If you had a choice between a 62 year old house - Update - FLOOD. ZONE!

[TexasBushwhacker]

Last edited Sat Nov 21, 2020, 08:57 PM - Edit history (1)

and as new house, equivalent square footage, etc, which would you prefer?

The 62 year old house has been renovated already, has its original hardwood floors (refinished), is less than a mile away from my old high school, 15 minutes to work and close to friends and relatives, but not my "person", my youngest brother, who lives 45 minutes away.

The new houses are new! Not much personality, no landscaping, but more energy efficient and closer to my brother, but farther from work.

I sold my last house over 20 years ago and have been a renter since but interest rates have got me itching to be a home owner again.

Thoughts?

**-******

Flood zone -oh well

[blm]

1. If you work 5-6 days a week, how often do you see your brother?

(I’m an original hardwood floors type person.)

[Arne]

2. Be careful of associations, fees and taxes. They byte.

[elleng]

3. 62 year old house.

Living in a 100+ year old house, as I'd done for 20+ years wherein we raised our family (DC,) so well used to such; no fear that they would/will 'collapse!' Interesting, my/our daughters are living in 'new' houses, and raising their kids there. (I rent now, too.)

[LeftInTX]

4. A home built in 1958 is a good quality home.

Now my son, bought one that was built in 1928...on a pier and beam with critters under it...rats running around the neighborhood, and he paid up the wazoo cuz it's in a gentrified area and the next door neighbor is basically a junk collector....I don't get "get it"...$268,000 for a 1200 sq ft bungalow. Our home was custom built in 1980 and is appraised at $230,000. We've got 2200 sq ft. We're both in San Antonio.

[mr_lebowski]

5. I'd be inclined to get the newer house given 62 y.o. that's 1958 yeah?

Typically houses of that era aren't really my bag, but it would depend on how much character it has.

If I'm going to live in an OLD house I generally like 'em a bit older than that. 20's-40's. As long as it still has a lot of the accoutrements of that era though (or is restored, but still looks like that era).

But there's some cool 1950's-1960's places too.

[TexasBushwhacker]

12. It's Mid Century Modern

And has a massive live oak in the front yard. Both are pluses in my book.

[leighbythesea2]

6. Prefer older houses myself

And you must like them or you would not be considering it. However, if your brother is your person, would say go new, near him. ? Proximity to a good friend or family is a nice thing.

[raging moderate]

7. Pick the house closer to your job.

Every morning, when you leave for work, you will thank yourself again. And again. And again.
If most of your family lives near there, maybe your brother will move closer again.

Signed,
Been there. Moved close to job. It was GREAT. EVERY DAY.

Oh, and old hardwood floors ROCK.

[CentralMass]

19. There is some truth to that..

[Rhiannon12866]

22. I agree on all counts, especially of you live in an area prone to bad weather

[Hoyt]

8. I love a house with character, trees, established neighborhood, etc. But when

it was time to semi-retire, it made sense to get a small energy efficient and low maintenance place where I could expect minimal upkeep for 10 years or so. Plus, my Lay Friend has kids and grandkids close by.

[TexasBushwhacker]

17. It's only 1700 sf, and the lot is less than 10K sf

It does have a covered patio though, which is nice for Houston"s heat.

It's funny. When my family moved into the area in 1965, it was the edge of town. On quiet nights you could hear the cows from a couple of miles away. But now it's considered close in! And my job is further out in the burbs, so I would be going against traffic.

[LuckyCharms]

9. I live in a 65 year old home

that has been remodeled extensively by both myself and by contractors. It's beautiful, and it has good bones.

I get into a lot of discussions with contractors, and many have told me that new homes today are in their words, "pieces of shit".

I don't necessarily agree with this, but I do think you have to be careful with new homes today. Everything depends upon which builder is used. You need a builder who focuses on quality rather than speed of production. If the cost to build per square foot is low, then that means quality materials were not used, and not a lot of labor was expended to throw the house together.

So many factors to consider though, such as location, as you discussed.

Little things. I just had my bathroom remodeled. There was a light fixture above the mirror that was replaced. Before the contractor removed the old fixture, he said "I'll bet you there is not an electrical box behind that fixture, and there is just a Romex cable coming out of a hole in the wall". I told him I could pretty much guarantee him that there was a properly grounded box behind the fixture (I knew, because I installed the original), and asked him why he would assume that there was no box.

His comment? "I've had to re-do work done by other contractors on million dollar new homes that have badly wired fixtures, with no electrical box, and the wrong gauge cable, and every code violation you can imagine. Some of these guys cut corners wherever they can, they get through a lazy inspection, and then all the shit has to be re-done later". Just some food for thought.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. The old one, definitely.

Unless you pay for top-of-the-line construction, new houses tend not to be as well-built (hollow doors!), although the insulation will be better and you won't have to do as much maintenance initially. My house is 135 years old and has lots of unique quirks (and of course has needed lots of fixing up), but I love the quirks, the hardwood floors, the solid doors, the intricate woodwork and the weird stairway. I did have to remodel the bathroom and the kitchen, which was kind of awful.

[LuckyCharms]

16. Solid doors rock!

My home had hollow doors. I replaced all 10 of them myself with factory finished solid oak 6-panel doors with solid oak jambs and solid oak trim.

Some of the closets have louvered bi-folds that I had professionally spray painted. I tore out the old jambs, ripped new oak jambs, hand finished them, and hung the newly painted louvered doors on the new jambs with new oak trim. Added a 3/4' piece of oak to cover the bi-fold track at the top.

I redid my whole kitchen over a 10 month period. The cabinets were builder's grade oak, and the cabinet doors were crappy oak veneer over particle board. 32 cabinet doors and drawers. Threw out the old doors/drawers and replaced them with factory finished 3/4" hard maple through and through. I refaced the cabinet face frames with solid hard maple, 1/4" inch thick. Same with the end panels. Beefed up the particle board by adding a 1/4" birch plywood sub-panel to get rid of the face frame lip, then slapped on factory finished 1/4" hard maple over that. End panels and face frames are now a full 1" thick lol. Added light rail molding to upgrade these cheap builder's grade cabinets to furniture grade. Added under cabinet lighting, natural stone back splash, and new quartz counter top. Had the kitchen hardwood floor refinished by a contractor (2 1/4" oak strips run on the diagonal in the kitchen). Came out so gorgeous that the company that supplied me the cabinet doors and refacing maple put pictures up on their company website.

Nothing beats an older home that has been remodeled with real wood! If the house has good bones, you can remodel it into something that no new home can rival.

Your house sounds like it is lovely! I'll take your home over a newer home anyday!

[Phoenix61]

11. Definitely older home. I've spent the last 6 years

slowly renovating a 1948 house. Only downside is teeny, tiny closets in the bedrooms. Folks didn’t have a lot of cloths back then I guess. The short drive to and from work would be very nice. Maybe even slip home for lunch?

[TexasBushwhacker]

14. I'm not big on massive closets

I'm definitely a minimalist when it comes to wardrobe. Big, walk in closets just invite you to accumulate stuff. I know. My mother's 4 bedroom house was filled to the ceiling with we organized STUFF, including clothes she hadn't worn in 20 years.

[MissB]

13. Another vote for the house with good bones.

Last edited Sat Nov 21, 2020, 08:11 AM - Edit history (1)

You can always insulate and get better windows in the old house. You can’t get a new house to be built as well as the old one.

Ours is approaching 100 years. Great bones.

We’ve ripped off exterior siding in several places. It’s always nice to see what is underneath and believe me it isn’t plywood. I love it when we tear open the walls of room, exposing the old lumber.

We are handy though and don’t mind the work etc. we are also patient as hell and perfectly fine with living in a construction zone for years on end.

I don’t love much about newer houses.

[OregonBlue]

15. Modern houses tend to be built with very flimsy materials. In 1958, the wood used was still actual

2x4 constuction and was properly cured so it didn't warp. It is plain scary to see that walls are being constructed with these days. I'd go for the older home with the live oak!!

[Codeine]

18. A house is a box to keep the rain off your shit.

“Character” is a ridiculous consideration. Choose the efficiency, choose the modern wiring, choose the modern plumbing.

[pansypoo53219]

20. 1920's better. i do estate sales. my favorite era. 1915ish good too.

[Wolf Frankula]

21. That's a new house to me.

I live in a house that's 112 years old.

Wolf

[Laffy Kat]

23. I've had several new houses and two older.

Older homes have more character and their own personality. OTOH, there are fewer problems in the new houses. I'm in a new home now, but I always enjoy looking at the older homes here in town.

[flor-de-jasmim]

24. If the plumbing and wiring were updated, the older one.

If not, I would still want to have it looked into.

Being close to work is a big plus.
Character of a house can be important, particularly in the winter.
Will you let us know what you decide?

[Sedona]

25. Buy the old house AND a good home warranty

I'm in a 50 year old four sided brick split level and the $800 a year has paid for itself over and over again.

I'm a Realtor licensed in three states.

There's lots other to consider beside age and location.

PM me for free advice if you like. Im happy to help

[sinkingfeeling]

27. For me, it's an easy pick. The older a home, the better. I

just sold my 162 year old house that I had completely renovated over 29 years.

You can never find the character nor quality of workmanship in a new one.

[Lars39]

28. Is the older house part of a subdivision?

If so, it was most likely built very quickly, but not necessarily well. Also, was electrical and plumbing redone in renovations? Does it have any popcorn ceilings(asbestos)? New windows?

[panader0]

29. I would be inclined to pick the old house.

I've worked in construction since 1970, and new houses, especially tract homes, are not as well-built
as older houses. But I would have a qualified inspector, or a reliable contractor inspect the house first.
Foundation, roof, plumbing and electric. New features, including better insulation or fixtures can be added
as you go. There are many factors to consider, taxes, neighborhood, etc. But I am a big fan of the oak tree.

[TuxedoKat]

30. Is older house

a ranch. Does it have more acreage. If so, go with that. Older houses can be made more energy efficient. You and your brother can meet up in the middle or go on other outings together and discover new places together. 45 minutes isn’t long. I have a 90 minute commute. Mid century modern houses are great too.

My house is almost 100 years old. With renovations and addition it’s like a brand new home.

[Fla Dem]

31. I would like to go with the older house. But when you say renovated what did that include and when?

New Kitchen, baths, was electrical wiring redone? Has plumbing been updated? Any dry rot or water damage? Assuming you will have an inspection done, and don't go with the one the realtor suggests.

Depending on your age, the newer home may be better. Less chances of needing repairs and upgrades within the next 10 years. You have a blank slate to create your own "character".

While you said the commute may be longer, how much? A 30-40 minute drive is not unreasonable. I would also look at the amenities in the immediate area of both houses. How far to a supermarket, other stores, drug stores, hospitals and your doctors/dentist office, churches, gyms restaurants, etc.

Being close to family and friends may be the greatest influencer. As we get older it comforting to be able to easily get together with friends and family and have them near in an emergency; yours or theirs. So being closer to "your person" may the deciding factor. But again, how much closer to him, versus how much further away from the others. Tough decision. Good luck

[Niagara]

32. My thoughts.

It's difficult to help you make a decision without exterior and interior images of both houses.



If I were you I would consider hiring a private home inspector to look for possible expensive repairs in the near future for both houses. The mid century has been renovated, but does it have termites or will it need a new roof within a few years? Did they repair any potential plumbing problems during reno? How far away from work is the newer house?



I'm not a fan of large trees that can topple on top of a house during a 70mph wind or snowstorm. I prefer trees that don't tower over a home like a Jane Magnolia or a Knock Out Rose Tree.


You can always put personality into a newer home. Paint goes a long way to add your own touches and making improvements. Ugly kitchen cabinets can be painted over or can be covered with contact paper. You can always have waterproof laminate flooring put into the newer house to make it look like hardwood floors. I've been wanting to build custom built in bookcases and laminate looking hardwood flooring in my home for awhile now. This image that I'm including is the type of built in bookcase that I would love to have.

[TexasBushwhacker]

34. I have a friend who built something similar

using IKEA bookcases, adding crown and trim molding.

[Niagara]

38. Nice

I've watched quite a few how to videos on YouTube for building these. I'm not sure that I have the confidence to create something this spectacular. One day I will figure it out or possibly hire someone to help me.

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

33. Old house! Ive never lived in a house newer than 1935 and never will - "energy efficient" is

over-rated. The supposed "energy efficiency" of a new house does not take into account the planned obsolence factor and energy waste that occurs when things like windows and doors are not repairable and can only be replaced. Theres various ways of retrofitting and addressing heat loss in an old house.

That said, theres a lot of variables, and a lot renovations of old houses that werent done very well. Some were hopelessly "remuddled" and have very little left of the original architecture..... so it kinda depends on the specifics of the houses in question. Conceivably I might pick the new one if I liked it better and it was an all-around nicer house.

[Wicked Blue]

35. Newer houses are built like cardboard

Our house was built in 1967 with hardwood floors, real tiles, etc.

I'd go over the older house thoroughly with a well-recommended home inspector.

[TexasBushwhacker]

36. It's a NO GO. It's in a major flood zone

While they say it's never flooded, flood insurance would make it unaffordable. I went through Harvey and was stranded at my apartment for 10 days. I will not live in a flood zone!

[Niagara]

37. Awwww. Bummer.

You sounded excited about having your own home again. Keep looking and best wishes to you.

[bluecollar2]

39. Texas

Slab foundation on clay?

Walk away.

[TexasBushwhacker]

40. That's pretty much how they build them here n/t