100 years old house in Port Washington (for sale, new house, buying)

[lightottbeat]

Hello everyone,

I am hoping someone can help me decide if an 100 years old house is good to buy.

I am looking to buy in Port Washington, particularly in the area of manorheaven.

But the houses there are usually around 100 years old, even the newer ones are 50-60 years old.

I am living in an 120 years old house, which seems to me is about to fall apart. I am honestly not sure if an 100 years old house will last another 60-70 years without major renovations or complete rebuild.

Can someone please give me any suggestions, and pros and cons of an old house?

PS: I did some research and online articles usually say the older houses were built with better wood, thus should theoretically last forever. Is this true? If it is, which particular period of house is it and how can I find out if the house I am interested in was built with better wood?

Thank you.

[hotkarl]

It's like a car. For the most part if the home was taken care of and not neglected it should be just fine. Older homes were built when people GAF and had pride in their work. I love older homes.

[twingles]

Sure what hotkarl said is true. Has the house been maintained? Almost impossible say after 100 years. Get a good home inspector.

[nuts2uiam]

There "can be" two major problems in older homes. The electric and the plumbing, neither of which are cheap to repair. What service does the electric have and are the walls plaster? My sister lives in a home that is nearing 100 years old. She recently had a pipe burst and it was a costly repair. She maintained the house too. That said, I too love older homes. Just as Twingles suggested get a really good home inspector.

[LegalDiva]

Personally, I wouldnt buy it. Not only do you run the risk of dealing with old wood issues, insulation materials that are on the verge of rotting out, etc - but you also have to be aware of how supply lines are constructed/designed/installed.

One thing I learned about older homes is that the supply lines to the home from the street may have to be replaced/updated. Our former home was built in 1923 and the water pressure was terrible if you ran the dishwasher, washer at the same time (or took a shower while any of the 2 were running). We were told that the pipe connecting the water line to the house would have to be widened to a larger diameter to allow for increased water flow and that "it was a common issue for many of the older homes in the area". Just another extra expense we would have had to pay if we wanted to fix it.

[bg7]

I only look at older homes when house buying. Where I was born "old homes" were 200-300 yrs old or more. Homes built in the Edwardian period just before WW1 weren't really considered old. The wood will last for centuries if it doesn't get wet inside. (My grandparents had a 1500's house with original timbers). So you need to look for water damage - that's the enemy of an older wooden house. As you can see from this thread - many people prefer the older house. Its generally the same people who prefer mature shade trees and who avoid HOAs! The houses breathe and flex with the seasons, and the intangible value of a home that's been a home for a century or more - is something that those who value it can't really quantify in monetary terms. The brand new houses just seem utilitarian and soulless in comparison.


Having waffled on,.... I would still say that if you are feeling equivocal about it - why bother? There are plenty of newer and also new homes for sale all over the island. If you are iffy about it now your buyer's regret could be severe..

[twingles]

Legal diva makes a good point. The house I grew up in was built in 1933. When my parents renovated they discovered newspaper had been used as insulation for a enclosed porch. That's a bit of a fire hazard.

[sirtiger]

I love very old houses. They don't make them like they use to. I grew up in a very old historic house. Everything is rock solid. Sometimes it does take a special person to maintain them properly.


The newest houses they build today are generally garbage....too much cutting corners to make a buck.

[TEPLimey]

Really, the short answer is "it depends." A well-maintained 100-year-old property with good bones can be a beautiful, desirable, and stately home. A poorly maintained one is a misery and a money pit (even more than the average home).

My home is almost 100 years old, and when we moved in, we did significant renovation and updating to the mechanical systems in addition to aesthetic improvements done in a manner that largely preserved the structure's historical roots while bringing it both up to date and up to code. Now, I would be hard-pressed to trade it for any other place in town.

So, if the mechanicals are up to date or you have the willingness and money to do some updating (particularly if the necessary updating is reflected in the purchase price), then a 100-year-old home can be great. Indeed, although based off of admittedly anecdotal evidence, I believe a well-maintained and updated century-old property has a higher resale value than a property half its age, all other things being equal.

With regard to your comment about wood, I have to concur with stirger and bg7 - the structures were built rock-solid then because they didn't have the engineering prowess to use thinner materials/wood. When you see a home that has been there for a century without shifting, sinking, or rotting, you can be confident that whatever structural problems could happen would have likely already happened.