Purchasing an older home in Sunset Beach can offer the opportunity of getting more square footage for your money. However, there are some things to consider when purchasing a home that is significantly older. If you have your sights on a home built before 1990, here are some key areas to pay attention to.
What Should Buyers Pay More Attention to When Purchasing an Older Home?
Plumbing in an Older Home
When it comes to plumbing in older homes, you want to ensure you know what material pipes are made of. This will help you determine maintenance and the possibility of issues in the system. Specifically, if the home has galvanized or polybutylene pipes. These plumbing systems have the ability to corrode and fail with age. Copper is also not the most ideal, but it is a much stronger plumbing system compared to the other materials. The ultimate piping material is PEX, which is a strong, white, plastic-looking material.
Roofing
It is important to ask about the age of the roofing material on the home. If the roofing has not been upgraded or replaced in the last 20 to 25 years, this is a bit of a red flag. Knowing the condition and age of the roof structure, and the roofing materials will help you to determine if the roofing is going to need replacement or repairs, which will mean significant cost to the homeowner. Every homeowner will have to go through roofing maintenance at some point, depending on how long they are in a home, but it is not fun to take on these large expenses as soon as you move in.
Electrical
Knowing what is going on with the electrical panel and the wiring is critical. Many older homes may have outdated panels that are not up to the most current codes. While the system may be grandfathered into the older codes for the time in which it was placed, it could be unsafe and more likely to cause issues. Electrical is one of the most expensive systems in an older home to replace.
Check Older homes for Foundation and Structural Issues
As homes age, there is wear and tear on the systems in a home, especially on the structural elements. You want to ensure that the structural elements in an older home are sound and in great shape, as this is what is holding the whole home together.
Homes older than 1978
If you are interested in an older home that was built before 1978. It is a good idea to have it tested for asbestos and lead. These items were commonly used in building practices before 1978, as people were unaware of the detriment to human health that they caused. Making sure that you know there is no presence of asbestos or lead in the home is critically important. Especially if you have plans for remodeling any part of the home in the future.
Remodeling a home older than 1978 can be incredibly tricky. You may find that a previous homeowner did work in the home and merely covered up previous finishes that were in the home because they discovered there was asbestos in them. Rather than disturbing the asbestos, they just covered over the finish material and did the job improperly. If you have any plans to renovate or think that there could be a possibility of renovating anything in the future, it is well worth taking the extra time to ensure these materials are not present in the structure. Removing lead and asbestos from a home can be pretty expensive.
If you are hoping to find an older home on Sunset Beach, you want a local Sunset Beach real estate agent to help you out. Sunset Beach is a special place in North Carolina with a culture and real estate market all its own. Making sure you have an expert Sunset Beach real estate agent working with you to find your ideal home in this “hidden” gem of North Carolina is essential. Contact the team at Sunset Beach and Beyond to help you find the coastal North Carolina home that meets both your wants and your needs.
“Life will lead you to where you belong. Five years ago life led me to meeting Karen Baker at an Open House. Our relationship continues as Karen and her husband Frank have been outstanding not only in helping my husband and I find the right retirement relocation home, but we have watched their commitment in helping many others find their homes. She and Frank treat every client as if they are the only ones that exist. They provide thorough research of areas and homes of interest and present you with the options. They are not your typical hard sell, must-buy-now realtors. They are here to help you find your next home?. You won’t go wrong with the Bakers!”-Sunset Beach and Beyond Review