Should I buy this house that has a slab foundation?

Question

I live in michigan and I was just wondering, the house was built in 1960. Are repairs really expensive and what's the likely hood of me actually having to make repairs to the plumbing. I'm a first time homebuyer. Its a 3 bedroom home with about 1100 sqft

Answer 1

First of all, make sure you get a professional inspection done before you make an offer on anything. Show up at the property and walk thru with the inspector. Ask him questions and pick his/her brain while the inspection is being done (your the one paying him afterall).
As far as making repairs to the house, in all likelyhood the house is almost a half-century old, so I can almost guarantee that repairs are going to have to be made. Now the slab foundation is another story altogether. They are very expensive to repair and cause many many other problems. If the slab doesn't pass inspection or the house seems unlevel as you walk thru it, just pass up the house altogether.
Lastly, makes sure the roof is in good condition as well, they are a moderate price to replace but its just one of those things that can lead to numerous other problems as well. Good Luck and be sure to take your time, this is possibly the biggest purchase you will ever make in your life. Remember that.

Answer 2

In your market area, houses on slabs are not wise purchases. It gets cold there and you may well have cold floors due to the lack of a basement underneath. Doubtless, plumbing is located in and underneath the slab, and that would cause you to break up the slab to get at that, in the event of a problem.

In 1960, waste drainage was made from cast iron. That stuff DOES corrode and rust through over time, due to the acidity of human wastes passing through.