Home features to avoid in Westchester

[VA Yankee]

Originally Posted by starlight79

Hi,


However, there are fewer amount information on what "features" to avoid. For example, this link warns about oil heating, old fireplaces, excess carpeting etc.

Read the provided link but really can't agree with most of what's written.

Item 1, Oil Heat cost, I agree gas is a better choice. But if gas is not an option electric or Propane may potentially cost you more. An efficient system will make the difference regardless of the fuel used.

Item 2, I don't understand what they don't like. Mirrors can be removed but for cabinetry you decide. Are you really going to pass on a house because of a built in sideboard in the dining room?

Item 3, Personal choice many people prefer carpet especially in the bedrooms. Very often older homes have hardwood throughout but covered them as they became worn. Area rugs are viewed as trip hazards so you decide what you prefer.

Item 4, Your choice many like them many don't

Item 5, I have never been a fan of skylights but south facing windows? For the last several decades south facing with plenty of "natural light" has been the recommendation. Todays windows are well insulated and a sunny room can make you feel warmer in the winter months when days are shorter.

This whole article is written by whoever on a banking web site. Visit homes and educate yourself to what you like/want that will ensure the home you choose is right for you. It is easier to see a unique feature in a house that you've never seen before, love it and think you must have it but stop and decide would someone else like it as you do? That is the best test of what features to avoid.

Good luck as you shop for your home...

[bg7]

Originally Posted by starlight79

kletter1mann, something VERY relevant to Westchester about the above comments is that most of the houses on the market (almost all) are at least 50 years old, many are 80-90 years old. At least that's what I have seen in the $650,000 to $900,000 range.

There are 200 year old houses, but not surprisingly, they are even more expensive.

[MontroseDad]

We bought a house down a charming dirt road. That dirt road was nearly undrivable at times this winter.

I didn't want a pool, but the house I fell in love with came with a pool. It costs ~$3-5k extra a year.

Our house has a 70 year old roof. It's in decent shape, but it will require an EPA-approved hazmat suit type process to replace when its time comes, but the good thing is asbestos is fireresistant.

Completely agree on the insulation. We've been quoted ~20k to insulate the house. With our recent oil and electricity bills, we would get a frighteningly short payback to get more energy efficient.

The absolute biggest thing is location and schools. If could pick my house up and move it somewhere else, my wife would be thrilled.

[stibgo]

I prefer gas to oil, sewer to septic, town water to wells. If you are going to get a large lot (2 acres or more)
this advice won't apply.

Watch out for low lying areas as already pointed out.

I avoid asbestos siding. There is a lot of it in Westchester. Proximity to power lines
and highway noise are other avoids.

People want good schools.

[Weapon X]

Originally Posted by dr.strangelove

While I certainly understand that many people may look to avoid oil heat for environmental or political reasons, cost should really not be a factor. The type of fuel has far less of an impact on heating costs than the heating system and insulation. If its an oil fueled system with a 35 year old boiler, then yes you are going to pay a great deal for the heat. If its an oil fueled system with a modern high efficiency boiler, your costs will be significantly lower than someone with an older natural gas system. I think most will tell you that wall hung modern gas fueled systems are currently the most economical (unless you can get solar and heat with your own produced electricity). But the costs of installing those is significant and can take almost 10 years to catch up on the cost of the existing system. Factor all these things in, but just because a house has oil heat should not take it off the list.

For me, the things to avoid are houses with tall trees around it that might hit it if they fall, houses with sump pumps installed and houses with poor insulation. The tree thing is my personal additional since we had trees fall in both Hurricanes Irena and Sandy. As for the sump pump, and water is something to run away from. It will wreck your lives. Its not just the house, its the saturated yards, replacement of driveways and so on. If its a wet area, run. Finally, don't buy a house unless you get an energy audit. The local electric company (Con Ed) will do them for next to nothing. You may be buying a house with a great low cost wall hung gas boiler, but the house is so poorly insulated that you are doubling your heating costs. If it is new construction, this is less of an issue. But in old homes, its going to be a problem in some.

On the contrary, regarding conversion, it's not too cost prohibitive. Mine is being done next week. I already have gas in my home, just the heat is oil. It's about 12K to convert and that does NOT include the 3K in rebates from ConEd. I needed a new boiler regardless and a new oil burner is more than 4K, so the net difference is only 5K. I'll have that back in 3 years or less when I do a comparison of oil to gas consumption based on the "cheap" oil this past winter. When oil prices go back up, and it will, I'll be saving even more. I'm getting one of the wall mount units that provide heat and hot water.

I wish I knew more about home buying when I bought this place. I would have demanded credits due to a seriously outdated kitchen, old roof, old boiler, flooring in bad condition. My agent or home inspector should have picked up on those things, but the fault was my own. The previous owners didn't spend a dime on maintaining this place and made a significant profit after six years of ownership. They didn't even paint.