How do you think about the old house? (Cambridge, Waltham: maintenance, house hunting)

[kale]

Hi everyone,

My husband and I are looking for houses near Cambridge, like in Arlington, Waltham. Lexington, we always thought we would buy something that is not too old, let's say, ~ 20 years. But we just find this one home built in 1937, great location, very good layout, it meets all our requirements. We liked it…. BUT, it is just MUCH older than we wanted. We are first time buyers, have very little experience with the house, and now are very tired with house hunting....

So how do you think about old houses? Are we going to have a lot of troubles? I know many houses are old in MA, is it possible to find young housed in the town we are looking? I am just extremely nervous now, any input will be helpful!!

Thanks!

[baystater]

Originally Posted by kale

Hi everyone,

My husband and I are looking for houses near Cambridge, like in Arlington, Waltham. Lexington, we always thought we would buy something that is not too old, let's say, ~ 20 years. But we just find this one home built in 1937, great location, very good layout, it meets all our requirements. We liked it…. BUT, it is just MUCH older than we wanted. We are first time buyers, have very little experience with the house, and now are very tired with house hunting....

So how do you think about old houses? Are we going to have a lot of troubles? I know many houses are old in MA, is it possible to find young housed in the town we are looking? I am just extremely nervous now, any input will be helpful!!

Thanks!

Here's a question how much has the house been retrofitted. Like the addition on central air, better insulation, modern electrical and plumbing Etc. It can get expensive to add those things to and old house. BUT I have to say when they build those houses back in the day. They build them solid and strong for the long haul. You just don't get that with the MCcrapboxes they build today. Also a lot of the older houses have a lot more charm that the more modern homes. So if you think that is a reason why you like the house I would seriously consider the home.

[smarty]

There are people who love them and people who hate them. You have to know what kind of people you are. Can you accept constant up keeping and fixing? Are you handy? or Is your lifestyle so busy you don't want to bother?

There are plenty of new houses. You just have to pay premium for them and they usually are not in a location you want. There is no perfect house. The question is if you can live with imperfection.

[CaseyB]

I love old houses myself. That's what you're going to find in the areas that you are looking in. The pre-war construction is generally far superior to anything built in the last 20 years. I assume that you will be getting the house inspected, but also ask to see the previous year's heating bill.

[katzenfreund]

I would never buy a new house myself. We did that once and it was nightmare. The place was more trouble in 2 years than the old houses we owned afterwards. Within the first 18 months the skylight started leaking, the roof was leaking, there was a fungus growing in the crawl space, it was awful. Also the old houses were built with better materials IMO, I don't want a house built out of particleboard/ or chipboard or whatever it is they use now. Thanks, but no thanks. I will take an old house any day, if it is in good condition.
Good luck to you!

[scarletfire]

Hi Kale,

I wouldn't rule out a house because of that age as long as it's been kept up well. The question is: Are you choosing the house because you fell in love with it despite its age, or because you're tired of house hunting? If it's the former, I'd recommend asking your buyer's agent to give you the name of a diligent home inspector with experience vetting older homes and also inquire as to the age of major items in the home: roof, shingles, furnace, water heater, electrical, windows, etc.

Our first house was built in 1900. We fell in love with the charm and character of the home. Fortunately the previous owner had really kept up with the house so we didn't have a lot to worry about. The only thing I found frustrating was that it was drafty on the first floor because the windows were older. I definately wouldn't rule out older homes in this area, particularly given the high housing costs and that there are wonderful older homes with lots of charm that have been well cared for.

Anyhow, that's just my two cents! :-)

[Valerie C]

Congratulations on being first time home buyers. You should be in an excellent negotiating position since you don't have a home to sell. Your Buyer's Agent should be advising you on pro's and con's of old vs. new, especially with various systems updating on each home you look at.

Don't be afraid to buy an home based on age. The price of construction materials have gone through the roof, but way back when, they built things to last. Newer construction will usually have roof/exterior walls/sub-floors made of particle board!! Guess what happens to particle board when it gets wet--it falls APART. Not exactly what you want within the walls of your home. (this is part of the reason new homes tend to grow mold). Please don't make a bad decision because you're sick of house hunting.

[badluck]

Look at this way...it's still standing after seventy years so whoever built it knew what he was doing. On a side note, where did you emigrate from?

[findingmesomeday]

I much prefer older homes to new--better construction, more charm, a more mature lot (older trees) and usually conveniently located. I agree with what other posters said re: upgrading. It's nicest when you buy an old house where the previous owners have gone through the grief of rewiring, upgrading plumbing, bathrooms, kitchen, etc. Then again if you do it yourself, you get to pick out exactly the countertops and fixtures you want.

I'm also in the "never buy a new home" camp. But with antiques there is a limited resale market too. Keep that in mind if you are thinking of selling soon. There's one on the market in my town--it's about 250 years old and it's been on the market for almost 3 years now. The owners are asking way too much money but that's another story entirely. There just aren't that many people out there willing to take on the problems of a 300 year old house.

[capecodcathy]

Don't rule the older home out! Most have really good bones. How much updating will you have to do?
Also, you do not want to buy any house without a home inspection at which you are present. A good home inspector will test the electrical, plumbing, heat, etc. He'll also give you good tips on maintenance.
They generally take about three hours and are a good investment, no matter how old the house is. The inspection won't tell you everything (they can't inspect what they can't see) but it will give you a good idea of the overall condition of the house.