Some Advantages and Disadvantages of Buying an Older Home

A lot of people think that buying a new home has a lot of great advantages over buying an older home. These days, as the difference in cost between new and old homes become narrower, the question becomes more pertinent. What kind of advantages and disadvantages do you look at when thinking about buying an older home?

Let’s say for example that you’re looking at Mooresville homes for sale and are trying to decide whether or not to buy this gorgeous albeit old Mooresville real estate property. To help you decide, here are a few positive points with buying an older house:

1. Old style constructions – One of the beautiful things about old homes is the amount of meticulous labor that went into it. You’ll find a lot of old homes that still stand and are still beautiful precisely because of the craftsmanship that went into it. Old-style appeal, when further enhanced by regular maintenance, can really give a house a certain charm that’s noticeable. Dated architecture in popular styles of the period also has a lot more character. There’s really something special about owning a classically beautiful house.

2. Living near long-term neighbors – Old houses oftentimes come with long-term neighbors who grew up in the community. It makes for a good, family-oriented and oftentimes safer environment.

3. Some measure of security in terms of changes in the neighborhood – If you buy a house in an old neighborhood, zoning changes aren’t likely to change much over the years. This means that if you’re living in a largely residential and old neighborhood, it’s unlikely that too many commercial establishments will get included in the mix. Mostly because they don’t fare too well in old neighborhoods.

4. Spacious yards – Most old-style homes have houses that are built on large yards. This is because land was cheaper years ago. Having this much room can mean a great deal for you. It could mean additional space for the kids and the pets to romp about, or an additional garage or house extension, a gazebo or maybe even an additional building for a separate office or library.

If there are positive points, there are also some drawbacks to buying an old house.

1. Ongoing maintenance. – As with any kind of house, old houses require maintenance. Since they’re old and a lot of the systems and materials used may not be readily available anymore, maintenance can be more expensive than usual.

2. Repairing systems may be more expensive. – If there’s something that needs to be replaced in the wirings, plumbings, and the likes, it may be more expensive because the system is different from newer ones.

3. Smaller closets. – Old-style houses tend to have smaller closet spaces to accommodate bigger rooms and garages.

4. Often more expensive than new homes – Older homes are often situated near schools, mass transportations, and other important establishments. As such, they can be more expensive than new homes.