Buying an old home ~1920s

Log in / Sign Up

List of Forums + New Post Recipe Box Usergroups Following My Posts Bookmarks

Private Messages Advanced Search Rules New User Guide FAQ Advertise Contact Us

Forum -> Inquiries & Offers -> Moving/ Relocating

1 2 Next

View latest: 24h 48h 72h

amother

Mauve

Mon, Dec 05 2016, 11:58 am

Anyone have any advice regarding buying an old home - from around 1920.
My DH and I are just getting started in figuring this out. The home is where we would love to buy. But it was built in 1920s and has not been maintained. if we buy we cannot afford to tear down and build from scratch (plus the existing home is gorgeous).
How do you go about figuring out the real costs without wasting too much time.

we would like to get verbal confirmation of a price before we spend on an inspector - want to make sure foundation is stable\safe, basic idea of lead and asbestos, can the building support a second story in the future, electric safety, plumbing situation, etc.

If we want estimates based on just replacing bathrooms, kitchen, HVAC, windows, insulation and electric would we have to get an estimate from someone else if we are thinking of adding a second floor or redoing the exterior.

The existing home is about 2600 sq ft. Ideally I'd like to spend under 150K in renovating, but I don't even know if that is realistic.

My DH has done full rehabs of homes to rent so he is aware of pitfalls (and we are currenlty home owners of a home built in the 1970s so we know about owning a home, just not an older one), but I still feel there is so much we don't know. I'd love any advice.

amother

Periwinkle

Mon, Dec 05 2016, 12:06 pm

A family member recently sold a well-maintained home of this vintage.

Serious buyers brought in their contractors for estimates before making an offer.

The information you want is best determined from a home inspection. It is well worth the cost. This usually occurs after you make an offer but before signing the contract. You have time to withdraw, renegotiate or require repairs before closing.

celesteno

Mon, Dec 05 2016, 12:22 pm

Invest in the home inspection, they're generally not expensive. It'll clue you into serious problems. With regard to the rest, I'd have a contractor walk through with you. That's the best way to get good pricing of Reno needed

doctorima

Mon, Dec 05 2016, 12:35 pm

Contractors will usually walk through with you and give you their thoughts and estimates for free. If you still think it could work for you, then invest in an engineer's inspection.

Realistically, 150K won't be anywhere near enough for what you're describing. Someone looking at a similar house told me that the contractor said that once you open up one wall or replace one pipe or wiring, you basically end up having to rebuild the entire house from scratch.

amother

Burgundy

Mon, Dec 05 2016, 12:36 pm

We had a home built in 1929. The inspection showed some things, but during the four years we owned it one thing after another reached the end of their natural life. For example the pipes were cast iron (typical for the period), but cast iron rusts...We had two big issues because of this. (A leak between the second and third floor and a sewer leak in the basement). All those pipes had to be replaced. Blanking right now but there were a series of these kinds of issues. They would not have shown up in the house inspection.

We loved the house, it had character, was beautiful etc. But when we had to move for work we looked for a newer construction house as we didn't want to deal with these things again.

amother

Lemon

Mon, Dec 05 2016, 12:57 pm

Please please please don't do it. It's a disaster waiting to happen. Like poster above said. I owned a home from early 1900. It was a money pit in every way possible. I had no money to redo electrical and plumbing. I suffered for a couple of years and gave up and bought something new instead. Don't unless you will gut it. Even inspectors don't see everything. For example if you have a leak coming from roof and the owners are sure to make that inspectors come when there haven't been rain for a while the inspector will not see leaks through the wall if it's dried out. That's what happened to me. Pleeeeeeese I beg you don't go there. Not only that they painted the walls that had leaks so we couldn't see the problem. The roof was New but it still hadn't problems no matter what was done.

Its entirely possible I fell in with a lemon. So I just hope this doesn't happen to anyone else.

amother

Mauve

Mon, Dec 05 2016, 12:59 pm

Everyone is scaring me now.
I was thinking we would have to replace the plumbing, electric, roof for sure.
I've spoken to people who live in the area, who own similar homes, they replaced many of the same items, including electric and said it wasn't so bad.

doctorima

Mon, Dec 05 2016, 1:05 pm

To replace plumbing and electric means opening up every wall, disposing of likely asbestos there, rewiring everything, then rebuilding, repainting, etc. And then once everything's opened up, you'll decide, why not expand this room and change this room shape, and things always have a way of expanding beyond anything you could have imagined. It definitely can be done and has been done, but not for 150k (and that's without adding another entire floor).

amother

Mauve

Mon, Dec 05 2016, 1:08 pm

doctorima wrote:

Its a cape colonial style so there is a second floor. One side is very large - the other has a sloped roof, so the idea was to extend the second floor slightly, not rebuild it.

Bathrooms have to be updated so the pipes could be done along those lines. There is one water section going up through the house.

electric is a big item. One person on the block told me she had to update the box but she left the rest of the wiring alone and it was good.

You are correct about things creeping in, like why not open that area more, etc. I'm the type to control myself though.

Maybe 150K is in my dreams. Thanks for all the warnings - maybe I should listen.

ruchelbuckle

Mon, Dec 05 2016, 1:20 pm

My house is from 1930. I don't know what the big deal is. It's not a money pit any more than any other house. I am not saying that this is the right house for you, just that it's a big generalization to say that all houses from before a certain time are bad descions.

I also want to point out that houses built during specific time periods were well-built, with quality materials. For example, my house has solid core doors on all the bedrooms. You won't find that on a house from 1950/60 or later as standard. There are a lot of small details in an older house that are often better quality than a standard "builder-grade" new construction.

Also, I want to say on this:

Quote:

For example if you have a leak coming from roof and the owners are sure to make that inspectors come when there haven't been rain for a while the inspector will not see leaks through the wall if it's dried out. That's what happened to me. Pleeeeeeese I beg you don't go there. Not only that they painted the walls that had leaks so we couldn't see the problem. The roof was New but it still hadn't problems no matter what was done.

As a buyer, you decide on when the inspection occurs. Not the owners. The contract will say how many days you have to get an inspection. Unfortunately, if it doesn't rain before the inspection, that's not really anyone's fault. That being said, if the roof was new and you still had leaks, it sounds like 1) shoddy workmanship was done and 2) your inspector wasn't so great.

Also, this goes for all house inspectors-- ask for a friend who bought a house 18 month ago or more which inspector (s)he used. Don't ask a friend who bought a house 3 months ago. It can take a while for problems to show up.

Raisin

Mon, Dec 05 2016, 1:29 pm

my house is 20s/30s. I think it was rewired before we moved in, not sure about plumbing. The previous owners added some rooms to the downstairs, and we converted the attic when we moved in. The only issues we have had have been with these newer additions, not the original house. I think original builders did much better work.

amother

Ruby

Mon, Dec 05 2016, 1:40 pm

My dh is an electrician and he hates doing repairs in older homes.
He says lots of times the wires look ok, but as soon as you touch them, to change fixtures.... They are brittle and they crumble in your hands.
Please make sure to somehow have that checked out.

MagentaYenta

Mon, Dec 05 2016, 1:40 pm

The last old home I bought was built in 1910 and well maintained. It really only needed updating. I have in the past owned money pits, cause of the vision ya know? How they will look when done. The first was an old Victorian and yes the cast iron claw foot tub fell through the ceiling.

My advice is NO, run. Run fast and away from this house.

ruchelbuckle

Mon, Dec 05 2016, 1:47 pm

MagentaYenta wrote:

yes the cast iron claw foot tub fell through the ceiling.

OMG! that sounds like one of those reality real-estate shows on HGTV you can watch while waiting at the drs office.....

amother

Mauve

Mon, Dec 05 2016, 1:47 pm

I'm starting to think this is a very bad idea, but I love the house and location.

I know there are leaks. The house is so gorgeous - so many details - it make s me so sad to think it will be torn down.

MagentaYenta

Mon, Dec 05 2016, 1:54 pm

ruchelbuckle wrote:

OMG! that sounds like one of those reality real-estate shows on HGTV you can watch while waiting at the drs office.....

I loved that house, it was the first I had ever purchased as an adult. I fell in love with the plaster moldings on the ceiling, the original brass gas lights and mahogany pocket doors. I had a vision for that home, in the end, I sold the lot after I pieced out the sale of the fixtures and other architectural elements. My initial investment was $6k in 1973, I made almost $60k in the end.

SixOfWands

Mon, Dec 05 2016, 1:56 pm

ruchelbuckle wrote:

Quote:

She is wise.

Just to add, our inspector went up on the roof, so he could see the condition of the shingles. He was also able to detect water damage, and old termite damage.

Also, if a roof is new, it should have a warranty, certainly as to materials. Ask who did the roof, and what warranty it has.

ruchelbuckle

Mon, Dec 05 2016, 1:56 pm

amother wrote:

Forty days before you were born, a bas Kol said who your zivug would be, what your parnasa would be, and your diur (living arrangements). Take comfort that it's min hashamayim and you're (potentially) saving yourself a lot of headache in the future.

I want to let you know that I gave up on a lot of houses that I loved when house hunting. IYH, there is a perfect house for you!

ruchelbuckle

Mon, Dec 05 2016, 1:58 pm

SixOfWands wrote:

She is wise.

.

are you referring to me? that's so nice of you! Very Happy

amother

Mauve

Mon, Dec 05 2016, 2:03 pm

SixOfWands wrote:

She is wise.

Just to add, our inspector went up on the roof, so he could see the condition of the shingles. He was also able to detect water damage, and old termite damage.

Did you buy the house?

Page 1 of 2

1 2 Next