Monday, Dec 20th 2010
Buying an older home
Buying an older home
What are the processes to go through when purchasing an older home.
1)What are some of the key factors to think about before or after buying an older home?
Think about them before you buy it. After you buy it is too late. That would be like buying a used car without having a trusted auto mechanic inspect it and take it for a test drive.
Get an inspection done by a referred home inspection company other than your realtor’s and then work with a referred licensed contractor/handyman to determine what really needs to be repaired from that inspection before you buy it. Some items an inspector is forced to document to protect himself and his insurance and can be nitpicky at best. Everything else on the report will be cosmetic and/or safety issues that do need to be taken care of, or might need to be done to secure financing. These costs can be negotiated as part of the purchase of the home and have some or all of the work completed before closing depending on who is paying for it.
2)What areas should I check first to ensure I'm not going to run into any problems?
Your inspector will cover the major ones in the report. Structural, electrical, plumbing, moisture damage, evidence of pest infestation or damage caused from pests and/or wood destroying organisms, drainage, roofing, heating/cooling, and anything else visible during that inspection that is notable..
3)What should be the priority order of getting items repaired/fixed in my new home?
Safety items first, cosmetic second.
4)How can I determine if I have wiring issues aside from waiting for something to break?
This goes back to the inspection. Our company did a complete gut and rebuild of a home in Everett, that someone overloaded a circuit in the garage, and the breaker didn’t trip causing a fire that did $115,000 worth of damage that took two months to complete. When we got done gutting this home, the only thing left was the exterior wall studs, siding, roof trusses and the sheathing on top of the trusses. All windows, doors, wiring, drywall, flooring, roof, insulation, cabinetry, fixtures, etc. all were damaged from water and smoke. Electricity can be your friend if handled correctly and safely. It can cause lots of damage or worse if not respected.
5)How can I determine if I have plumbing issues aside from waiting for something to break?
Previous to a purchase, the inspection would identify any current issues. Once you own the home, inspect of have someone inspect all areas in the home where plumbing is accessible and visible, to include attics, crawlspaces, and in the garage. Where pipe, etc. run through walls, look for evidence of staining or water damage/leaks. Quarterly inspections by the homeowner and a yearly complete inspection is recommended.
6)What about insulation, windows and the furnace? How do I ensure I'm going to be okay through the winter?
Insulation:
Age of the home will most likely determine the R value of the insulation in the walls of the home unless it has had extensive remodeling done. The higher the R value number, the better the resistance to allowing heat or cold into the home. The rest of the home that is accessible, like the crawl space and attic, possibly could have been upgraded or not. We recommend R38 or higher in attics, R21 for walls/crawlspaces where possible depending on the depth of the space. We definitely recommend having non-insulated areas dealt with right away to conserve energy and reduce heating and cooling costs. Some insulation is better than none. Some older homes that have not been upgraded could potentially have minimal or no insulation in the attic or crawl, and as little as R7 in the walls if any. It really wasn’t until the mid to late seventies that home started to be built with additional R value. A home built in 1972, as an example, was built with R7 in the walls and R13 in the attic. Current code is R21 for walls and R38 for attics.
Windows:
Vinyl or wood framed windows are better than aluminum because they don’t radiate the outside temp.(heat/cold), like aluminum framed windows do. Dual pane (two sheets of glass with an air space in between) is better than single pane windows for better insulation value as well as sound. On new windows, look for a Low E rating to insure they are rated low energy. If you don’t know if the windows in a home are dual pane or not, take a lighter or match and put it next to the window. If you see a reflection in the second pane, it is a dual pane window.
HVAC:
Furnace or HVAC/heat pump should have filters cleaned minimum monthly and a maintenance service done by a qualified technician annually or whatever the manual for your system specifies it is required. A well maintained system will save you in the long run on energy costs as well as repair bills. Dirt and dust is not the friend of a HVAC system or furnace. Just like changing the oil and filters in your car, you need to change and/or clean t
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