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My family and I are considering relocating to an area where most of the houses are rather old. I've always found old houses very charming, but I don't want to move into something that's going to cost me more in maintenance than it's worth just for the added charm.
We're only looking at houses that people currently live in, as to avoid having to spend thousands on repairs just to make the house livable. What else should we be thinking about though? None of the houses here are older than 10-15 years old, and the houses I'm looking at are 100+ years old, so I have no experience with this. I tried looking it up, but all of the tips I found were geared toward houses that haven't been lived in for decades (and as a result were likely in a serious state of disrepair), so they didn't really apply to my situation.
...the houses I'm looking at are 100+ years old... I have no experience with this.
Older homes should be bought by the people who can answer the sorts of questions you have.
Every aspect and system (let alone the cosmetic stuff) WILL present the owner with an opportunity to learn how to identify what was badly designed or built right from the start vs what was done by one of the previous owners or even (gasp!) contractors over the last century... then you get to figure out just how much "doing it right" will cost.
I'm willing to do the necessary research before buying a home. I just need to know what I should be looking for/taking into consideration. When I try and search, I find pages that say things like "the floors may be in very bad shape" and "it would be very risky to try and live in the house before doing some repair". Obviously, if someone is currently living it it, the condition of the house can't be that abysmal, but I figure that if older homes are so cheap even if they're livable and in a good area, there has to be something about them that warrants the low costs. I'm just waiting for someone to tell me that it's going to cost me thousands of dollars per month to keep it up.
Everybody has to start somewhere, and unfortunately a lot of the resources for first time old-home buyers don't help me much.
I love older homes too but I would never buy one without a thorough inspection by an old-homes (historic homes) inspector of all the systems (electric, plumbing, heating, cooling, venting), foundation, basement (old basements are often wet moldy basements), energy efficiency (insulation, windows, doors), roofing, mold factor, etc. I'd want to see some previous electric and gas bills to get an idea of what it costs to heat and cool the house. Efficient windows, sufficient insulation and energy efficient heating/cooling systems are biggies because without them, your energy bills are going to be very high. I'd also would want a report on drainage/grading on the exterior of the house.
Not everything inside and outside the house is going to be in perfect condition, but make sure that you are as aware as possible of the condiition of the house and that you can live with the imperfections - know what you are getting yourself into.
Cattknap gave some very good advice. We just bought a home that was built in 1900 and the home inspector did a very thorough job, which we appreciated. He showed us how the foundation would need some work in the future, gave detailed and specific advice about the age of the home, and what to watch for. I would strongly advise you to hire an expert in older homes, one that point out things that you need to know.
Secondly, I would think about the future and any repairs/remodels that you might wish to do. Often, it is very expensive to try and add on to an older home. So just another thought. Hope all goes well with you on your house hunt!
My family and I are considering relocating to an area where most of the houses are rather old. I've always found old houses very charming, but I don't want to move into something that's going to cost me more in maintenance than it's worth just for the added charm.
We're only looking at houses that people currently live in, as to avoid having to spend thousands on repairs just to make the house livable. What else should we be thinking about though? None of the houses here are older than 10-15 years old, and the houses I'm looking at are 100+ years old, so I have no experience with this. I tried looking it up, but all of the tips I found were geared toward houses that haven't been lived in for decades (and as a result were likely in a serious state of disrepair), so they didn't really apply to my situation.
Thanks.
Been there, done that.
If you're looking to buy a house that's 100+ years old, you need to know several things.
First, there will be nothing on the house that is square, plumb, level or straight. Period. That doesn't mean it's unlivable, but just realize that it affects a lot of things.
Second, you're apt to run into all sorts of "non-standard size" items - things like 31" doors that may also not be standard height. These are more expensive to replace, because they're all special order.
Third, you MUST check to see if plumbing and electrical is updated, and up to code. If not, you should probably pass on the house, because those two items can break the bank!
That said... I will personally NEVER live in a house that's not an "old house." They are built better than new ones, have FAR more charm, and will still be standing when most of these new houses are gone.
I'm currently searching as well and am mostly looking at older homes - largely due to housing stock in my area of focus and what I like stylistically. I've been learning what to look for as I go - both from experienced brokers and from a family member who has bought and sold several old homes. Some of the things I look for now are:
1) has the electric ever been updated? look for the circuit box and add up the breakers to see how many amps the house serves. Updates like high hats and/or central air usually are favorable, because it means they probably updated the electric in the process. In all the rooms look for where the outlets are - are they three or two pronged? Are there only 2-3 per room? Are there ceiling fixtures in each room? Swapping out outlets and adding new ones adds up when you have to do the whole house. In the kitchen and bathrooms there should always be at least one GFCI plug (the one that has a red reset button) - this is a safety feature to avoid electrocution around water.
2) check the windows - replacing old ones is quite pricey
3) Heating source - in my area, oil is common - and unfortunately below ground tanks are as well. big dollars to get out and a potential environmental hazard. Even above ground ones can be an issue. Ask about the age of the furnace/boiler.
4) In the basement, check for things like a sump pump or french drain - these are good.
5) In the basement, look to see if there's signs of asbestos on pipes.
6) Termite damage can be a problem in older houses - my broker once pointed old damage to me. If the house has a termite system (like terminix - you'll see round discs outside in the ground around the house) that's a good sign that the owner is being proactive. But you'll probably want to have the company come on the day of inspection to give a report.
7) not the house, but old properties usually have mature trees - so you want to take a look at what's around the house. Ask when the owners last had them pruned/evaluated. And pay an arborist to take a look during the inspection - removing branches and or trees can really add up.
8) look for closet and storage space. People didn't have as much stuff back when they were built, so oftentimes older houses don't have closets where you may typically want them now (like a coat closet as you walk in the door, or a decent linen closet near the bathroom).
Those are just a few off the top of my head. Of course absolutely none of the above replaces an inspector's report - they are going to look at things you have no way of finding visually. But if you view enough places, you'll start to get an eye for it and at least can give yourself a very hazy indication of what's in store (or what places are simply not worth bidding on).
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