Melanie32 Posted June 13 Author Share Posted June 13 5 hours ago, Faith-manor said: My concern is about aging. If you plan on this being your forever home, and will age it place, then my answer is a hard no. My grandmother's 90 year old house was a nightmare for her to age in, and my parents spent a fortune trying to make it handicap accessible after her stroke only to have it nor be truly handicap accessible. Now my mother is aging in place in it, and so my nightmare of dealing with this continues. If I had my way, it would be bulldozed so we could start from scratch. My grandmother also aged in her over 100 year old home. She lived there til she was nearly 100 herself and had to go into assisted living. It wasn’t optimal but it wasn’t awful either. However she never had to be in a wheelchair or anything like that. My aunt tried to get her to move in with her many times but my grandma would not budge. My father moved in to take care of her the last few years and they managed. She had two knee replacements and did ok but that was the extent of her issues. My grandfather had severe Parkinson’s and lived there until his death when he was around 80. The house is in awful shape now and the neighborhood has gone terribly downhill and it really does need to be bulldozed as no one is going to sink the money needed to make it decent in it while it’s in that neighborhood. My dad lives there now and it’s a nightmare! But it’s probably closer to 150 years old at least. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melanie32 Posted June 13 Author Share Posted June 13 3 hours ago, Catwoman said: It sounds amazing, Melanie! At this point, my main concern would be to check all of the crime rate statistics in the area, because even the most perfect house won't be perfect if you have to worry about personal safety or property crime. Can you spend some time in the neighborhood at different times of the day, different days of the week, and late at night, to see how it feels to you? I know it's a nuisance to have to do that, but it would be worth it to get your own gut feeling about the area in addition to reading the police blotter and looking at statistics. Also, can you join the local NextDoor for that neighborhood? The home is in a great neighborhood! That is one of the reasons we are considering it. Thanks so much for bringing this up though! It’s definitely hugely important when considering buying a home. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melanie32 Posted June 13 Author Share Posted June 13 3 hours ago, City Mouse said: My house was built sometime in the late 1880’s. The original 4 room are log and had adobe fire places. It has been added onto and remodeled over the years. Between the age and the previous work done to it, it has some quirks but I don’t mind. The biggest complaint have is that there are only 2 closets in the entire house. I’m not sure if the main bedroom has a closet or not. The upstairs hallway has a large closet. The other bedroom has a whole walL of built in storage which is lovely. The kitchen has a huge wall of built in storage as well but that’s all I know so far. We were supposed to tour the home yesterday but it was rescheduled for Monday. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted June 13 Share Posted June 13 Not a 100 year house issue, but I’d think about the next 50 years. Plug the address into the First Street foundation website (firststreet.org, I think), and also go the NOAA maps, and crank it up to 10’ sea level rise and make sure you are still safe. Sea rise is going to happen faster than predicted based on the weakening and coming collapse of AMOC and what is happening with the ice sheets. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ditto Posted June 13 Share Posted June 13 I would in a hot minute! My dream is a 100 plus year old house. I say go for it! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melanie32 Posted June 13 Author Share Posted June 13 1 hour ago, prairiewindmomma said: Not a 100 year house issue, but I’d think about the next 50 years. Plug the address into the First Street foundation website (firststreet.org, I think), and also go the NOAA maps, and crank it up to 10’ sea level rise and make sure you are still safe. Sea rise is going to happen faster than predicted based on the weakening and coming collapse of AMOC and what is happening with the ice sheets. So I couldn’t find the place where you search for this. I did do an internet search for Florida though and it doesn’t seem to be an issue here. We are in the center of the state so pretty far from the coast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melanie32 Posted June 13 Author Share Posted June 13 I studied the 4 point inspection a bit more. Looks like the electricity and plumbing are around the same age as our current home so that shouldn’t be a problem either. Now I just need to know how old the septic tank is and how old the plumbing that runs to it is as well. Also structural soundness and pest issues. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melanie32 Posted June 13 Author Share Posted June 13 Here are some pics of my favorite parts. 20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ditto Posted June 13 Share Posted June 13 It is beautiful! I hope the rest of the inspections go well and you are the proud owner soon. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarita Posted June 13 Share Posted June 13 It's gorgeous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted June 13 Share Posted June 13 Beautiful. I love the built ins and the porch. Are those hardwood floors? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faith-manor Posted June 13 Share Posted June 13 9 hours ago, Catwoman said: Wow. Why would you bulldoze a classic old home? I can understand wishing she would move someplace that would be safer for her, but why take your frustrations out on a house that could be perfect for another family? I can absolutely understand your frustration and your worry that she might get hurt, but it isn't the house's fault that it's no longer the best place for your mom. So many people view them as expendable, but I really appreciate the history and architecture of old homes, and not just the big, fancy ones. It makes me sad when I see them demolished and replaced by generic (and often not as well-built) new houses. You don't understand the condition of this home. The bones, as they say, are not good. It cannot be made a healthy place for a family to live. It was two cottages, one moved to the site from another property, bolted together with no central heating. That did mold in the walls where the two join, and has tested positive for asbetos. Your post seems to assume I have no use for historic architecture despite the fact that I currently live in a 125 year old Methodist church with stained glass windows. That doesn't change that fact that my mother's house is a VERY bad home, and many old homes are equally as unhealthy. Mine is not. Mine is also had no market value for re-sale, as is the same for many architecturally beautiful homes in our area, because young people with families very much fear the consequences once such buildings begin to fail. It takes A LOT of capitol to keep them up, ask any historical society, and there aren't grants to homeowners to help you save these buildings. Again, I am someone who in a perfect world would keep the old world charm, and high ceilings that make home far less energy efficient, and wood moldings, leaded glass windows, the whole shebang. My mother's house has none of these charms. It is a health nightmare. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cintinative Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 That house is gorgeous!! One thing I thought of is the whole hurricane windows thing. Do you know the situation? Because for my relative in S. Florida--IF they replace a window, they must use the hurricane proof kind which are $$$$. Now that may be a geographic thing based on where you live in the state, but it's worth asking. This relative just remodeled their kitchen, and because of the new countertop and configuration they needed a new window which required them to get the hurricane glass. There were other things they had to bring up to code too--their house was built in the 1980s I think though. Also house insurance in FL can be astronomical in some areas. It might be worth asking around about how hard it is to get a new policy. You might already be in FL though. 😃 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eos Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 Yes. My house was built around 1775 and has many issues but I love it. It's charming and quirky and hard to keep clean from the dust that old wood constantly generates. Two things that I think about, positive and negative: Positive, it's pegged together with trenails so it holds together and racks as a unit in the wind. It's withstood centuries of nor'easters, it stands up to our recent climate-fueled wind storms. Negative, it's very old wood, and if it ever caught fire it would burn to the ground in minutes. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melanie32 Posted June 14 Author Share Posted June 14 11 hours ago, Ottakee said: Beautiful. I love the built ins and the porch. Are those hardwood floors? They are partly maple, partly vinyl. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melanie32 Posted June 14 Author Share Posted June 14 9 hours ago, cintinative said: That house is gorgeous!! One thing I thought of is the whole hurricane windows thing. Do you know the situation? Because for my relative in S. Florida--IF they replace a window, they must use the hurricane proof kind which are $$$$. Now that may be a geographic thing based on where you live in the state, but it's worth asking. This relative just remodeled their kitchen, and because of the new countertop and configuration they needed a new window which required them to get the hurricane glass. There were other things they had to bring up to code too--their house was built in the 1980s I think though. Also house insurance in FL can be astronomical in some areas. It might be worth asking around about how hard it is to get a new policy. You might already be in FL though. 😃 Yes we have always lived in Florida and had our windows replaced recently so we are familiar with this policy. House insurance here is insane. Insuring this house would at least double our current insurance costs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melanie32 Posted June 14 Author Share Posted June 14 This all seems like a bit much for me tbh. I am used to a low maintenance home and don’t know if this house is more than we can handle. We probably won’t get it but man I would love living in it if it didn’t seem like such a big undertaking. My husband is fairly handy but does not enjoy fixing things. I’ve been reading more and the house has wooden siding which seems to need a lot of upkeep as well. Also I’ve read that it’s very hard to know what kind of plumbing and electrical work there is in the walls as you can’t see it. This is the third time this house has been up for sale in the last 4 years and that seems worrisome as well. I’ve read you have to be very careful in how you insulate these old homes as they were designed to breathe and will trap moisture if you insulate the incorrectly. Would we even know about this until it was too late? This morning it all seems a bit scary! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy2BaMom Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 I don't have time to read through other's responses, but just wanted to say that we bought a 100-yo farmhouse two years ago, and spent ~$300K fixing electrical, plumbing, structural, insulation, vermiculite, younameit issues (on top of house cost). We did know the house had significant issues, but we still blew through our budget.....as just one example, when we had our upstairs bathroom re-done, when the flooring was pulled the plumber discovered that all of the plumbing in that bathroom was not just not to code, but also using the wrong kind of piping (soft copper....known to spring leaks over time) and it was put together completely incorrectly (obviously a DIY-job done badly). There is no way to have known about the extent of those issues without having the flooring torn out. The plumber then spent FIVE DAYS completely re-plumbing the lines from the basement up through to the tub and sinks. Many of our electrical/plumbing/insulation issues were not able to be fully assessed until some (~1/3) of the drywall came down and the flooring (nearly all of it) came up. While I totally agree on the need for expert plumbing & electrical inspections (if you can find someone), they may be limited in what they can assess if they can't access or view what is behind a wall or under a floor. The fact that the interior of the house has been redone hamstrings you (& the inspectors) in being able to truly assess the bones of the house & systems. That may or may not have been deliberately, but it creates a conundrum....pay top price for a beautifully re-done house that prevents you from full assessment? Take the chance you'll have to rip out some of that work to fix basic items? It's a gamble. Not sure what I would advise, although I think it depends on how flexible your budget it over time. PS. We are still very glad we bought our house (& would do it again) & the land it came with, but it was an enormous undertaking and became my full-time job. We also were able to absorb the budget hits. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innisfree Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 1 hour ago, Happy2BaMom said: The fact that the interior of the house has been redone hamstrings you (& the inspectors) in being able to truly assess the bones of the house & systems Emphatically agree. I spent years looking at potential houses for us to buy, knowing we were interested in an old one. The ones that I still think would have been easiest to handle were two that had already been completely gutted, with the structure exposed. We could have gone in and started with new plumbing, wiring, etc., and known what was in every wall and the condition of every structural member. Dh was intimidated by the scope of that job, but I think it would have been easier and safer than buying a house that looked more finished. I still love original surfaces and wouldn’t gut a house without genuine need, but there are advantages. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinball Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 14 hours ago, Faith-manor said: You don't understand the condition of this home. The bones, as they say, are not good. It cannot be made a healthy place for a family to live. It was two cottages, one moved to the site from another property, bolted together with no central heating. That did mold in the walls where the two join, and has tested positive for asbetos. Your post seems to assume I have no use for historic architecture despite the fact that I currently live in a 125 year old Methodist church with stained glass windows. That doesn't change that fact that my mother's house is a VERY bad home, and many old homes are equally as unhealthy. Mine is not. Mine is also had no market value for re-sale, as is the same for many architecturally beautiful homes in our area, because young people with families very much fear the consequences once such buildings begin to fail. It takes A LOT of capitol to keep them up, ask any historical society, and there aren't grants to homeowners to help you save these buildings. Again, I am someone who in a perfect world would keep the old world charm, and high ceilings that make home far less energy efficient, and wood moldings, leaded glass windows, the whole shebang. My mother's house has none of these charms. It is a health nightmare. If a house is so unlivable that it needs to be bulldozed, I certainly wouldn’t let my mother or anyone I care about live in it. If it’s uninhabited that extent, you’re lucky you’re not getting notices taped to the door 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 Skimmed the responses... In some areas, it's the primary choice. Our house was built in 1910, I think. It's still got great bones. Of course there are issues, but we wanted to live here and I don't regret it. But I agree with others that everything takes more money than you expect. I'd actually be *more* suspicious of a house that had a real gut job like that. I know when my plumbing and wiring were put in and it may be old, but I know what it is. With gut jobs, they can often make it look pretty, but build in a ton more big underlying issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 (edited) 16 hours ago, Faith-manor said: You don't understand the condition of this home. The bones, as they say, are not good. It cannot be made a healthy place for a family to live. It was two cottages, one moved to the site from another property, bolted together with no central heating. That did mold in the walls where the two join, and has tested positive for asbetos. ... My mother's house has none of these charms. It is a health nightmare. Wow! It sounds like the health department should condemn it! If someone took the time to test it for asbestos and mold, why wasn't the mitigation ever done? Edited June 14 by Catwoman Complete sentences are a real thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 5 hours ago, Melanie32 said: This all seems like a bit much for me tbh. I am used to a low maintenance home and don’t know if this house is more than we can handle. We probably won’t get it but man I would love living in it if it didn’t seem like such a big undertaking. My husband is fairly handy but does not enjoy fixing things. I’ve been reading more and the house has wooden siding which seems to need a lot of upkeep as well. Also I’ve read that it’s very hard to know what kind of plumbing and electrical work there is in the walls as you can’t see it. This is the third time this house has been up for sale in the last 4 years and that seems worrisome as well. I’ve read you have to be very careful in how you insulate these old homes as they were designed to breathe and will trap moisture if you insulate the incorrectly. Would we even know about this until it was too late? This morning it all seems a bit scary! The biggest red flag of all is that it has been up for sale 3 times in 4 years. As gorgeous as it is, I would RUN away from that house based on that one detail alone. I'm sorry. 😞 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambam Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 It is my understanding that many of the popcorn ceilings put in the 50s-80s have asbestos in them. I think many folks are still living in these houses, and if you don't damage/work on them, it isn't that big of an issue (I could be wrong, btw). Certainly these homes aren't being condemned just because they have asbestos in the ceiling tiles. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 1 hour ago, Catwoman said: The biggest red flag of all is that it has been up for sale 3 times in 4 years. As gorgeous as it is, I would RUN away from that house based on that one detail alone. I'm sorry. 😞 Same. I could see sale to a flipper and back up again, but three times in four years is a huge red flag. I’d really try to make sense of that through title records (death? divorce? flip?) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 1 hour ago, Bambam said: It is my understanding that many of the popcorn ceilings put in the 50s-80s have asbestos in them. I think many folks are still living in these houses, and if you don't damage/work on them, it isn't that big of an issue (I could be wrong, btw). Certainly these homes aren't being condemned just because they have asbestos in the ceiling tiles. Oh, I agree with you! 🙂 The only reason I said that Faith’s mom‘s house should probably be condemned was because she makes it sound like it’s in such terrible condition that it’s practically ready to fall down around her mom at any time. She said it’s a “health nightmare” and cannot be fixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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