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This house was built in 1960 in good neighborhood with good school. Inside looks fine with a lot updates, outside looks really old with some brick decay. Price is reasonable. However, I heard some construction materials used in old house are poisoneous or dangerous, and are prohibited now. Is it a good idea to buy a old house? Thanks for any inputs.
I wouldn't consider a house built in 1960 an old house.
My mother lives in the house my parents had built in 1957. She's 84, so I guess the poisonous and dangerous construction materials haven't gotten to her yet. ; )
I'd rather get a house built back then. They were in general more solidly built. In the 80s and newer, they started to use cheesier construction materials and tried to build faster and shoddier in order to save money and move on to the next project.
There are a lot of issues when buying an older house. The main banned construction materials would be asbestos (some tile, some insulation, some popcorn ceilings, some siding) and lead paint. Personally I'd consider the presence of friable asbestos (asbestos which can easily become airborne) inside sufficient reason not to buy a house.
There's also the NJ issue of underground oil tanks, which aren't dangerous except to your wallet.
Only you can answer the question of whether it's a good idea, though.
I would say that's fine. A good home inspection would be in order and it would depend on what the report says.
1960s is not old by Jersey standards :-)
This house was built in 1960 in good neighborhood with good school. Inside looks fine with a lot updates, outside looks really old with some brick decay. Price is reasonable. However, I heard some construction materials used in old house are poisoneous or dangerous, and are prohibited now. Is it a good idea to buy a old house? Thanks for any inputs.
1960 is not really old...old is the brownstone in Brooklyn my son bought..built in 1898
If you like it, fits your budget, no major issues I say go for it
In addition to the possible presence of asbestos, the OP needs to consider that, if the electrical system has never been upgraded, and if the original insulation has never been upgraded, then there will be a need to spend thousands of dollars (actually, more likely, well over $10k) on these types of renovations. Otherwise, it will not be possible to run all of the electrical equipment that people typically use nowadays (as compared to the '60s), and the cost to heat & cool the house will be...massively larger than it needs to be.
In addition to the possibility of asbestos and questions regarding the status of the electrical system & the insulation, the OP needs to find out about the age and the efficiency rating of the furnace, central A/C unit, and water heater. If these units are nearing the end of their practical lives, then this potentially adds another $10k to the bill for bringing the house up to date.
The age & condition of the roof is also important to determine, as is the question of whether radon is present in the basement.
As a result of these potential issues, a very thorough & competent home inspection is a must, and, it is very important to find a home inspector who will work in the OP's best interests. Whatever you do, do NOT use a home inspector recommended by the seller's real estate agent.
A home built in the '60s is not old, by any means, but it could well be outdated in many areas. Only a very thorough home inspection will tell the tale.
1960 is not really old...old is the brownstone in Brooklyn my son bought..built in 1898
That's practically new construction compared to some of the homes folks are living in here in Hunterdon County-"Pre-War" here can mean before the American Revolution To the OP-buying a home can be a daunting process, especially if you are not a person with much technical knowledge. You can read/hear all kinds of things about asbestos, lead paint, radon, etc...but in the end, all of these things are extremely manageable risks that people live with every day. Think about it, even if you grew up in a home that was built the day you were born, your parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, etc...likely grew up in older homes. Get a good home inspector and don't sweat the small stuff.
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To the OP-buying a home can be a daunting process, especially if you are not a person with much technical knowledge. You can read/hear all kinds of things about asbestos, lead paint, radon, etc...but in the end, all of these things are extremely manageable risks that people live with every day. Think about it, even if you grew up in a home that was built the day you were born, your parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, etc...likely grew up in older homes. Get a good home inspector and don't sweat the small stuff.
