Old House Issues

Recycling an old house is a wonderful reuse of space and materials and a worthwhile undertaking. You have to be prepared, though, for the challenges as well as the rewards. Recently I helped a couple looking for a larger home in a mature neighborhood. They were preparing for both children to come and the possibility of long visits from extended family. Two great houses both turned out to have big renovation issues. While they had planned for things like replacing floors, windows and perhaps renovating a kitchen....we had found a house with aluminum wiring. Now THAT is a major renovation issue we had not planned for! While many of the 2 million or more homes with aluminum wiring never have a problems, a significant number do and the risk of fire is high.
The other house also had a problem not planned for but infinitely easier to solve; still expensive but simpler to deal with and not as critical. The concrete block retaining walls were bulging on three sides of the property. Fortunately, they could be dealt with in several different ways over time and since the house is not on a slope or built into a hill it was a much less serious problem.
For information about aluminum wiring use the link above.

House hHunting

What should you look for in a house? It depends on how much you are willing to do after buying it and what is most important to you. Right now, I am helping a couple whose bottom line is square footage. If the house is structurally sound and in a decent neighborhood they are willing to fix it up to get what they want as long as they can buy it for an amount that leaves them with enogh cash to do the work.
On the other hand, I also have a client who remodeled and sold the last two houses he lived in and he only wants a small townhouse that he can move into with no work whatsoever. He is willing to pay a premium price to do that but he also has strict limitations on where her wants to live. Both of these situation offer examples of people who have already met the most difficult challenge of finding a home...they have decided exactly what they want.
In recycling homes, I have found that one person may be selling their home to escape exactly what a buyer is seeking. People are different and their needs are different. No house is perfect for a given individual but the work you are willing, or not willing to do can determine how close you come to finding someplace to call home.