buying a house: how old is too old?

[CleverNickname]

I won't be in the market for a while yet, but I hear wedding bells in my future and inherited enough to do a massive down payment. I like neighborhoods close in (Austin), and schools wouldn't be a major issues for another 7-10 years in any case. But are neighborhoods like Allendale and similar worthwhile if the houses were built in the 50s, 60s and early 70s? How much of a headache are they, i.e. lack of energy efficiency, roof issues, foundation, etc? If a house has a newer roof & a good slab do you basically assume its going to be easy to care for, or do you keep a large kitty in case of home emergency? Sorry for all the questions, but I know some older horns can set me straight. Oh, and one last thing:

 

[ldogg53]

I just bought a house in Houston that was built in 1960... it's a very solid house and should be fairly energy efficient with a newer HVAC system and more insulation in the attic...

my office is a 1925 Victorian home on blocks... a very solid house, but the floor is insulated poorly and causes high utility bills.. otherwise for the past 18 months it has been great..

get a reputable inspector to check out the property for you... be there for the inspection and ask every question imaginable... this is very important... you could either be walking into a great investment or a money pit.. a knowledgable inspector can help you determine that..

 

[Sasquatch69]

We bought a 1955 pier-and-beam brick home six months ago, and as mentioned above, if you make sure it has been well-maintained and updated where necessary, an older home can be a great investment (they are often in close-in gentrified neighborhoods and frequently have a lot more character than new homes).

In addition to making sure the HVAC system is in good shape and efficient, and the insulation is in place, I also recommend buying a pier-and-beam rather than a slab if you can find it. They are less susceptible to damage from shifting soils, and the air flow underneath the home helps keep it cool during Texas summers. Only thing to remember (and we learned this the hard way a few weeks ago during the sub-freezing weather in D/FW) is that you need to buy those inexpensive metal plates that screw over the air vents to the crawlspace that are located along the sides of the house - this will keep the crawlspace from getting VERY cold and negating some of the effects of heat inside your home.

 

[Macanudo]

Too old