Share your opinion: Would you buy an Older house or a Newer House? (prices, expensive)

[hsw]

Location, location, location

Most desirable suburbs of even "new" cities like Houston have run out of buildable land, so usually a game of buying a used house that sits on desirable land, tearing it down, and hiring a well-regarded architect and builder to construct a bespoke, latest-tech house of size, features, layout that makes sense vs one's lifestyle

Obviously, would go to all this effort only if intend to live in house for next 10-20+ yrs; if not, renting something might be smarter anyway

Often cheaper and more effective to start w/a clean sheet of paper than to try to gut and renovate an existing house; many technologies of structural engineering, HVAC, insulation, wiring, windows, etc etc were rather primitive even 10-15yrs ago....think about how much more advanced are today's cars or smartphones than stuff from 10yrs ago...lots of chips and software affecting even more "mechanical" structures like houses

[modster]

Originally Posted by Sampaguita

I grew up in a card-board, cookie-cutter house in NY built around '74. The funny thing is that it was built in an established neighborhood on the neighborhood's only empty lot. It was the only circa-1970s cookie-cutter house built in a neighborhood of post-war houses. Most of the houses were 1 and 2 stories with about 1500-1800sf. Ours must have seemed a monstrosity at 2600sf. While I was just a child back then, looking back, I wonder if the the build caused an uproar. We became very close to our neighbors though so maybe it never came up.

One of the things about that house is that it had one of those awful circa 70s paneled family rooms. So when I think "paneling" that is what comes to mind. However, the house we're currently in, built in 78, has some gorgeous custom paneling in the living room. It's not really "my" look but it is quite nice (although it makes the room dark):



Glad to hear that Houston is working on its first post-war historic district. Would that alleviate some of the property taxes for homeowners in that historic district and increase property values? In historic districts in San Diego, the Mills Act provides for a 30-70% reduction in property taxes if houses are within certain historical districts. The designation also increases property values.

Paneling is just one example I guess. Maybe an oversimplification. In newer areas you can go from house to house and see the same cabinetry and finishes. One of the things I like about my older area is how every interior is different, you just don't see the same stuff over and over.

[padcrasher]

I live in DFW..what a great house and you can see all that Houston lush green outside. Nice!

[LizzySWW]

I like houses from the 60's & 70's over todays new homes. Older homes often have better locations to town and most people have updated them so they are all very different from each other. Plus the trees are mature!

[Raine Carraway]

I don't care for a lot of the 60s-80s homes, but I would love a late 1800s-early 1920s style farmhouse or 30s or 40s bungalow, provided there were decent size closets and bathrooms, or space to remodel and add a nice master bath and walk-in closet.

[gentlearts]

I love the charm and character of an older house, but I cannot go back to living in little closed off rooms, no garage, teeny kitchens, one bathroom, laundry in the basement, and nearly nonexistant closets. I think I might even have nightmares tonight. I've lived like that in my younger days, but now I don't want anything that's more than 5 minutes old.
IF I were rich enough, which I'm not, I COULD make allowances for a spotlessly maintained HUGE old house.

[BigDGeek]

I prefer older homes, 1950s and before. Once they started building houses on slabs they started to get crappy.

I realize that these older homes are not as energy efficient as their new counterparts but I think overall they are often of a higher build quality than new tract homes. You can also make older houses more energy efficient by insulating them, replacing windows, etc. I am betting my 1957 ranch has no insulation in the interior walls and probably none in the garage. I have no plans to tear out the walls in any of the rooms but if I ever did, I would be sure to insulate the room before putting new sheet rock up. I will be tearing the garage back to the studs so it will be well-insulated. I will not be replacing all the windows at once but I will be checking them to see which ones need to go first. There are only 2 windows on the west side of the house so they will probably be replaced almost immediately. The ceiling fan in the kitchen on the west side of the house screams out "this room gets hot."

To me older homes and older neighborhoods have a completely different personality than the almost 100% white suburban tract developments. I like the variety and diversity of older neighborhoods, you get more people at different phases of life, ie they are not all young families. I love the trees and I love the personalities that these older neighborhoods have had the opportunity to develop in the absence of overbearing HOAs.

It all comes down to personal preferences!

[gold*dust1]

Originally Posted by woodsdelo

Please share your opinion on this subject. By older, I mean late 70s, 80s to late 90's. By new I mean late 90's till date. Thank you.

Bought brand new. Most of the 70's 80's and 90's are already dated around here, in one way or another.

[formercalifornian]

It's all about the location for me, and that's always meant an older house in an established suburb.

Right now, we are living in a house that was built in the 70's after two years of renting a new house in the exurbs after a cross-country move. I much prefer our current neighborhood. It's close to work & shopping, the landscaping is mature and well tended, the school district is top-notch, and the community is welcoming, but also close-knit. We often refer to our neighborhood as a vortex: once you move here, it's nearly impossible to leave. I know half-a-dozen or so people who boomeranged right back in once they married and had kids of their own, and it's not unusual to find people who've owned several houses in this one-mile square neighborhood over the course of their lives: a condo from their single years, a move-up house to hold a growing family, and then a smaller house or condo for the empty-nest era.

Yes, we've spent a chunk of money fixing things up, and we've spent a lot of weekends up to our elbows in yard work. Thirty-five years can be hard on a house! And, we live with two small bathrooms and a small kitchen, which has been an adjustment after a couple of years of living in a house with a disgustingly enormous kitchen/great room. Overall, though, this house and over-grown yard is enough, and we're finding a great deal of satisfaction in bringing it back to life after several years of neglect.

This neighborhood has a soul, unlike the barren wasteland of exurbia where we previously rented, and they'll probably carry me out of here in a pine box.

[TouchOfWhimsy]

I prefer smaller, older homes to sprawling, newer homes. Our first house was a four-square colonial built in 1801 (and obviously updated). I loved, loved, loved that house. I also love fixer-uppers... they have so much potential!