Real Estate Marketing & Beyond
Ask Brian is a weekly column by Real Estate Expert Brian Kline. If you have questions on real estate investing, DIY, home buying/selling, or other housing inquiries please email your questions to [email protected].
Q1. Sara and Greg from St. Cloud MN: Hello Brian, Our question might need the help of a marriage counselor but it’s real estate related so we thought we would ask for the pros and cons first. We’re in our late 20s and have been saving to buy a home since before we got married 2 years ago. We talked a lot about starting a family and having a yard for children but didn’t talk much about the specific house we wanted until just a recently. Turns out we couldn’t be further apart on what we want in a home. I want a charming older home, maybe from the 1920s and Greg wants a new home with all of the modern amenities and new technology. What are the pros and cons of each?
A1. Hi Sara and Greg. First off, I’m not a marriage counselor (twice divorced) so I’m only answering from a real estate perspective. Buying a home is such a personal choice that you’ll need to find another way to work that out.
The pros and cons really depend on your prospective and preferences. Older homes tend to cost less to purchase but can be much more expensive to maintain and costly to remodel if they haven’t had a major face-lift in a few decades. Still there are advantages such as older homes often have much larger lots and even acreage. Older homes will have mature landscaping (that may need serious pruning), while new homes may not have any landscaping, particularly nothing in the backyard.
If you’re buying brand new, you’ll have several floor plans to choose from, be able to pick the colors, and have some say in the modern appliances that come with it. While a DIY repainting project for an old house is relatively inexpensive, upgrading to modern appliances can easily cost $30k to $40k. Keep in mind that most young couples are a bit cash strapped for a year of two after buying their first home. You may need to live with the old appliances for a while. Even before you get to the appliances, make sure you know what is going on with the utility systems. Houses from the 1920s had dangerous electrical systems but most were upgraded decades ago. You’ll also want to know the age and condition of HVAC, plumbing, roof, foundation, possibly water well and septic, etc. If these have been upgraded and maintained over the years, you probably won’t have problems. Still, you’re going to want a good Home Warranty plan. Brand new homes shouldn’t have problems with these systems and should come with a warranty from the builder.
Modern amenities are usually a big deal with older homes. Don’t expect a TV cable outlet in every room and you’ll probably find fewer electrical outlets than you’re used to. You can mostly forget internet, surround sound, and security system cables being buried in the walls (think about going wireless when remodeling). Still, if you’re planning a major upgrade, you can have these done to your own preferences and still have the elegance of a sturdy old home.
There are other things you want to consider. Older homes sometimes have lower property taxes because of a lower value and maybe because of the neighborhood. The neighborhood is almost certainly fully developed which means it isn’t likely to experience growth and changes that can come with new developments.
It’s all about trade-offs. Older homes that have stood the test of time come with a quality and timeless beauty that you don’t find in new construction. On the other hand, newer homes are built to more exacting standards such as fire safety and energy efficiency. However, newer homes tend to have veneer finishes rather than old-growth solid wood. Many new homes have had that veneer pulled back over the years to reveal substandard building materials or shoddy workmanship.
Sara and Greg, I hope this helps you better understand the major differences between purchasing a new –v- old home. Ultimately it’s a big decision that you’ll live with for many years.
Readers are encouraged to comment with their thoughts and experiences about what should be consider when comparing old and new homes. Our weekly Ask Brian column welcomes questions from readers of all experience levels with residential real estate. Please email your questions or inquiries to [email protected].
Author bio: Brian Kline has been investing in real estate for more than 35 years and writing about real estate investing for 12 years. He also draws upon 30 plus years of business experience including 12 years as a manager at Boeing Aircraft Company. Brian currently lives at Lake Cushman, Washington. A vacation destination, a few short miles from a national forest. With the Pacific Ocean a couple of miles in the opposite direction.
