Q: I have a house-hunting question for you. What do you look for? What do you look past? Help! My main complaint of all the older homes that we’re looking at in our price range is that they all feel dated, but that seems to be what you guys look for. How do you know which dated houses are worth buying and which ones are lost causes? I keep worrying we’ll end up in a money pit! – Aviva (not the one from Housewives of NY).
A: First of all, I’m glad you clarified that you’re not NYC Aviva. Haha. And second of all, we actually get this question a lot. So when it comes to what we “look past” in a house (and what we pay attention to) my general answer is to never be deterred by the following things:
- baaaad paint on the walls or the trim
- nasty wallpaper (borders, or entire walls)
- dated or not-your-style furniture
- ugly curtains
- dark brick or paneling
- not-your-cup-of-tea light fixtures
- green/blue/pink toilets
For example, here are a few before photos of our first house to further demonstrate how off-putting those dated features can be… but we all know they can be remedied with a little elbow grease if you’re a willing DIYer:
As for what we always try to pay attention to or look for, it’s mainly:
- the neighborhood (can’t move a house after you buy it)
- the overall layout (you can adjust some things, but repositioning every room gets pricey)
- the size of rooms and number of bathrooms, which is another hard-to-change factor (ex: if it has too-small bedrooms or one bathroom when you need two, you probably want to keep looking)
- things like ceiling height and window placement (which aren’t always easy to change)
- interesting architecture, like a fireplace, ceiling beams, etc
- the terrain of your lot (a steep drop off in the back isn’t exactly simple to fill in, etc)
Here are some photos of our first house that demonstrated some of those great “diamonds” that we saw in the rough. For example, the same room that showed dated brick and paneling also sports a nice cozy centered fireplace along with architectural beams overhead:
Which meant that once we painted all the dark wood and brick, it completely changed the feel of the room:
Another great selling feature for us was the lot itself. It was nearly an acre (something you can’t change once you buy a house) with a nice flat and wooded backyard:
All that landscaping was a more than a little rough to stay on top of, but since we had a nice level lot that was private and wooded in the back, we knew it had tons of potential. And thanks to craigslist we got folks to dig stuff up for free (by posting you-dig-it-up-and-it’s-yours ads like this, which even worked for all that pea gravel) and we ended up with a nice easy-to-maintain yard that made us (and especially Burger) endlessly happy:
So although we’re hardly pro house-hunters (we’ve only done it two times), I think we’ve learned that the sweet spot for us is to completely ignore things we know we can change. If the walls are a color we don’t like, we don’t even pay attention since we know it can easily and affordably be updated. Same for the color of cabinets that we can potentially paint, or wallpaper that we can remove. Things that we can’t change as easily are what we pay the most attention to (ex: the floor plan of a house, the location of the kitchen and all the windows, the size of the bedrooms) – you know, things that would be a lot of money, and trouble, to alter.
For those who have a harder time seeing past the bad cosmetic things (like dated curtains and crusty old wallpaper) it probably helps to look at inspiration images in magazines, online, etc and save things that you love (in a binder, on Pinterest, etc). Then stare at them to see if any of those rooms could inspire something. For example, if you see a room that looks totally different than a potential home’s living room but look closer and realize it’s the same size and shape, you could totally repaint and hang curtains and otherwise decorate it to get that look in your space. Know what I mean?
Update: Oh and as for avoiding a money pit with structural issues or other expensive upgrades you didn’t see coming, we definitely value getting a thorough inspection! Of course they can’t always catch everything, but we’d never buy a house without one and you definitely have much higher odds of finding potential issues (and then being able to opt out of the purchase) than if you skipped the inspection. We hire someone super thorough who is highly recommended and in each case he spent a minimum of 3+ hours crawling under the house, on the roof, looking into vents, etc – our guy got verrry friendly with each house. It can definitely keep you from ending up with a lemon! At least for our two house purchases it has worked out well.
So what about you guys. What do you look for or look past when it comes to house hunting? Do you make must-have lists and must-not-have lists along with nice-to-have lists? It’s definitely smart because that way you won’t let something on the nice-to-have list creep into your brain and convince you buy a house that’s missing a few of the must-haves.
Nichole K says
As usual, I agree with everything Sherry said! Although it wasn’t our original plan, we couldn’t find anything we liked in an older home and ended up building from scratch after we found a floor plan we liked in a new development. Happy house hunting everyone!
Emily Hester says
I like to make sure the main living spaces get plenty of natural light. A well lit room can really boost your mood! Our last house had a fairly dim kitchen and living area but bright bedrooms – exactly the opposite of how I think it should be since we spend most of the day in the kitchen and living area.
Megan L. says
I totally agree with all of the above! I would also say that houses built in the 1980’s are often a great bet: the electrical is modern enough that you would be stuck upgrading all of that, same thing with the pluming, insulation, etc. You also don’t have to worry (as much) about lead paint, and there’s less of a chance of asbestos.
Megan L. says
crap. “you WON’T be stuck upgrading” not *would* :)
Emily says
But how do you differentiate between a house that is just superficially outdated vs. a house that hasn’t been taken care of and will prove to have big unseen issues? The inspection? Or it’s always a gamble?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, an inspection!!!! We would never buy a house without one. We hire someone super thorough who is highly recommended and they spend a minimum of 3+ hours crawling under the house, on the roof, looking into vents, etc – our guy gets verrry friendly with the house. It definitely keeps you from ending up with a lemon! At least for our two purchases it has worked out well. Also I think older homes have stood the test of time – especially brick homes – so they’re not going to fall down when the wind blows, ya know?
xo
s
Emily R says
I’d never buy a house without an inspection. And if they find some serious faults you can back out of the purchase.
Most newer homes (1950s +) constructed with brick are really just wood frame with a brick veneer (or depending on the area of the country CMU with brick veneer). You have to go back pretty far to find a home that’s built out of weight bearing brick (1850’s).
Paige says
There are some simple things you can look for before you hire an inspector. Look for signs of water damage, like darkened wood floors, brittle baseboards or door casings, darkened spots on the ceilings, and/or a damp, musty smell (most common in basements). These could be signs of bigger problems that you might not want to deal with in your home remodel, such as water leaks, mold, roof replacement, or termites. I also look for even, flat, sturdy floors with little sagging, as a significant dip in a floor could be a foundational problem. All these things are technically fixable, it just depends on how invested you want to be in a house project, whether it be through your time or your money. But a little “pre-inspection” like this in no way is a substitute for an actual home inspection!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, very smart! Try to get a selling agent with eyes like a hawk! We loved that she would point out flaws to us and advocate for us instead of acting like everyone house was perfect in the hopes that we’d just buy one without thinking about it!
xo
s
meganleiann says
Funny you say that. I have a fear of brick homes living in earthquake country!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah, I bet there’s lots of regional stuff! I’m learning so much from people’s comments about the types of heat or roofing or construction that’s desirable in certain areas!
xo
s
Ashleigh H. says
Although it will be a few years before I’m out of college and ready to look for homes with my OH, I still love looking at places for sale online. This post was very insightful and alleviated some of the concerns I had about the possibility of purchasing an older home!
Erin C says
I’m curious, did you guys consider not painting the beams in the old den? I think the exposed wood might look nice! Of course if the wood wasn’t in good shape I totally understand painting it.
YoungHouseLove says
We actually did everything but paint them and left them raw with all the walls and paneling and brick painted but it still looked bad. I was gunning for leaving them since it was less work- haha! Painting beams is a pain, but with everything else looking fresh they just looked old and orangey.
xo
s
bfish says
I agree with all of your points about what can, and can’t, be changed. I’m old and I’ve bought a lot of old houses so what I’d add is:
* Carpeting — can be changed but you have to consider the cost. House hunting for our second house, we were deterred by all red W2W carpeting in the downstairs of one home. This was a mistake as the house was beautiful in most other ways. We probably could have lived with the carpeting for a few years while saving up for wood floor refinishing.
* Wiring — another thing that scared me off in my earlier days of looking at old houses (1920s) was funky, rats-nest wiring. Now I realize it can be changed without breaking the bank; you are probably going to want to upgrade anyway as old houses often have only one outlet per room, inadequate wiring for A/C and modern appliances/technology, etc.
Unless you know a whole lot about construction and home building, employ an impartial home inspector to check out roof, structural issues, mechanical systems, etc. A multitude of sins can be hidden inside the walls. OTOH, if a beat-up house is cheap enough and it’s in your budget to make a lot of major repairs, it could be a good deal especially if the charm is there.
My personal must haves:
1. Lots of big trees and privacy — not close to other houses. This seems to be a Sherry and John strategy too, judging by their two houses so far!
2. Lots of windows — you can’t have too many windows IMO.
3. Fireplace — can’t make it through the winter without a fire every night to cheer me up (short days and cold weather bring me down).
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, yes, yes! I so agree with those three must haves!
xo
s
Emily E says
Agree about the electrical stuff. Our house was built in 1901, and while the electrical had been updated, it was in pretty bad shape. We talked the price down about $6k, and then ended up spending $1.5k to fix it all. Which wasn’t bad considering the house is in great shape for its age, and it’s in a great neighborhood. (I also think the paneling in just about every room deterred potential buyers).
YoungHouseLove says
That’s awesome! What a deal!
xo
s
Gabriella @ Our Life In Action says
These are all great tips. Thanks for sharing.
My big thing is anything that is cosmetic you can change. But like you said – if the neighborhood isn’t the best then I move on. One more thing that would be a deal breaker for me is a mutual driveway…if you have an inconsiderate neighbor then that can cause a lot of problems.
Tracie@MiddleClassMod says
Laundry. My first house (which was the first YHL house without the great built-on den!) had the laundry in the kitchen, and there was no way to move it without basically building a new room.
Also, decide what’s important to you. Some of the earlier posters suggested houses built around the 80s often don’t have issues with electric/etc but down here they often have huge issues in other areas because of their vinyl siding. I wouldn’t want to do deal with that, but I don’t mind dealing with low level electric/plumbing issues in an all brick house with a solid roof.
bfish says
Yes, several friends (in Petersiks’ neck of the woods, Chesterfield Co, VA) owning new 1980s houses with masonite (faux wood) siding had to replace much of it within 10-15 years due to rotting. (Disclaimer — I’m partial to houses built in first 1/3 of 20th century and believe construction got really shoddy after the 1950s/early 1960s, unless custom or high end (maybe).)
Emily says
I always like to be aware of the status of the bones – foundation, any water (or hints of water issues), insulation, age of heating/AC/water heater, age of roof, age of doors/windows, etc. Not sexy but can be expensive to replace, update, or fix.
Another item is floor material. Our lower main living level is on a concrete slab which didn’t seem a big deal, but I’ve learned over time that it gets really cold in the winter and it’s hard to stand on for long periods of time (like when you are doing some serious cooking).
Finally is the orientation of the house with respect to things like sun/shade. It’s important both for what you can and can’t plan and how quickly snow (if that’s a factor) will melt off your sidewalks. I’ve been so thankful we are on the sunny side of the street when we get big snows.
LisaOK says
I agree with you about sun/shade orientation of the house, but I always remember being jealous of the neighbors across the street when I was a kid. They had snow for weeks to play in/go sledding whereas ours melted far too fast. As an adult, I envy the fast melting side of the street!
Kitty says
Very good point that house orientation is very important – I wish we paid attention. We moved from Calif to PNW – didn’t have a clue and bought a house backing up to beautiful natural park/forest – it is gorgeous and no neighbors behind us BUT we are 5-10 degrees colder depending on the season and sun is hidden in cold months – brrrrrhhh. Wish we knew.
Plus in a freak windstorm on a freezing Nov night we ended up with tree on our house – $20k later all fixed (thanks to insurance) but what a hassle.
Next house, we will stay away from trees that can land on the house or block the sun or view.
Beth says
Location, location, location.
You can change your house. You cannot change your location.
It’s also a bit of knowing yourself and your priorities. Do you enjoy working on a house or would you prefer something move in ready (and are willing to pay for it)? What type of workload are you looking for in a fixer upper? Total gut job? Or just a few rooms that needs some small, cosmetic changes?
Sometimes assessing what you (and your partner) are really committed to / excited about is tricker to pin down than the house…That’s my two cents from the peanut gallery!
Meredith says
I think watching “Property Brothers” on HGTV gives a good perspective on this. Obviously they’re planning on taking on a lot of DIY, but they’re always pointing out good bones or a fabulous view as the house’s inherent potential and then showing how they’re going to rip out the carpet/knock down a wall/add landscaping to capitalize on that. Of course, I say this having never purchased a house myself, but you know…
Alix K says
Talk about everything you want A LOT (like a billion time), even if you are not actively looking… It does help that we are both working in real estate and houses are pretty much all we talk about all day! Our house was the one and only that we looked at. It was a REO with some serious issues but we were ready for it and it was priced low enough that, even after completely gutting it, we would still be way under what other comparables are selling for in our area. It was all about location, location, location. NOTHING beats the worse house in the best neighborhood.
Megan @ Rappsody in Rooms says
When house hunting I also think it is important to rank what is important to you too. Most likely you will have to compromise somewhere along the way, which is okay in this instance. Understand what you really need and then understand what you just want. Usually the wants can be addeded. So look for a house with your needs!
Ashley says
As an architecture degree graduate (although not yet licensed and all following advice should be at-your-own-risk- whew internet disclaimers):
Remember for future large scale changes to check your local building codes, setbacks, etc. You can talk with your local officials and a good local architect (usually for free) about ideas for a home BEFORE purchasing to get ideas of cost and feasibility. Don’t assume you can “add on a porch” without checking it out before the purchase. Also- here in Florida home insurance is a huge constant cost (thanks hurricanes), age of the home, wall construction (frame vs concrete block), age of the roof, even style of roof (hip versus gable) can all affect your monthly insurance costs.
Also a home inspection before purchase is so important!
Sherry is 100% right to ignore easy cosmetic changes, also remember to look deeper and find out about the components of your home you may not “notice” until they’re broken. I’d much rather spend money on home decor than faulty electric.
Thanks for another great blog post!
YoungHouseLove says
Great tips Ashley!
xo
s
Mamaw says
I’ve always loved your first living room. I had no idea what it looked like before you put your touch on it. That, in inself, is a huge inspiration! Good job!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks!
xo
s
Sarah | The Accidental Okie says
When we were house hunting, I think our parameters changed a bit. We’re in a college town, so house prices are higher than in other parts of the state, and there’s about an $80k price jump from three to four bedrooms, so we went with a three bedroom. What we found were a lot of homes that had teeny kitchens, guest bedrooms and GIANT master bathrooms – or some other sort of strange allocation plans. We realized we were willing to settle for a small master bath in exchange for living space. We also realized that we wanted a pantry and a home wired to have an alarm system. To get all that, we went outside our geographic perimeters, but are happy with the final results!
Sarah | The Accidental Okie says
Oh, I should add that the house we bought had been on the market for a year and a half – partly because it was over priced most of that time and partly because the pictures of it were HORRIBLE! Being willing to actually go and look was worth it! Seriously, how do you have a 1500 sq.ft. house with a 6-foot walk in pantry and 10-foot walk-in closet, and fail to take pictures of those things?!?
So be willing to go look, even if you’re just curious.
Emily says
I have to agree with Emily above. Natural light is a big thing for me. I like my sunlight! Also as you mentioned # of bedrooms/bathrooms and overall layout/flow! In our current (second) house we also have vaulted ceiling on the main level which also add to the openess.
Karly says
Getting an inspection is key, so you know if you’re dealing with any major structural, heat, plumbing issues etc. particularly with an older home. However, keep in mind that the inspector can only report on the things they see….so if your buying a house with an enclosed basement, it may be hiding a crumbling foundation etc. Also, be honest with yourself regarding what you are willing/able to DIY. For instance, painting might seem like an easy fix for a lot of us, but if you’re unable or unwilling to do it yourself, think about how much it will cost to have it done. If its not manageable financially, a newer/updated house might be a better fit. Bottom line, do your homework and be informed before you even start your house hunt.
Jas says
I was wondering: was your current house posted as a fixer-upper? Obviously people were living in it before you moved in, but it was pretty dated. Or because it was just cosmetic changes, it’s not considered a fixer-upper? (Can you tell I’ve been watching way too much HGTV? I might have a little (ok, big) crush on Scott from Income Property)
YoungHouseLove says
It had some pretty old details (dated kitchen with paneling and orange wood everywhere and old appliances, etc) but I think the listing just said “on a spacious wooded lot” and didn’t call out things like the fixer-upper nature of it. It wasn’t like our first house, whereas our first house’s listing basically said “Bring your paintbrush! This house is ready for your help!” – hahah!
xo
s
Roo @ NiceGirlNotes says
I’ve been scarred by one too many episodes of Unsolved Mysteries, so I always check the Family Watchdog site to see if there are any predators in the area. I’m sure this is flammable since at least these people are the REGISTERED folk and there’s no stopping someone from moving into your ‘hood once you’ve bought the house, buuuut, I don’t know. It gave me a little peace of mind.
YoungHouseLove says
Ohemgee, you’re my best friend. She does that too. Not kidding. Not Katie Bower, my other one. Unless Katie does it too…
xo
s
Roxine says
Expensive to update/repair/change: Roof, foundation, concrete driveway & sidewalks, electrical, plumbing, heating/AC. It’s not that these are always a deal-killer, but it’s good to know going in that you will have maintenance money to spend and how much. Gotta subtract that from the decorating budget, right? And as you said, Location, Location, Location.
We once passed on a house because when you opened the drapes, it looked directly (like within 3 feet) into the neighbors’ TV room. I know ‘cuz I opened them and he was sitting right THERE watching TV. hahahaha
YoungHouseLove says
Hahhhah!
xo
s
Casey says
Totally agree! Do you guys ever watch HGTV and shake your heads at all the people who say they don’t like the paint color? It drives us crazy. That and the classic on-every-show line… “oh, this would be great for entertaining.” Haha.
YoungHouseLove says
Yesssssssss!!!! I’m like “it would take a weekend and $100 to turn that almost dream house into your dream house!” Paint shouldn’t stand in the way of a term like dream house! Haha.
xo
s
Laura D. says
Oh my gosh my husband and I make fun of the “entertaining” line all the time!!
heather says
Haha yessss! Glad we’re not alone. Also the “oh that crown moulding is so nice” and my husband is all “that’s builder grade sh*t from Home Depot anyone can slap up” or “the corners don’t even match up, it’s terrible!”
Our favorite is watching the demo shows where they smash drywall (any other smashable item) into a thousand pieces before hauling it away. What the what?!
Erica says
It makes me so angry when I see that! I can’t even watch those shows anymore because I want to throw the remote at the tv and scream “My walls were covered in yellow cigarette smoke and dirt! You can handle pink paint!” UGH.
I think they pay people based on how many times they say something is good for entertaining. I promise I never said that when I was looking for a house! :-)
Lisa E says
Too funny. I totally agree. Makes me crazy how many people comment on the decor instead of the actual house. I guess that’s what sparked the push on staging houses so much due to many people’s short sightedness. Drives me nuts.
Terri says
Our favorites, beyond the paint color, which always causes us to laugh. They buy a house in a remote location after visiting ONCE…then they need someplace to entertain friends?? You bought on a remote island???
Casey says
Totally! It is so crazy!
Funny story about this, the other night I said to my husband, “Sherry did this post about what they look for in a house and I commented on it and said I agreed (etc) and she replied and said yesss (etc)…” He immediately stopped what he was doing, looked at me and said, “What? She talked to you? You guys are like… friends?” I said, “Umm yeah, we talk all the time. Haha.” He was shocked to hear you actually converse with your readers and actually thought it was pretty cool. So good job. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Hahahahahahha! So funny.
xo
s
Sarah says
Thank you for those pointers Sherry! My fiance and I are currently doing the whole ‘looking for our first house’ thing and it’s a long process…! I definitely see more potential in houses than him (ripping off wallpaper and painting new colours = my kind of party!). It’s amazing to see what your before’s looked like too… (khaki green toilet?!…).. Keeps us both hoping we’ll find our own (magnificently dated) place and make it look just as pretty!
Sarah
Katie says
My mother always says you should ask yourself, “Where would everyone park if you had a big party?” Priorities!
YoungHouseLove says
Hahahah!
xo
s
Ashley says
haha, that’s part of why I bought on a corner lot…
Kelly {the Centsible Life} says
We did a TON of house hunting before we bought either of our houses. I would add a BIG, bold header to this post that structural, plumbing, heating and AC as well as grading of the yard should be a huge priority when looking at a home.
When you factor in the cost to update major things like this it can be insanely expensive usually wasting any savings you have from buying an older home.
For instance while our house was built in 1970 the house has AC (not all in our ‘hood do) and a relatively new heating system, the roof had another 10 years on it, and most of the issues we are facing we knew we were up against when we bought the house.
I would also add to the above list (windows, fireplace, privacy) that the schools play a big role in why we chose our current home. We paid more to be in the size/age home we are in to be in a much better school district.
YoungHouseLove says
Amen! Such great tips!
xo
s
Maureen says
Sometimes getting what you need means making sacrifices. Our must have item was an attached garage when we moved to the DC area. Our oldest was under 2, our second was coming soon and my husband was leaving on a year long deployment and i did NOT want to be scraping ice off the windshield every morning while worrying that my kids were freezing to death while waiting! The only house we could find that had the other things we wanted had a TINY barely wide enough for one car garage. We ended up trading in two cars to purchase one smaller one that actually fit in there. (In our 8 year marriage, 6 of those years have been as a one car family so we knew that my husband giving up his car wasn’t going to be a problem). So think outside the box…don’t limit your search by trying to fit all your current stuff into a different space. Maybe it’s time for a new couch or smaller dining room table, or even a new car! :)
Kate says
Where do you all stand on bad carpet? I’m finding that a lot of older houses around here (Richmond) have some wicked bad green and pink carpets all throughout the house. Should we be looking past that and how easy of a job is that to tackle on your own if you choose to?
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh I’d see if there’s hardwood underneath! If there is we know the best guy here in Richmond who can refinish it for super cheap! Even cheaper than getting cheap new carpeting!
xo
s
Ellen says
Sherry, I need the info of your refinish guy! It’s on my list…but if it really is as cheap as you say…it might just get moved to the top:)
YoungHouseLove says
His name is Mr Sanders and he’s amazing!! Here’s his site: http://cpsanding.wordpress.com/
He is just the nicest man. Tell him we say hi!
xo
s
Yvonne says
In my area (San Francisco) a lot of older houses have hardwood floors underneath. It’s definitely worth asking if you can lift the carpeting to peek underneath. The listing agent for our house even lifted the carpet for us. Though, you have be careful that a peek at hardwoods could still hide damage to the floors in other areas. We had hardwood with inlays in great condition (though we refinished them to change the stain) but there were 3 areas that needed repair, including one big plywood-patched area. We also had lovely hex-tile in our bathroom under the blue carpeting (I think the elderly owner was afraid of slipping in the bathroom??!) Just be prepared to include a little in your budget to refinish or recarpet.
YoungHouseLove says
We had blue carpeting hiding old tile in the bathroom of our first house too! So funny!
xo
s
SW says
We live in the NW in an area with lots of older homes. When looking at houses that have carpet (usually an older person moving out – as newer refurbished houses mostly have refinished wood) it can go one of two ways.
One — the wood floors have been covered since the home was built. Wood was cheap when many of them were built and then people covered right over them ’cause carpet was en vogue!
Or two — the carpet is covering damage – or asbestos tile (we had that in the upstairs of our old house so we kept the carpet).
It might be worth asking the listing agent since even peeking only gives you a corner to see. Hardwoods are such selling points here that they love to brag when the floors are in good shape under carpet.
Sally says
Amen on the carpeting. Always ask the agent to help you peek, but rate that house it a bit lower ’cause you can’t see if its damaged. Also, be wary of new carpet over hardwoods…that is almost certainly hiding damage that couldn’t be sanded out.
In the scheme of things, refinishing hardwood floors is a fairly low cost. And so worth it!
Elizabeth says
Ditto on the importance of an inspection! We found what we thought was the most perfectly outdated 80’s house in our ideal neighborhood with a great lot and awesome layout. It just needed all new flooring, paint, wallpaper removal, new light fixtures, etc. Then came the inspection. Long story short…we walked. The house had so many unseen issues that it would have been a total money pit. Though we love an older home (our last was a 1952 ranch), we ended up with a transitional looking cape cod that’s only six years old. Funny thing is we still want to paint every room and change out all the light fixtures and even some of the flooring. I think the bottom line is you have an idea of how much work you can/want to put into a house, what you can afford/not, and what time frame is acceptable to get all the changes made. It’s definitely a balancing act.
Heather says
The most important thing for me when looking for a home is the area. We’re moving to VA in June (Langley Air Force Base) and I’m really apprehensive about it. I’ve heard some scary stuff about the area, and so for us location is the most important.
Jules says
Seconded. Much like the lot, the location can’t be changed. I would rather paint every weekend than have a move in ready great house in an area I don’t want to be. You can make a house a home, but you can’t do the same to an entire neighborhood.
Alison says
Your Realtor can’t discuss crime, but you can get crime reports from the police department. It’s worth doing in Hampton. Some of the older neighborhoods aren’t what they once were.
Kim says
Hi Heather, don’t be scared! I lived down there briefly and I survived. I’d highly recommend Yorktown or Poquoson as they have the safest neighborhoods (and the nicest schools if that’s a deciding factor). Don’t bother wasting your time looking in Hampton or Newport News. Good luck with your move!
Heather says
Thanks everyone. Schools aren’t a factor for us, because we don’t have kids, but with the military we won’t be here forever so we want to be in a good school area for resale value.
I’ve heard Yorktown is nice, Poquoson is nice, and I’m actually pushing for us to be closer to Williamsburg.
Definitely bookmarking this post!
Kara says
Wow, thanks to everyone who’s asked this question to prompt an entire dedicated post, and all the comments too. This is an excellent list to have in mind. I REALLY want to stop renting and buy my own little place, but am extremely terrified of the commitment of it. (If I have issues about deciding what shoes to pack for a weekend trip, how the heck am I gonna pick a WHOLE HOUSE?!)
Jenelle says
Do it and do it now! There is truly no better time to be a buyer. The longer you wait, the higher the prices will be. We’re coming out of a deep housing recession, interest rates are extremely low, and you will not have this great of an opportunity again!
I have nothing to gain from giving you this advice, I just know from experience that the timing on when you buy your house can make all the difference!
YoungHouseLove says
Amen! It’s a crazy awesome time to buy a house.
xo
s
Emily E says
We were very scared to buy a house too (it was the MORTGAGE I was afraid of, I am so scared of debt). But, we had to move closer for my husband’s commute to school. Once we met with a great mortgage guy, and he told us just how economical it was to buy, I couldn’t say no! We have more house for less money than we were paying in rent. And now I get to paint and stuff!
Jackie Seybert says
One of the best things we did was post our gravel on Craigslist! I got the idea from you two… we literally had a TON of people who wanted it and we got a large section of our yard cleared out for free! =)
PS – I’m loving your book. It sits right next to our couch on an end table… with a white ceramic bird on top of it of course! Our family was flipping through it over Thanksgiving!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks so much Jackie! You’re so sweet!
xo
s
Ashleigh says
My advice is to buy the least expensive house in the best neighborhood possible. You can always make upgrades to your house but the condition of the neighborhood will always be out of your hands. Our amazing neighbors make our drafty windows a little easier to deal with! But also, don’t buy a complete fixer-upper if you don’t foresee having the funds and/or skill and motivation to make the required repairs and upgrades.
erin says
I disagree with the suggestion to buy “in the best neighborhood possible.” I’m not sure if this applies to the suburbs or smaller cities, but I live in a major city with neighborhoods that are constantly evolving. You can get a lot more bang for your buck, not to mention resell value, by purchasing in a neighborhood that’s on the edge. Granted, location is still an important factor when it comes to commutes and lifestyle.
heather says
Our house was a total beater when we bought it (did I say was? I mean still is except for the addition). The point is, my biggest tip is know your limits. I never would have bought this house without my husband who is a professional. While it’s nice to think “we can add bedrooms and a bathroom” the reality is, everything costs money and it can get pricy. For example: I love old New England farmhouses. The amount of work they need, plus the energy they take to heat, plus the cost of that energy is atrocious. While in theory it would be fantastic and my husband has the ability to fix it all…we had to put the heart aside and know that it didn’t make sense logically or financially at this point in our lives.
Here are a few of my other tips:
-flush every toilet and turn on every sink. Make sure the plumbing works and nothings slow. It could be as simple as a clog, or as bad as a severely backed up/broken pipe dependent on the house/plumbing.
– Look for moisture signs: Bubbles under the paint (especially large ones)could be a sign of moisture coming through the other side of the wall. Staining on the ceiling/walls indicates water damage (though, an inspection should point out if this was old damage and how extensive/expensive it is)
– Talk to the neighbors. If you’re truly interested in the house, don’t be shy to knock on a few doors and talk to the neighbors to get a feel for your neighborhood. These are the people you’ll hopefully have a relationship with, you want it to be a good one.
-Hire an inspector who is licenced and is NOT through the realtor. An independent inspector is absolutely key.
-Rooms are rooms. Yes sometimes walls can be knocked down, but sometimes they simply can’t be and you have to work within your confines.
-old houses – is it knob and tube or has it been fixed? Knob and tube = expensive.
Finally, Sherry’s right – don’t be scared of simple cosmetic items and the previous owners taste. Just know your limits, and what you’re willing to learn – and the cost of it incase you realize you don’t want to do it or it’s not up your alley.
YoungHouseLove says
So much great info Heather! Thanks so much for everyone chiming in! The comments are so interesting!
xo
s
heather says
…and way longer than I intended. I’ve never been accused of being too brief.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, me either girl! High five.
xo
s
Erica says
What do you mean by knob and tube? I have an old house, and I’ve never heard of that!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Erica, it’s a type of wiring. Here’s more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knob_and_tube_wiring
xo
s
Wendy says
Heather – I agree with getting an independent inspector. One that is recommended by a realtor may not do a satisfactory inspection if they want repeat business.
heather says
Here’s another good article on K&T wiring. It’s not inherently dangerous and as the article says, it has to be evaluated on a case by case basis. It was meant to last but it’s not up to modern day code and it may cause issues with homeowners insurance. The good thing about upgrading (assuming you have full K&T still, most houses it seems have been at least partially updated though) is that it typically means you can get more outlets (yay!) and you can put better insulation in (yay!) which means lower heating costs (yay!). Honestly though, don’t freak out if you see it – just get it evaluated. Oh and think REALLY old houses, not from the 70’s.
http://www.livingwithmyhome.com/201-home-tips/pillar-to-post-knob-and-tube-wiring.aspx
LisaOK says
We ended up in a 1950s house that was owned by only one family. We have a lot of updating to do, but it’s so nice to know that the home was loved and cared for by devoted owners for over 60 years. We figure that it has to be a solid home or there’s no way you’d stay there that long!
When we purchased it, there was wall to wall carpet on every square inch (bathrooms and kitchen included). We pulled up the carpet and we’re very lucky to find hardwood floors that with a little TLC look amazing! We also have three giant oak trees that keep our house nice and shaded during the summer. I appreciate those trees so much more than I could have ever imagined!
YoungHouseLove says
So lucky to find those floors! Wow!
xo
s
Allison says
As a few other posters have said, I strongly believe that location is the only thing that really matters (other than safety, of course). Anything else about a house can be changed eventually, and may become less of a big deal with time. My husband and I have been in our house for 3 years and I’ve gotten used to a small kitchen (I love to cook), no bathroom upstairs with the bedrooms (a bigger deal now that I’m pregnant), and no fireplace (a real priority when we were looking). Someday, we’ll change all of those things. But I love our neighborhood so much and I never get tired of being able to walk only blocks to go to restaurants and the farmers market.
Sam M. | Atkinson Drive says
GREAT TIPS! I’ve been house hunting with my SIL for the last few months and she cannot look past some ugly paint…it’s a tragedy!
One of the biggest things I keep an eye out for {and this is probably more of an issue with newer homes} is water damage in second floor laundry rooms. We did a lot of house hunting last year and without fail, every home with second floor laundry had some sort of flooding/water damage.
Shannon says
Aside from the normal “important” stuff (location, structural issues, and as one reader pointed out – predators) etc, I picked both my homes based on where I would put the Christmas Tree – sounds silly, but I always hated how we always had to rearrange furniture 90 gazillion times as a child!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, that’s so sweet!
xo
s
Jasmine says
Glad I’m not the only one! Although, my concern was less about moving the furniture and more about having a big window to put the tree in front of so that it can be seen from the street. Love that giant picture window and spent more money on that pretty tree than any other one piece of decor or furniture in my house!
Jess says
I agree with everything that’s been said so far, and I’ll add something that was incredibly important to me: the situation of the house on the lot. I wanted a ton of windows, BUT equally important, I wanted the windows to catch the sun. :) We rented a house that only had windows that faced south and west (but the western windows were blocked by our neighbors house). No morning or evening sun came in, except for a month in the winter. It became my obsession to google map every house before we looked at it and figure out which way the house faced. We picked a winner. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- really smart!
xo
s
Anne says
When we bought our house the one thing my husband was so excited about was the unfinished basement. To him it was a good way to make our house worth that much more. We plan to eventually finish it making a family room, another bathroom, bedroom and laundry room. When it’s all said and done we will have doubled the square footage and made it a four bedroom 3 1/2 bathroom house!
I wasn’t completely sold on the house from the beginning though. To me, it was like walking back in time to 1991. But after looking past all of the bright gold light fixtures, mint green carpet and floor to ceiling wallpaper I realized that this was a home we could make our own. Compared to all of the “move in ready homes” that felt cold, this one felt like a home. It has been fun to paint and decorate and really make it feel like ours.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw that’s sweet.
xo
s
seabluelee says
Great advice, and more good suggestions in the comments, too. It always cracks me up when I’m watching House Hunters and the buyers rule out a house because of a wall color or because the seller’s FURNITURE is not to their taste. Really?!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, true!!
xo
s
bethblntn says
personally, I really HATE HATE HATE watching those shows were people go in to buy a house and are all like “eww I hate the wall colore” or “look at that couch”. IT’S NOT YOU DANG COUCH! you can PAINT people! lol personally, I will look past ANYTHING that can be changed, including tile and fixtures. I like old homes so things I LOOK for are things like original flooring, door nobs, stain glass, and architectural detail that you can’t find in other homes or would have to put a lot of effort into to find or recreate. Also, things like major problems like sewage leaks, foundation issues, and roof sagging (which can also be a sign of foundation issues). Other then that, if it has enough rooms/space, and the layout is nice, its a go! :P Don’t be picky people, you can get a LOT more for the money and find a LOT of charm and love in a house that needs a little elbow geese. Right Sherry and John ;)
Shan says
Aaaahhh! That’s the first thing I thought of when I saw this post title. House Hunters makes me SO MAD when all the picky girlfriends or wives complain about the countertops that aren’t granite, or the paint in the extra bedroom that they hate. Geez, read some DIY blogs!
heather says
This might be part of the reason I give granite the stink eye. I’ve only seen it twice now where I didn’t think it looked like hokey builder grade counters. I admit that in some houses it looks nice, but in my house? No thanks.
Also, please watch as a I eat crow in a couple years when we redo our kitchen and we somehow end up with a honed granite slab somewhere. I bet now that I’ve put it out there, this will happen.
Meg says
For us neighborhood and location was key – glad to see it on your list too.
Because the town we wanted is in such high demand however, we did sacrifice one other must have – a second bathroom to score a house we could afford. We have plans to eventually put one in. I’m sure we’ll be borrowing to make the project happen, but don’t need it soon and know that one big project will add so much value it will be worth it. Who has one bathroom in a 4 bedroom house?!
We also wanted to buy a house we see ourselves in for a long time. A house that would work for 5 years didn’t make the list – it needed to have 20+ year potential.
Brenda says
I remember Sherry & John talking about how they almost didn’t even look at their current house because a closed garage was a must-have. So even though I haven’t been house hunting, I would suggest broadening your search a bit just in case. You might find a great house that is currently without a must-have that could be added later.
YoungHouseLove says
Yes! That’s right! We were so anti-carport we refused to look at our house until like the tenth time our agent suggested it and we were like “oh fine, but we won’t like it” – she knew us better than we knew ourselves!
xo
s
Jill says
We had this this list of exactly what we “thought we wanted” like a master bathroom, spacious bedrooms, and large entertaining area. We ended up with a masive entertaining area, large kitchen, 1 bathroom, 3 smaller bedrooms and a large fireplace. When we walked in we knew it was it, even though on paper it wasn’t exactly what we wanted. 3 years later we are more in love and say on a weekly basis that we didnt know what we were doing, but we were glad we did it. :)
Traci says
I moved in with my fiance and he already had a house. It was a new construction and it’s 2800 sq ft. When we were dating I loved the house and I was so excited when I moved it because I thought it was beautiful….now that i’ve been there a while I can’t wait until we can sell it. I had never lived in a house that big before, and I don’t really want to ever again. It really is too big. Also, it’s a two story house with the master bedroom downstairs. We have a small child and his room is upstairs and ours is downstairs….that’s a really big inconvenience. I wish everyone was on the same floor. I would either want a ranch or have all the bedrooms upstairs. Natural lighting is a huge, huge thing. Our living areas are quite dark and the bedrooms get constant sun. They get hot during the day and the rest of the house stays cold. Also, I would stay away from two story great rooms. I love slightly vaulted ceilings and tall ceilings, but I hate our two story room. It is never warm enough in the winter and never cold enough in the summer. One of my new must haves for our futur home is a window in the kitchen. Our kitchen now is situated in the middle of the house and it doesn’t have any windows…it’s also open to the greatroom and breakfast nook. I would give anything if I could get a window for some nice lighting while I’m working in there.
Emily says
I concur especially with all the structural comments! My husband and I looked at a ton of houses before settling on ours, and thankfully with the help a super-realtor (who found us old inspection reports of possible contenders) we were able to rule out some potential bad eggs.
Some of the big no-no’s for us were related to weather, because we live in Hurricane-prone Texas so we wanted to avoid 100-year flood plains and having an old roof (we aimed for one with a roof less than 10 years old because it may have been damaged in recent big hurricanes).
Also in terms of old houses, we looked to avoid original windows and old AC units (Texas gets HOT in the summer, y’all).
Of course we had fun things on our list too (big yard, wood floors, lots of natural light) but those were the serious deal-breakers. :)
Kelley says
Totally agree with the AC thing in Texas!! We looked in June (when AC should be running!) Our realtor took us outside and we listened to all the ACs- any funny noises and the house was out. Because the inspector can only inspect what is outwardly visible, we also requested a HVAC cleaning/inspection to be done by a licensed HVAC person. We were not willing to move into a house, in the summer, to have the AC go out!!
Petra says
I agree with so many of you. I think it’s very important to know your limits, such as if you’re willing to do some serious DIY, or not. Also, need to think about what best fits you and/or your family than what you can afford. Regardless of it all, owning a home is probably the only big debt you will have.
Susan S. says
I agree with Megan. Our first house was from the 80’s and we were able to paint, swap lights and toilets without a care in the world. Our second two homes were from the 20’s and loaded with charm right out of a magazine, but changing a toilet and swapping a light can feel like a scene from the ‘Money Pit”…lots of “uh oh’s”, “huh’s?” and “oh sh###”. Our older homes were completely worth it, but we had to budget more money for maintenance and at times put off the fun stuff. So my advice is take careful inventory and be realistic about your budget, abilities and patience.
Morgan says
Love this post. I am a realtor and I am always stressing to my buyers to look past the cosmetic stuff, during the showing and the home inspection. Cosmetic stuff can be fixed and is usually fun to fix. it also gives you a chance to put your own stamp on the house that makes it become your home. It wasn’t until i started my own little home blog (thanks to the inspiration from you guys) that my own little condo i bought 3 years ago actually became my home. And yay for stressing the home inspection. Even if it is new construction GET AN INSPECTION. Sometimes builders are human and make mistakes. The inspector is your friend and is there to help in the buying process.