Trinity Park and Hope Valley, Durham

[Air]

Originally Posted by callsnap

The barrier to entry for me was the condition of property in my price range. The homes simply needed much more work than my schedule, wallet or expertise would allow. I was elbow greased out of that market.

To you, and BCR, talking about ca. 1930s homes, I couldn't enter many because of mold/mildew -- my lungs were burning. Any tips about which styles, years of construction, neighbourhoods, etc, would be less of an issue? I've met people who just burn some incense and don't care, but we had asthma attacks and were sick for days after short visits. Do we have to go with newer construction?

[scorp200]

Originally Posted by callsnap

So, I settled on Trinity Park. I sought what BCR described.

I found it! I put an offer in for a poor man's castle. It is completely gutted and reno'ed, which will keep my "To Do List" short:
1) unpack
2) enjoy sun room
It's a lovely old neighborhood. I was pleased to find pockets of affordability.

Fabulous!! Congrats.

[callsnap]

Originally Posted by Air

To you, and BCR, talking about ca. 1930s homes, I couldn't enter many because of mold/mildew -- my lungs were burning. Any tips about which styles, years of construction, neighbourhoods, etc, would be less of an issue? I've met people who just burn some incense and don't care, but we had asthma attacks and were sick for days after short visits. Do we have to go with newer construction?

While house hunting I did see some small amounts of mold/mildew that could have been easily cut out. Unfortunately, it's not in the property disclosure for NC. There are states that require it. Mold Disclosure

As you are hypersensitive to mold, you won't unknowingly purchase a home where it's present. Unfortunately, you and your family fall ill for the sake of a quick look at a home! To avoid the hassle, try walking the outside first, looking for clear root causes of mold like damp crawl spaces, poor drainage, foundation/slab cracks etc. By focusing on the source, you can also make a healthy decision about a home that may even look and feel "okay" now, but could be a potential breeding ground for mold/mildew in the future.
Many of the root causes for mold should appear in the home inspection. You can always bring along a DIY mold kit if you're on the fence about a particular home. Though, your reaction is arguably more effective than any kit.

I can't say whether to stick primarily to new construction as those structures could develop the same issues that lead to mold. Also, I'm not sure whether any style (50's ranch vs 20's bungalow) is best. And now for the full disclaimer, I've only owned high-rise condos until this point and have no real experience with this issue.
BCR or others will have more insight.
Good Luck!

[Bull City Rising]

Might be worth looking at some of the sealed crawlspace systems. I've heard mixed messages on these from some folks. One school of thought is that older houses are meant to breathe and these capsulation systems do more harm than good. OTOH, they are claimed to do a great deal to reduce the impact of mildew and moisture.

We use a dehumidifier in the basement and that works OK.

I'd suggest talking with a good structural engineer or home inspector to get some advice on what to do if mold/mildew are problems for you. Good luck!