Tehama Country Real Estate

Things to Think A bout When B uying an Older Home romantic notion, but there are a few critical things to consider. Your home may be the biggest purchase of your life, so you want to protect your investment with a house that does not require extensive work and repairs. B Older homes grace the leafy tree lined streets across the country and bring a sense of culture and history to a neighborhood or rolling country hills. This type of home can be an excellent invest- ment and bring you many years of satisfaction when you ask the tough questions before you sign on the dotted line. 1. Plumbing Replacing the plumbing is a major expense and can tear up the flooring in your new dream home. Ask if the home is using the original plumbing system, how many rooms are operating on it, and what date contemporary plumbing was added. 2. Electrical Systems The electrical wiring is not only essential for energy. It could pose a threat that could burn your dream home to the ground. Bringing the electrical system up to code is going to be expensive, but this is one corner you cannot cut. Safety comes first, and whatever your trusted electrician recommends, do it. 3. A Solid Foundation The era when a historical home was built most likely pre-dates the age of careful foundation cal- culation. Be sure to hire an inspector to verify if the home can support a second floor and double check to find out if the upper level was an add-on. In addi- tion, property located in earthquake zones or sub- ject to floods may have suffered faults in the foun- dation. 4. Termite Damage Termite inspection is a standard practice in the transfer of property today. However, older homes that have not changed hands over the years may not have had proper termite control treatments. Long-term damage can weaken the structure and foundation and cost you more than you want to pay to fix it. Repairs to the internal frame and foundation are possible, but at a price. It's your choice to put more cash into the older home or walk away and find another one. 5. Insulation The insulation is an easy feature to fix, and you will probably have to do it when buying an older home. In addition, homes located in areas with extreme temperatures may require central air and heating. Before you buy, it is wise to get an estimate from a local heating and air company and decide if you can live with the upgrade costs. 6. Outdated Fixtures and Features uying an older or historic home may be a Homes built in and before the 1970s have a per- sonality all of their own. Built-in features, such as wet bars and cumbersome bookcases, can disrupt the flow of a room and limit your placement of furnishings. To save yourself some grief down the road, be sure to envision the living space as you would like to have it and do a calculation for the removal of built-in objects or closed-off walls. 7. Kitchen Space The size and efficiency of a kitchen is a major factor in the sale of a home. Many older and his- toric homes do not reflect today's gourmet lifestyle and do not provide a sumptuous kitchen space. This may be corrected if there is sufficient space behind a kitchen wall to expand or you like the idea of the compact, old-world charm. 8. Dings and Dents Your dream home may have a few cracks in the walls or water stains on the ceiling. The cosmetic repairs are a snap to fix, but finding the source that created the dings can be a problem. Water damage is a severe repair and can also contribute to mold setting in. Mold can be toxic, which would require the immediate evacuation of all people and pets. Be sure your new home has a strong roof and have it inspected for damage. Cracks in the walls, driveways and property cement slabs may indi- cate earthquake damage, shifting soil, or the foun- dation is crumbling under the house. It's better to be safe than sorry, so get everything checked out by a professional. 9. Floors Acreaky floor can drive you nuts, and getting under the house to repair it can cost a fortune. Sometimes the damage is due to a weak floor right down to the bottom of the home. In addition, if you plan to upgrade tired carpets with tile or parquet, be sure to check the prices and get an estimate for the final cost. If you cannot afford to replace the entire floor at one time, no problem. Many home buyers remod- el one room at a time to ease the financial burden and have some creative fun. 10. Window Replacement Like replacing the floor coverings, a total house window replacement may be done gradually if needs be. Get the front windows done first and upgrade to energy efficient double glazed glass to better insulate the home. Fixing up an old house can be a journey rather than a race to the finish line. Go slowly with what you can afford and before you know it, your work is done. Alex Mason is a former real estate agent and mort- gage broker living in Los Angeles. Tehama Country Real Estate – 3 Real Estate Spotlight By Alex Mason

• Cover