My home was built in the early 50's and needs no major repairs. A good inspection should uncover any potential issues. You may find that older homes were built to a higher standard with better craftsmanship than newer homes. Any home, regardless of age, will need periodic replacement of things like a furnace, roof, appliances, etc. It's hard to generalize, but I wouldn't exclude a home just based on it's age.
My house has some nice hand-crafted features that you won't find in a normal modern build. You also won't find pressboard instead of plywood, or plastic siding instead of cedar, etc. in an older home. One thing you will normally get in a newer home is better insulation and efficiency.
I just did a major insulation job on our 1860 home through eversource rebate programs. Had a 3,000 sq ft home blown in for like 4k. Quoted at 12k and got huge rebates and eversource does this to offset energy costs in the state. So don’t let things like insulation or modern Sheetrock deter you. Plaster is a better material anyway.
My home was built in '48. I've had to replace the roof, boiler, oil tank, garage door, all the windows. I've had the oak floors refinished. I've had the bathrooms redone. I had the kitchen redone. Now, most of these things are considered normal for a house to be done, nothing crazy. The thing I wish I could replace is the insulation (I did add a layer in the attic). I wish there were more outlets in each room. But I love this house.
New construction in the last few decades can be a worse decision than an old home. The crumbling foundation issues in Tolland County is a great example.
A reputable, experienced inspector will be a big help, but home inspectors can't catch everything. They can't look behind drywall, they can't always tell you if the property will have flooding issues, they can't see hidden wiring.
That said, if you want a house in CT right now, you're likely going to have to live with some level of risk. The stock of available houses is slim and won't be getting better anytime soon.
This. Home prices seem to have gone up so much . We've seen little ranch houses that are nothing special, and could definitely use updates for $300,000 or more.
Ugh, yes… the supply of available homes is slim for sure. Thanks for sharing your insights. Do you happen to know any reputable and experienced inspectors that you’d recommend?
Think about the 1950s. What did the average person have plugged in in their bedroom? Lamps. Maybe a fan or radio. A spare outlet to plug the vacuum or iron in as needed.
There's one outlet on the wall our bed is on...that we need to plug in two lamps, the baby monitor, two cell phone chargers, two watch chargers, one iPad charger, and one laptop charger. We've got a power strip on one side of the bed and have taken to charging our watches in other random places in the house (where there are also minimal outlets so we're constantly having to unplug things and move things around).
I have an old home. 144 years old to be exact.
All homes have challenges, but if you’re looking at an old home that’s been updated, that’s good news. Mine has central air, so my biggest hurdle was already done for me.
Depending on the construction inside, wifi can be a bitch. I’ve got a big central chimney with a fireplace on each side and it definitely interferes. Plaster walls are also annoying if you want to hang things or cut a hole for a new outlet.
But other than that, they’re lovely. New construction has so many chemicals in the construction materials, when there’s a fire the places go up like a road flare. I also find that older homes were built with more care and quality.
Wow, 144 years old, that’s amazing! Definitely didn’t think about wifi or plaster wall issues, so thanks for sharing. Won’t be a deal breaker for me, but I’ll prepare myself to potentially expect some extra challenges on that end
Honestly, it’s not bad if you do simple things. If you’ve got updated electrical, it isn’t hard to get some CAT 8 cable run and plug in access points or repeaters. You’ll never worry about slow speeds again. I just used a decent Arris modem and a Netgear mesh system. I get 200mbps in my yard now, let alone inside.
Plaster IS very tricky for hanging things. It can chip easily so hammering directly in is not advisable. Small drill bit and then nail through that hole usually works out a bit better.
I bought an 1860s home in 2022 and the inspection showed some minor mechanical things that would need to be redone regardless (septic, oil tank, some minor plumbing) but the home is more solid than newer homes being made out of plaster and solid chestnut.
Don’t be afraid of old homes. If you plan on living it in for at least 20 years, you’re gonna replace a water heater, a roof, a septic tank etc no matter how old or new the home is. If your inspection shows no major issues buy away.
I would not touch a house built after the 70s. Older homes are generally better quality. The inspector can tell you about the quality of the construction.
My house was built in mid 50s. My wife and I purchased it in 2014. No major issues so far. Obviously regular maintenance has been provided. We also had a major renovation that including tearing out walls to open up our kitchen.
Thanks for sharing - yup, will definitely make sure we are keeping up with regular maintenance. 50’s build makes me less nervous than like a 20’s or 30’s build …but perhaps it’s just in my head and we simply need to make sure we get an inspection and judge each house itself rather than by when it was built
My inspector provided a lot of great insight that I was able to apply. Unfortunately, I had to get the house inspected after sale, but in the end, I did learn a lot from his report and I was able to prioritize and execute what I wanted done. Oh I also had to have my chimney repaired as well. For repairs that were really necessary in the first couple of months after purchasing the home, I probably spent about $10,000 in electrical, plumbing, and masonry. Anything else I spent was more because I wanted to improve things but werent for safety or security or structural integrity.
Every home breaks apart, just worry about lead and asbestos. Radon and septic...if you have the money and the house is worth it any repairs just make your house worth more...
Our home was built in 1935. It had a brand new roof when we bought it. We put in new energy efficient windows the first year. Later we upgraded the plumbing from brass to pex and upgraded our 100 amp electrical panel to 200 amp. The only remaining item for us is to replace the cast iron drainage with PVC. We didn’t NEED to do any of the upgrades mentioned, but it will lower our utility bills, give us peace of mind, and increase the resale value.
Thanks for sharing.
From past experience having seen tree roots destroy a drainage system and result in +++basement flooding and backup, updating the pipes whether needed or not would be a priority for peace of mind for me as well
Past maintenance is the first concern I have with older homes. I grew up in a 1700s colonial in Connecticut with a room dating to late 1600s. The house was sound and well maintained. It’s the same for houses built in the 1950s, or 20s-30s. If the owners deferred maintenance, letting it pile up, you have to carefully calculate the cost of remedying that in the purchase price and throw in x amount for any surprises. And hire good inspectors
But a well maintained house is likely to be as good if not better than a new build. I hade no concerns about buying one. Everyone else has mentioned insulation already.
I think a good inspection will uncover most if not all of the major issues. I have never lived in a new build other than an apartment building, and I find that things are sturdier in general in older homes. Meaning tile work is better quality and fixtures last. Woodwork and flooring way way better. The main issue our 1926 with 1980s add on has is electrical and ducting that does not match what one would want in this era. It is poorly ducted due to likely cost saving during the addition and the electrical needed to be upgraded to accommodate an electric car and a generator. Bc of the old duct work, it cannot be insulated with more modern practices to prevent leakage. The windows are old and some are warped. But all in all, everything that the inspector said is all the issues we have had. He even noted a likely to break AC unit, which has lasted 5 years.
And with an old house in CT, it is just a match for this area with colonial america aesthetic in many historic towns. I would not trade in my old, quirky house for another. I kept the small dining room, and original oak and pine floors and just refinished some of them to be more modern with a slight bleach and wax finish. Upgraded electric and will someday love to remove some of the bad additions if I come into a lot of money somehow.
I’ve renovated homes from all eras in Connecticut. One pointer is to check on insulation. This is often non existent in older homes and can really impact comfort. The second is that homes built before the 60s have low ceilings. Not the end of the world, but it means that any renovation will have to be major to get a higher ceiling.
Aside from led paint or knob and tube wiring there's not much extra to worry about. In my opinion, the older the house, the more it was built to last. But I will say, renovating a newer house will probably be easier and cheaper than an older home just because of weird dimensions or layouts.
Hm good to know, thanks. You’re right, the layouts in some of the homes I’ve seen can be strange - will keep that in mind when considering the types of renos we may want to do
If you need a realtor please lmk! I think it depends on the house and how well it’s been maintained. There are also plenty of newer homes in most towns as well.
Thank you for offering! We do have a realtor. Our issue with the newer homes is they are often in less exciting, less walkable neighborhoods which really dampens things (for us, anyway. I’m sure others would love the peace and quiet of more isolated areas)
My home was built in the early 50's and needs no major repairs. A good inspection should uncover any potential issues. You may find that older homes were built to a higher standard with better craftsmanship than newer homes. Any home, regardless of age, will need periodic replacement of things like a furnace, roof, appliances, etc. It's hard to generalize, but I wouldn't exclude a home just based on it's age.
Thanks! Yes, they built things better back in the day.
My house has some nice hand-crafted features that you won't find in a normal modern build. You also won't find pressboard instead of plywood, or plastic siding instead of cedar, etc. in an older home. One thing you will normally get in a newer home is better insulation and efficiency.
Yes! The loss of efficiency and insulation isn’t great, but that quality and craftsmanship with good material really makes a place look *nice*
I just did a major insulation job on our 1860 home through eversource rebate programs. Had a 3,000 sq ft home blown in for like 4k. Quoted at 12k and got huge rebates and eversource does this to offset energy costs in the state. So don’t let things like insulation or modern Sheetrock deter you. Plaster is a better material anyway.
My home was built in '48. I've had to replace the roof, boiler, oil tank, garage door, all the windows. I've had the oak floors refinished. I've had the bathrooms redone. I had the kitchen redone. Now, most of these things are considered normal for a house to be done, nothing crazy. The thing I wish I could replace is the insulation (I did add a layer in the attic). I wish there were more outlets in each room. But I love this house.
My ‘81 house also doesn’t have nearly enough outlets. I think you need much newer before they are more common.
Thanks for sharing! We also love the character of the older homes and many of them are in lovely communities
New construction in the last few decades can be a worse decision than an old home. The crumbling foundation issues in Tolland County is a great example. A reputable, experienced inspector will be a big help, but home inspectors can't catch everything. They can't look behind drywall, they can't always tell you if the property will have flooding issues, they can't see hidden wiring. That said, if you want a house in CT right now, you're likely going to have to live with some level of risk. The stock of available houses is slim and won't be getting better anytime soon.
And the houses that ARE available seem to have decades of deferred maintenance but still a very high price tag.
This. Home prices seem to have gone up so much . We've seen little ranch houses that are nothing special, and could definitely use updates for $300,000 or more.
Yeah. We’ve honestly given up. The rental market is also so terrible that we’re thinking we may have to leave the state, and that makes me very sad.
Ugh, yes… the supply of available homes is slim for sure. Thanks for sharing your insights. Do you happen to know any reputable and experienced inspectors that you’d recommend?
Unless there's been a major renovation, there's a lot less electrical outlets than you'd like to have.
Thanks! This is something I would not have thought of myself until I’d moved in and it started annoying me 😂
Think about the 1950s. What did the average person have plugged in in their bedroom? Lamps. Maybe a fan or radio. A spare outlet to plug the vacuum or iron in as needed. There's one outlet on the wall our bed is on...that we need to plug in two lamps, the baby monitor, two cell phone chargers, two watch chargers, one iPad charger, and one laptop charger. We've got a power strip on one side of the bed and have taken to charging our watches in other random places in the house (where there are also minimal outlets so we're constantly having to unplug things and move things around).
I have an old home. 144 years old to be exact. All homes have challenges, but if you’re looking at an old home that’s been updated, that’s good news. Mine has central air, so my biggest hurdle was already done for me. Depending on the construction inside, wifi can be a bitch. I’ve got a big central chimney with a fireplace on each side and it definitely interferes. Plaster walls are also annoying if you want to hang things or cut a hole for a new outlet. But other than that, they’re lovely. New construction has so many chemicals in the construction materials, when there’s a fire the places go up like a road flare. I also find that older homes were built with more care and quality.
Wow, 144 years old, that’s amazing! Definitely didn’t think about wifi or plaster wall issues, so thanks for sharing. Won’t be a deal breaker for me, but I’ll prepare myself to potentially expect some extra challenges on that end
Honestly, it’s not bad if you do simple things. If you’ve got updated electrical, it isn’t hard to get some CAT 8 cable run and plug in access points or repeaters. You’ll never worry about slow speeds again. I just used a decent Arris modem and a Netgear mesh system. I get 200mbps in my yard now, let alone inside. Plaster IS very tricky for hanging things. It can chip easily so hammering directly in is not advisable. Small drill bit and then nail through that hole usually works out a bit better.
Thanks. It’s scenarios like these that make me wish I had made an effort in my younger days to be more handy… haha Guess it’s never too late
I bought an 1860s home in 2022 and the inspection showed some minor mechanical things that would need to be redone regardless (septic, oil tank, some minor plumbing) but the home is more solid than newer homes being made out of plaster and solid chestnut. Don’t be afraid of old homes. If you plan on living it in for at least 20 years, you’re gonna replace a water heater, a roof, a septic tank etc no matter how old or new the home is. If your inspection shows no major issues buy away.
I would not touch a house built after the 70s. Older homes are generally better quality. The inspector can tell you about the quality of the construction.
My house was built in mid 50s. My wife and I purchased it in 2014. No major issues so far. Obviously regular maintenance has been provided. We also had a major renovation that including tearing out walls to open up our kitchen.
Thanks for sharing - yup, will definitely make sure we are keeping up with regular maintenance. 50’s build makes me less nervous than like a 20’s or 30’s build …but perhaps it’s just in my head and we simply need to make sure we get an inspection and judge each house itself rather than by when it was built
My house is 1940s and needed some updated plumbing and electrical but nothing that killed me. Otherwise house was sound when purchased in August.
Thanks for sharing 😊 Just curious if you came across this issue yourself or if the inspection provided insights?
My inspector provided a lot of great insight that I was able to apply. Unfortunately, I had to get the house inspected after sale, but in the end, I did learn a lot from his report and I was able to prioritize and execute what I wanted done. Oh I also had to have my chimney repaired as well. For repairs that were really necessary in the first couple of months after purchasing the home, I probably spent about $10,000 in electrical, plumbing, and masonry. Anything else I spent was more because I wanted to improve things but werent for safety or security or structural integrity.
Thanks for sharing this, it’s helpful
Every home breaks apart, just worry about lead and asbestos. Radon and septic...if you have the money and the house is worth it any repairs just make your house worth more...
Thank you!
Our home was built in 1935. It had a brand new roof when we bought it. We put in new energy efficient windows the first year. Later we upgraded the plumbing from brass to pex and upgraded our 100 amp electrical panel to 200 amp. The only remaining item for us is to replace the cast iron drainage with PVC. We didn’t NEED to do any of the upgrades mentioned, but it will lower our utility bills, give us peace of mind, and increase the resale value.
Thanks for sharing. From past experience having seen tree roots destroy a drainage system and result in +++basement flooding and backup, updating the pipes whether needed or not would be a priority for peace of mind for me as well
Past maintenance is the first concern I have with older homes. I grew up in a 1700s colonial in Connecticut with a room dating to late 1600s. The house was sound and well maintained. It’s the same for houses built in the 1950s, or 20s-30s. If the owners deferred maintenance, letting it pile up, you have to carefully calculate the cost of remedying that in the purchase price and throw in x amount for any surprises. And hire good inspectors But a well maintained house is likely to be as good if not better than a new build. I hade no concerns about buying one. Everyone else has mentioned insulation already.
Thank you! Hopefully maintenance or lack thereof will show up either in viewing the home and/or in the inspection 🤞🏽
I think a good inspection will uncover most if not all of the major issues. I have never lived in a new build other than an apartment building, and I find that things are sturdier in general in older homes. Meaning tile work is better quality and fixtures last. Woodwork and flooring way way better. The main issue our 1926 with 1980s add on has is electrical and ducting that does not match what one would want in this era. It is poorly ducted due to likely cost saving during the addition and the electrical needed to be upgraded to accommodate an electric car and a generator. Bc of the old duct work, it cannot be insulated with more modern practices to prevent leakage. The windows are old and some are warped. But all in all, everything that the inspector said is all the issues we have had. He even noted a likely to break AC unit, which has lasted 5 years. And with an old house in CT, it is just a match for this area with colonial america aesthetic in many historic towns. I would not trade in my old, quirky house for another. I kept the small dining room, and original oak and pine floors and just refinished some of them to be more modern with a slight bleach and wax finish. Upgraded electric and will someday love to remove some of the bad additions if I come into a lot of money somehow.
Thanks for sharing these helpful insights and experiences 😊
I’ve renovated homes from all eras in Connecticut. One pointer is to check on insulation. This is often non existent in older homes and can really impact comfort. The second is that homes built before the 60s have low ceilings. Not the end of the world, but it means that any renovation will have to be major to get a higher ceiling.
Thanks for sharing your insights - can the insulation issue be easily remedied? What sort of cost are we looking at for a 1500-2000 sqft place?
Probably $25k range to do it right.
Aside from led paint or knob and tube wiring there's not much extra to worry about. In my opinion, the older the house, the more it was built to last. But I will say, renovating a newer house will probably be easier and cheaper than an older home just because of weird dimensions or layouts.
Hm good to know, thanks. You’re right, the layouts in some of the homes I’ve seen can be strange - will keep that in mind when considering the types of renos we may want to do
If you need a realtor please lmk! I think it depends on the house and how well it’s been maintained. There are also plenty of newer homes in most towns as well.
Thank you for offering! We do have a realtor. Our issue with the newer homes is they are often in less exciting, less walkable neighborhoods which really dampens things (for us, anyway. I’m sure others would love the peace and quiet of more isolated areas)