Historic Homes

[SoonerTexan]

i've never lived in a home older than the one I live in now--built in 79. In the place we are moving, I'm attracted to a lot of the historic homes. I generally love homes from the 20s-50s, am meh on mid-century modern/ranches from the 60s/70s and like more traditional homes from the 70s/80s. Most of what was built in the 90s-00s isn't my taste, though it's okay if it is traditional. The older homes tend to have the better locations and larger/prettier lots. In the area we will likely end up, the "newest" home we could probably find is 80s era because most of that part was built out beyond that point.

So when it comes to the much older homes, how do you feel about them if you live in one? I've heard enough horror stories to make me wary, but I cant get past the charm of some of them. Would you buy your house again or would you definitely go for something newer?
[MENTION=985]spotty_dog[/MENTION] @SuzySunshine?

[spotty_dog]

Our home was built between 1890-1910. I feel like we dodged one bullet by having our home already remodeled to the studs long we moved in. The home insurance company wanted to know if we still had plaster, or knob and tube wiring, and we could confidently say there was none of that. It would have been hard to get insurance otherwise. But on the flip side, we had no control over the remodeling. They cut some corners we didn't see at first. And of course it never occurred to us to think about the sewer, how old it might be, where it ran and how it connected to city sewer. Learning about all that has been quite a lesson. We also got to learn about asbestos remediation when the kitchen got ripped up to take care of the sewage backup. There is still some cast iron sewer pipe in the back yard that we probably need to take care of eventually, but it will require ripping up our back patio and maybe our garage slab. Our windows are starting to fail (opening mechanisms are rusted out, a few panes are broken) so we might need to replace them all, but they're going to be odd sizes and we'll need some kind of custom job that I'm not looking forward to.

That said, I do like how the house is put together. I like how it catches the summer breeze for cooling but also the winter sun for warming. I like that it's unusual and everyone comments when they visit.

I think it's best that you only buy an old house if you like projects. We don't really, so we live with the late 90s tile counters in the bathrooms and the 80s pine floor and the addition that doesn't fit the original roof so there's a leak where the two meet, and we fix stuff when it breaks and we're grateful we can afford to do so. You've done some cool projects in your current home! An older place might not hold as many challenges for you, since you could make it your own.

Would we do it again? Well, we don't really plan to move. But I do sometimes dream of new construction (or, after [MENTION=894]BonBon[/MENTION]'s experience, at least new-ER construction.) In hindsight, if I did buy this place again I'd 100% have a sewer scope done during the purchase process.

Have fun with the search!

Oh, and I think [MENTION=852]fluffhead[/MENTION] might have old-house experience from the eastern half of the US?

[SoonerTexan]

If I buy any older place, I'd do a sewer scope just because of your experience!!

I don't think it is quite as much of a problem in the area we are looking, but homes built from 2000-2012ish around here are actually known for having issues and poor quality. They were all thrown up too quickly with little oversight and weird Texas contractor laws.

[scrub-jay]

We rented a house in Denver that was built in 1906. Prior to that house, we swore we wanted an older home with charm. After living there, with lath and plaster walls and crumbling masonry, we decided “charm” wasn’t worth it. That house had had the plumbing and electrical fully redone, but you’ll want to watch that in older homes too.

[Pollyanna]

I’ve never lived in a historic home but I feel like we probably have similar tastes. The oldest house we’ve lived in was our first Nashville home built in the 50’s. I loved loved loved its quirks. I loved the old solid wood cabinets that didn’t close flush, I loved the creaking floors, the funny screens, the funky stairs, etc. If we had the cash at the time and the location was right I would’ve restored it to its former glory. I wouldn’t have just turned it into another 2000’s farmhouse (although those have their place). But none of the “oldness” bothered me.

I have friends that live in historic type homes and they fall into two categories. Ones that are over the charm and the ones that have a fabulous handyman on speed dial and love all that comes with an old home. I think you have to decide which person you are. J and I would be the latter but we also appreciate that we have many kiddos in private school and college so for us, spending extra cash on an old home just doesn’t make sense. For your family it could be doable. Just decide if you want perfect, clean lines, even floors, etc or do you want the charm. And remember, y’all are young! If you try the historic home route and don’t love it you can move. Your first home out of training may be the forever home, but it doesn’t have to be. Have a blast house hunting!!!

[SoonerTexan]

Actually I lied, we did live in a restored 1930s duplex when we first got married, but we didn't own it. There were a few things that bothered me (mostly the cast iron tub situation--it was like showering in a trash bag), but most of it were things we could have fixed if we owned it/had the money. I miss the old hardwood and the great woodwork!

[fluffhead]

We lived in a house built in 1915. It had the best "bones" of any house we've owned. Structurally it was amazingly sound. That said, there were certainly issues and updates that needed attention - mostly where care hadn't been taken with repairs (the slate roof had been replaced by shingles, and there were lots of issues with ice dams and leaks). And yes, the sewage line needed occasional attention. But we loved the house.
Our current house was rebuilt over a tear-down in 2004, and doesn't have the soul of that old house in the slightest. We're always finding out about something where the builder took a shortcut and now we have to pay the price and redo it.

[OrionGrad]

The home we bought in residency was built in the 1920s. I loved it so much, and I really feel like the quality of older homes is so much better than a lot of the newer homes today. Very little of ours had been touched, which meant we still had knob and tube wiring in the upstairs bedrooms and plaster walls downstairs. I agree that older homes are best if you love projects, and if you or your DH is handy. I can’t imagine what we would have paid if we had to hire out for all the projects that came up during our time there.


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[SoonerTexan]

I agree that older homes are best if you love projects,.

Yes!

and if you or your DH is handy

Well...not really. He has the skills to be, but he doesn't want to be. I've done 95% of the work in this house that wasn't hired out. Literally painted every wall myself.

The key is for it to be a project he cares about. He helped me build the built-in computer desks in a weekend. I'm still waiting on the kitchen ceiling tiles 2 years later...

So I would expect to hire it out or do it myself. That's honestly okay with me, though.

[Ladybug]

Updated electrical wiring, insulation is poor unless updated, plumbing/sewer/tree roots. There’s not central air up here in the old homes but not sure about the south. Surely that’s been added by now. I loved the craftsmanship of our old home. It was loaded with charm and French doors with old beveled glass.

[Meenah]

Our house is 80 years old ye. It has great charm, but it is one thing after another!! I want to sell and rent so that I can call the Landlord!!!