified.

"I didn't want to bite off more than I could chew."

Buildings eligible for tax credits must be listed in the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register or be certified as contributing structures to a historic district.

The credits are administered through the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. For each project, the department applies the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation -- a detailed guideline of what can and can't be done.

While historic tax credits are available to everyone, mostly large commercial projects have benefited from them.

The Alliance to Conserve Old Richmond Neighborhoods, an advocacy group, is offering a consulting service to encourage more people to take the challenge.

"Often even those familiar with the historic rehabilitation tax credit program don't take advantage of it, because the application process can be lengthy and involved," said Jennie Dotts, spokeswoman for ACORN.

"ACORN would like to see for more individuals -- especially average homeowners -- take advantage of the program and spur additional renovations throughout Richmond," she said.

Oliver said the process was daunting. "It's doable. You just have to be a little brave."

His next project was the home of late philanthropist Thomas Cannon at 725 N. 22nd St.

Cannon, who died last year, moved out of the 19th-century home about five years ago. The house qualified for historic tax credits. But, again, Oliver was hesitant to tackle the process alone.

"I don't speak 'preservation,' he said.

He turned to ACORN. David Herring, director of properties and programs, worked with Oliver from beginning to end.

The consulting fee for a single-family home was $1,500. "It seemed a little steep," Oliver said.

For someone who would rather deal with rampant indoor vegetation than copious paperwork, he signed up.

Herring prepared paperwork and interpreted requirements. He was the mediator when Oliver wanted to pull down plaster to do electrical wiring. Tearing down plaster violated guidelines, so a compromise was worked out.

As the project nears completion, Oliver said the fee was worth every penny. He gets to write off $18,000 on his income taxes.

ACORN helps bring another urban ghost back to life.

About 1,700 buildings have been rehabilitated in Virginia since the federal credit was introduced in 1976.

Richmond is No. 4 in the nation for the number of proposed projects, said Kyle Meyer, tax act specialist with the Department of Historic Resources.