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Old 03-22-2014, 08:16 AM
 
1,341 posts, read 4,899,370 times
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How far back can you safely go on houses in terms of age to safely reap the benefits of energy efficiency items/insulation? Also, what concerns would there be in purchasing (if any) a home over 10 years. There are some very nice homes in the hot spots right now. We were thinking 5 years is a safe bet. Thoughts.

For resale value, there are some beautiful homes even 15 years old...wouldn't that hinder us if we sell in 10 years and that home is 25 years? Versus purchasing something more recent 0-5 years, old and selling a 10-15 year old home?

We purchased our first home and it was only 5 years old, but of course at about the 10 year mark, things start to "go".

When did things really start booming here in Collin county with regards to the builders building these "trak" homes..
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Old 03-22-2014, 09:31 AM
 
46 posts, read 77,964 times
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It was a pretty simple decision for me as I realized that we can't compromise on location and schools. It eliminated farther suburbs with affordable new homes.

I figured that if I'm going to stay in a home for 10 years then sooner or later, I'll have to spend money on it. It's just a matter of time. I can do it now on a 15 year old home vs do it in 5 years on a 10 year old vs in 10 years for a 0-5 years old. It's all the same to me.

You can always buy a brand new or fully updated turn key older home in your preferred area for a higher price. If your kids are younger then you can experiment with newer schools in newer suburbs. Mine are in middle school so we have to have an established district. Our reality won't fit in our dream home.
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Old 03-22-2014, 09:40 AM
 
13,194 posts, read 28,214,157 times
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My home is 58 years old and has been lovingly maintained and upgraded overdue decades. We have energy efficient windows, tankless water heaters, and "old fashioned" efficiencies like window screens and an attic fan for the "shoulder seasons".

I really don't get you new home crazed people. Homes aren't cars. "This year's model" isn't always the best option. If it were, people would tear down entire neighborhoods every 10 years and rebuild.
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Old 03-22-2014, 10:09 AM
 
Location: Prosper
6,255 posts, read 17,044,409 times
Reputation: 9501
Quote:
Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80 View Post
My home is 58 years old and has been lovingly maintained and upgraded overdue decades. We have energy efficient windows, tankless water heaters, and "old fashioned" efficiencies like window screens and an attic fan for the "shoulder seasons".

I really don't get you new home crazed people. Homes aren't cars. "This year's model" isn't always the best option. If it were, people would tear down entire neighborhoods every 10 years and rebuild.
Tell me what the SEER rating is for an A/C system built 58 years ago.

Mom2gurls, it isn't necessarily a hard rule based on years, but regulatory requirements are more important to look for.

For example, our current home was built at the end of 2005. It just so happened that the efficiency requirements for A/C units were mandated to be 13 SEER or higher (higher is better) for all new homes starting in 2004. So, if you bought a home in 2003, you could have an inefficient AC system like an 11 or 12 seer rating by the builder, because unless you pay extra to upgrade, they always put in the bare minimum system to meet code. So our home in 2005 was required to have the higher rated units.

That's not the whole story though. We are currently looking at a home that was built in 2001. They've already replaced the original AC units with 16 seer units last year, and added radiant barrier. Both those things will dramatically improve that homes efficiency. With some low E windows that house would be just as efficient as new ones built today, perhaps even more so, because radiant barrier is not mandated in newer homes.

The short answer is, it just depends. Newer homes will generally have an advantage, but not always.
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Old 03-22-2014, 10:46 AM
 
277 posts, read 676,617 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80 View Post
My home is 58 years old and has been lovingly maintained and upgraded overdue decades. We have energy efficient windows, tankless water heaters, and "old fashioned" efficiencies like window screens and an attic fan for the "shoulder seasons".

I really don't get you new home crazed people. Homes aren't cars. "This year's model" isn't always the best option. If it were, people would tear down entire neighborhoods every 10 years and rebuild.

Older homes are not up to code anymore. Any repairs or updates can end up being a major overhaul (asbestos, knob & tube wiring, no HVAC system, etc..). It really all depends on the age of the house.
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Old 03-22-2014, 11:07 AM
 
Location: Simmering in DFW
6,952 posts, read 22,646,686 times
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There are pros and cons to a new house. Typically the older house will have a better location and a larger yard. You simply have to decide what your priorities are. If your stage in life at this time means DFW is a career stop, an older home close in to the city core is a better investment and better commute. A newer home in the burbs is might be less trouble and may make more sense for the kiddos if the local schools are good.

Older homes can be updated to have all the energy efficient features that new homes have. The older home with improvements will mean you pay a higher price per square foot in good locations. New homes will usually mean they are more energy efficient and budget friendly, but the breadwinner will face a commute if the job is in the city core.
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Old 03-22-2014, 11:16 AM
 
Location: Plano
38 posts, read 61,560 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jcl_cls02 View Post
Older homes are not up to code anymore. Any repairs or updates can end up being a major overhaul (asbestos, knob & tube wiring, no HVAC system, etc..). It really all depends on the age of the house.

It sounds like it comes down to how well the owner has taken care of the house and whether they have invested money in upgrading it's infrastructure or whether they have just lived in it and now they want to unload it on you. So the question is how can a prospective buyer really know the difference? Or can they?
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Old 03-22-2014, 11:35 AM
 
19,623 posts, read 17,913,246 times
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I'm always amazed at these some of the comments in these conversations.

Very often an older single story house will be easier to heat and cool than a similar s.f newer two story house.

Our house in Plano was a 2 story, ~3,900sf home built in 1999 with total AC re-do in 2006. Our new to us home in North Dallas is one story, ~4,400sf and it was built in 1967. It's got perfect up to code copper wiring throughout, arc-fault and GFI in place etc. Our electric bill in the older/bigger house are about 1/3 less and the AC units here are just a bit older and 3 SEER point less efficient.
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Old 03-22-2014, 11:36 AM
 
19,623 posts, read 17,913,246 times
Reputation: 17152
Quote:
Originally Posted by jcl_cls02 View Post
Older homes are not up to code anymore. Any repairs or updates can end up being a major overhaul (asbestos, knob & tube wiring, no HVAC system, etc..). It really all depends on the age of the house.
That's a broad overstatement.
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Old 03-22-2014, 11:56 AM
 
415 posts, read 762,766 times
Reputation: 547
my good size cape cod is around 52 years old, when we bought it 4 years ago I sent my wife n girls away for 2 months, me and a crew gutted the house, even the floors n walls and roof, replaced all the electric from the panel out and all water lines from the meter out, all the drain lines as well.... and as of this fall i installed a 95% efficient furnace ... we love this house because it's not another cookie cutter home....

Im lucky I grew up in the trades, my father was a home builder over 40 years.... some of the guys i hired to gut n rebuild were his friends that have know me since i was a child....

the way I looked at it is taxes are wicked High on a new house around here (around 12k) where as my old cape while all new inside like 160 sheets of 3/4 sheet rock alone and 1,800 SQ feet of hard wood flooring, my taxes are a tick over 6k.... so in the last 4 years that's 24k in savings over new... plus i truly know this house inside out....
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