Is it a bad idea to buy a house thats over 30 years old?

Question

My husbands job is transfering us to a city 7 hours away from our hometown, and we are looking at homes for sale. But mostly all we can find are homes built in the 70's. Alot of them are fixer uppers and need a lot of remodeling. Would it be a waste of money to invest in an older home and fix it up?

Answer 1

nope,
30 years old is new for houses. just look them over closely. some times newer construction was done with sub standard or improperly dried wood, particularily in developments. with older houses say from the 50s and older this is much less of a concern. many have a character that may be lacking from newer construction. but then they sart to become a concern for other reasons. was the maintenance tacken care of properly? are the rooms layed out in a more modern fashion or the smaller older rooms? its whatever you like. personally the next property i buy i will build my own with my hands no contractors. then i know its what i want and know the quality of the materials and the quality of the structure.
i dont know if it will be a waste of money, depends on what and where you buy. some places older houses that have been updated bring more money sometimes less. i think that an updated farm house in a suburban area is just about always a hit. they sell for much more than the houses in the developments surrounding them here.

Answer 2

30 years was one of the youngest we looked at (but then we are in the UK, and Im guessing you are in the US).

We found that those built in the 70s were far more sturdy (and spacious) than those built more recently. Although this is probably different in America. If you dont want to do a house up, then try and find something else, but if you would like to put your own stamp on something, then buying a slightly older house would be ideal as it would give you the opportunity to have your house exactly as you want it.

Answer 3

Depends entirely on the home construction quality. I've seen hundred year old homes that are in better structural shape than mass built homes from just a decade ago. Get someone knowledgeable in the field to assist you.

Answer 4

I own a 1938 home. It can be some work. You have to be willing to do some repairs yourself.
A lot of homes built in the 70s were junk, so you have to look at the windows, foundation, roof, etc.

Answer 5

No, not if you can do the work yourself and save money. If you have to hire out and the home really needs a lot of repair, you might want to rethink things. However, if your budget is such you cannot afford a newer home in better condition, then you may have to settle for a thirty year old home (really not considered old).

Answer 6

get the inspection by a good inspecter and remember the roof is probably ten to fifteen years old. The furnace most likely needs replaced. the water heater is old. the windows are probably metal frame and possibly single pane. the electrical panel may not be large enough and the siding if its wood has dry rot.

Answer 7

not at all... but make sure you get an inspection you can trust . the only trouble with older houses is that a lot of things in them are older too.... like water heaters and appliances and garage doors etc etc... so if they start going out it can get expensive... but my favorite houses are the older ones that have been updated... old school design with modern conveniences and technology

Answer 8

Not at all. 30 years isn't old.
A lot depends on how much you enjoy fixing up houses also.

Answer 9

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Answer 10

lol no 30 yrs ago is nothing