Looking at an Older Home? Be sure to look out for these things

[bjl584]

Age and condition of systems - electrical, plumbing, and HVAC might all be on its last legs, out of code, and in need of upgrades. All or any of these can get very expensive

Foundation and structural issues - older homes may have shifted from their foundations. they may not have been built correctly, or time has just taken its toll. Look for cracks in walls, leaks in the basement, and sticking doors and windows.

Asbestos, lead, and other environmental concerns - old homes may contain toxic materials. Disturbing them for remodel can add a lot of dollars to the budget

Outdated systems - especially electrical, an old system may not have the capacity to run modern equipment

Hidden costs - many things may not come to light. A detailed inspection would be warranted to uncover hidden dangers

[Fishindude77]

Hard to say what we are calling an older home? Twenty years old, fifty years old, one hundred years old?
Depending upon the age, I would expect to run into some things that need repair or replacement, as well as some things that are simply outdated.

If the home has "good bones" or a solid structure; foundation, framework, etc., and doesn't have ground water problems just about anything else can be replaced or repaired.
The "guts" of the home; mechanical, electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems wear out, age out and outdate themselves over time and should be expected to require some periodic replacement or updating. Same thing with windows, doors, insulation systems, etc. Materials and methods have gotten better and it makes sense to replace things to improve the safety and efficiency of a home.

The fear of lead and asbestos is generally overstated. It's typically not all that tough or expensive to remediate any issues.

[ua_guy]

Even 5 and 10 years can be critical milestones for newer homes. Good maintenance/condition is everything.

Any remodel work is a flag to investigate more. Just because there are pretty new materials, new appliances, doesn't mean anything. You need to understand what was touched, by whom, why, and how.