Deal Breakers When Buying a Home | Ask This Old House
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- Опубліковано 8 січ 2024
- In this video, host Kevin O’Connor asks the team at Ask This Old House about the red flags that they might consider deal breakers in today’s real estate market. From foundations to rooflines, they list their top concerns.
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The Ask This Old House team discuss a few items house hunters might discover in a home that could cost them thousands of dollars to repair. Do your research when selecting a licensed and highly recommended home inspector.
Today’s real estate market is a tough one. Inventory is low and moving quickly, so many buyers have resorted to full (or above) asking price offers while foregoing inspections. That’s not an ideal scenario, so host Kevin O’Connor asked the team at Ask This Old House what they would consider deal breakers if they were shopping for homes today.
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From the makers of This Old House, America’s first and most trusted home improvement show, Ask This Old House answers the steady stream of home improvement questions asked by viewers across the United States. Covering topics from landscaping to electrical to HVAC and plumbing to painting and more. Ask This Old House features the experts from This Old House, including general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Jenn Nawada, master carpenter Norm Abram, and host Kevin O’Connor. ASK This Old House helps you protect and preserve your greatest investment-your home.
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Deal Breakers When Buying a Home | Ask This Old House
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This was great! The Old House should have an entire episode devoted to a mock home inspection and what to look for.
I agree with your idea.
They don't ugh they need one
Imagine having these guys as your core friend group
Dream blunt rotation
Plaid overload
Another thing I would recommend going on along the last note is don't making any major improvements that aren't critical until you've lived in the house for 1 year and experienced all the seasons, that way you can really prioritize that list.
Your advice is very smart. Take the time to live in the house before you decide what needs to be done.
True. Or you may decide it's not the house for you for any number of reasons, including location and other non-house issues.
They missed checking the sewer outlet to the main in the street. If the line to the municipal sewer line is broken and needs replacement--- this is off of your property, in the public right-of-way--- the municipality generally will not pay for it. It's all on you... say $30K+. Don't ask my how I know. It's been so painful.
Yup, happened to a family friend.
Absolutely. I paid a little iver $30,000 to re-line the sewer pipe. It is/was a living nightmare.
But no person can really check that without a sewer line inspection camera. And most home inspections don’t use such a device.
A braintrust? CERTAINLY.
It’s usually an extra inspection you have to pay for but definitely worth it in my book. Saved me a $6k repair
Every professional home inspection I ever had wasn't worth the paper it was written on. They all missed so many things I could have seen in a quick walk-through.
Same, got a discount on the inspection and he did the termite inspection for free as an add-on. We're still trying to figure out why the other person backed out; it had some minor plumbing and electrical things, but nothing that would even touch like $5k in repairs, let alone some massive project.
Ours was good and caught a number of issues on roof, attic, windows, gas appliances. And it was even the one recommended by my buyers agent, which could have a tendency to overlook issues to get the house sold and get more referrals. My major issue with inspections, though not necessarily solvable, is that everything is surficial. They're not going to be looking at the plumbing, electrical, and insulation within walls, for example. And if the homeowner leaves clutter, they won't move it to inspect.
The combined brain trust around that table with their knowledge of all aspects of the trades and homes is astounding. I've been watching this show since I was a kid and am always learning new things.
It's like the Justice League of home improvement
Do you want a trophy or a cookie?
I've been watching this show since I was a kid too and it's pathetic compared to what it used to be.
One of my sons had an older home they were looking at buying on a beautiful property near a small creek. He asked me to look it over. There were a few fixable things, but there were signs of a wet basement, including a crack on one end (nearest the creek) and a sump pump. I got on the FEMA website and the flood surveys showed the house was in the creek floodway. Flood plain means it will see gently moving flood water. Floodway means it is in the active flow of the water during flooding and gets into significant insurance issues and building permits for adding on to the house. The realtor assured them this was not a problem, but the FEMA website and the house itself, said differently.
Nothing is a problem for realtors driving a Lexus and smelling money.
Realtors make a living by lying. It's pretty common sense to never buy a house on low ground or a flood plain.@@mvg2x34
… and?
Realtors are the biggest liars around. I looked at one house with a brand new dehumidifier in the basement. The box it came in was sitting right next to it. The rest of the basement was empty. It was the only thing down there. When I asked the realtor about it during the open house, she said she didn't know anything about it. 😂 I walked.
Note that flood surveys can be wrong. Ours was the same. However, when building the houses here, they relocated the creek, but none of the maps got updated. The previous owner paid fema $5k to re-assess the situation, and now they have a note for the property that it is actually not in a flood zone.
For whatever reason, the county refuses to update the map with the redirected creek.
One thing not mentioned is find a reputable home inspector. The realtor on my last home purchase insisted on using “her guy” and he missed a bunch of code violations. Either missed or ignored to get the home sold. Circuit breaker panel sparked and almost caused a fire, replaced $1k. Gas stove fittings were very non code and was leaking gas. Another was the termite damage to the patio. $7k I went to sue him, but the had been sued multiple times already and lost his license. Moral of the story, find an accredited home inspector.
The agent also is culpable. Needs to be reported for "her guy".
finding a reputable and competent home inspector is THE single most important part of this process!!! as the collective intelligence of the population continues to decline, competencies in ALL areas, decline too...
This is also my biggest piece of advice! Never go with the realtors inspector!!!
Agree, same thing happened to us on our first home purchase. Won’t happen in the future lol
@@chuckd.68 yup I’m. Still living in the first house 😭😂
After owning & renovating multiple homes built in the 70's to 80s, I'd say if you don't have the knowledge yourself try and find a General contractor to do some kind of an inspection. In my experience these so called home inspectors where I live (NJ) are useless. Most are ex corporate office workers who just did some mickey mouse course.... They will provide a list of superficial crap while ignoring true big issues. And never use one recommended by your real estate agent.
Yep! 😂
I have purchased several residential properties in the past 20 years and the biggest dealbreakers for me all involve water getting into the house. If the property slopes toward the house or if there is evidence of water in the crawl space then I’m out. I also don’t buy properties with swimming pools because they are giant money pits and they all leak. Although not a dealbreaker I usually stay away from flipped houses because the workmanship is often very poor and hiding major flaws. Beware of any house you know to have been remodeled in less than 6 months.
"I also don’t buy properties with swimming pools because they are giant money pits and they all leak."
Best $10k I spent in 27 years in my home was getting rid of the in-ground pool 9 years ago. And now we have a wide-open back yard!
I live in New England so those are dumb anyhow. Can't speak for those down south.
Man I wish I’d seen this a year ago. I wouldn’t be redoing the trim and waterproofing on a door because the DIY flipper I bought from used interior trim on the outside of the door. I can see 1/4” of the wrap between the top of the “trim” and the siding…no wonder water came in through the inside of the trim!
Not all flips are bad. Some people get a good contractor... but some people give in to greed and put lipstick on a pig. They have no honour.
Old paint is good paint and wallpaper is golden. The years will tell the tale. Do not pay extra for a painted house. The old paint is honest and tells the story of every crack and leak and that is a selling point worth some $$ to me. I'll seal and paint it myself. The colour I want. The quality and finish I want.
I live in the PNW mid way up a hill. French drain + sump pump + vapor barrier = no more water in the crawl space.
Indoor pools can be an opportunity. Usually they are more of a liability than an asset on a sale. For less than $10k in materials you can decommission and floor it over. Now you have an extra 800-1k sqft of finished space for a workshop or a gym. Most folks don't want to do that kind of work, so it narrows the field of who you're bidding against.
I have one, for very old houses! When I bought my 1926 bungalow, the electrical panel was modern and all the wiring we could see was relatively modern. No problem with insurance and home inspector didn't note anything. As we did renovations over the subsequent years, we realized that a TON of original knob and tube was still in use in places that were hard to reach (entire upper story, and all the ceiling lights/fans on the first floor.) It ended up costing us around $35k to get it all replaced (including major wall damage and the associated repairs.) That's a lot of money to spend just to have the house somewhat less likely to burn down.
I feel your pain. Similar situation here: my panel was modern and the knob and tube had been 'deactivated' on the main floor (it's a one story). BUT, the city blew insulation over my knob & tube wiring, completely covering it in the attic. That is a fire hazard; knob & tube wiring needs air flow. So, they had to correct it. I commented previously on the process but, in short, the city hired a highly rated electrical contractor with experience in working on old houses (my bungalow is 1927) and a BPI certified contractor to first remove all the insulation. So removal of the insulation, then removal of all K&T (tedious work since they did it without opening my walls) and complete rewiring of my house. Insulation blown back in. My fear was that they would tear open my plaster walls but after doing some research, I was relieved to know that people with old school skills and experience in working with old houses can do wiring without wrecking your home. My house is small, 1092 sq ft but it took two full days to complete the work. I was very lucky. So if you had K&T wiring covered with insulation you are better off with new wiring. Good luck with your bungalow!
curious what city you live in? I have k&t wiring that I want to replace but I'm convinced I can't afford it. $35k is insane!
When I was 16 my parents bought a house and the sewerline collapsed 3 months after closing.
Everytime I've bought a house (old enough to not have pvc or no recent replacement) I pay a plumber to run a camera through.
One house we were offering on recently had 45 yr old cast iron that was breaking apart. The owner wanted to patch a few parts, because full replacement was $35k.
We walked.
Wow! you’re such a tough negotiator!
There are a lot of older homes, as recent as the 1970s, that used Orangeburg pipes for the sewage line. With a maximum lifespan of about 50 years, these are a major failure point in houses today. My 1920s home needed this replaced, my sisters 1960s house needed it replaced. I always recommend getting a plumber to use their camera snake and scope the waste line.
Sad thing is the next person probably got trapped by it, crazy its not all put online in reviews or something.
As a homeowner anticipating selling at some point, I’ve always kept a running list with dates of improvements, replacements, or changes that I’ve made myself or had done professionally. I think that when the time comes to sell, it will help potential buyers to have a level of trust in what they are buying if they know the status of the level of upkeep in the house.
Episode 2, A mock home inspection showing everyone the proper tools.
Tape measure, plumb bob, ladders, pics and probes, etc. Who and when to hire, like the well inspector and chimney pros for their specialist eyes and testing tools.
My advice when house shopping start in the basement. Look at the wiring. look for signs of water damage and mold. Look for any structural issues in the foundation or framing. There were several houses I didn't even bother looking at the rest of it the deal was broken already i the basement.
Your comment was better than anything they said.
I've seen homes listed online with basement pictures. In these pictures you could see foundation cracks and in others you could see past water damage.
When I bought several months back, any house with a basement photos (or even better, the 3D tours), I immediately went and found the electrical panel. My town has a LOT of older (~1900) houses, and you could easily see the knob and tube or smaller panels. Or my personal favorite, the bullnose panel in the stairway to the basement. And there's a lot of 1960s and 1970s homes that had sketchy stuff too.
The ones that didnt look like they at least have 150A service and modern-style cable were basically immediately off the list because even if they were cheaper, I didnt have the time or energy to deal with a major rewiring project
@@chrispreperato5562 here we have a lot of former grow houses where they were not interested in any sort of electrical code to get their operation going. Knob and tube would have been an improvement from what I saw.
Great advice.
Guy, great take on home inspections and the risk of skipping home inspections.
I have been a home inspector in Mass for over 35 years, myself and my company have inspected over 50 thousand homes. We are now getting calls for post-inspection a few days or weeks after the buyers take ownership. We are finding structural damage, molds, unsafe decks, and a multitude of issues some ranging over 50k. Buyers skip their legal right for an inspection, paying way over the ask and inheriting all these issues. I feel sorry for these young people but there is nothing we can do for them after they take ownership. Having a full inspection before purchase and sales is imperative, We will not find everything but at least you can make an informed decision. Any licensed home inspector will tell you, that safety is our number one priority.
"Nothing we can do about it" is such a sad cop-out.
Real Estate Agents will tell you that you're making the single biggest purchase of your life, a huge decision, and then rush and pressure you to sign your life away.
If everyone was honest and honorable, it wouldn't be a problem, but people have taken family homes and turned it into a profit game.
It only takes an ounce of accountability to fix everything.
Start with a mandatory 60 minute safety inspection (like we do with car sales). The house must pass a basic safety inspection to complete a sale. The inspector can be hired on to complete a more extensive report if the buyer wishes.
If there aren't enough inspectors to cover each sale, then a basic safety disclosure may suffice. "I the seller and I the real estate agent declare this home safe for habitation." They remain liable for correcting any safety violations discovered 30 days after a sale or 1 year for violations that were not disclosed/ hidden and inaccessible at the time of sale. (Yes, it opens up the sellers to fraudulent claims, but the buyers have been defrauded by shady sellers for decades, if not hundreds of years).
It is the basic used car salesman premise, "I wouldn't sell you anything I wouldn't let my dear, old mother drive!"
I would say to the industry: stop opening the door for people to screw each other. That means mandatory full disclosure with penalties. If you own the home, you can't say "I don't know." You are required to know your product. Homeowners should self-declare or hire out an inspector to vouch:
Lead paint? If needed, two samples from different locations sent to lab.
Asbestos? Two samples insulation, two samples tile.
Wiring? Which circuits are two wire ungrounded and which circuits are knob and tube.
Plumbing? All pipe material used. Date and purpose of last plumbing related service call.
Date and depth, extent and cause of last two floods.
Water heater age.
Cost of winter heating (December-March)
Cost of summer electrical bill and cooling (June-Sept)
Property taxes
Roof material and age with warranty number.
All rental contract numbers.
Estimated age of appliances.
Pests? Date of last pest service. List of known pests.
List of modifications/intrusions into the structure of the building (holes or notches in excess of one inch). Penalties can be as simple as a seller database for "failure to disclose" to financial liability to the seller and insurance of the agent and or license suspension. Serious measures to push sellers and agents to err on the side of honesty. Ignorance would mean either paying to find and fix a problem or paying in the sales negotiation to take a loss for a potentially negative feature.
...that's what I would expect, minimum, for million dollar purchases. I've lived and loved my home for 3 years and I could complete that form accurately in about 30 minutes. Pulling up some old service bills via emails or home bills binder would take the majority of that time. Loving my family means that I will know the ins-and-outs of our home for safety and comfort. I take pride in that and would sell my home with pride and a clear conscience knowing it would take care of anyone who steps foot in it.
An unloved house is not a home.
Good inspectors are gold. They need stronger enforcement power and $$ bonus incentives to come back and see that their orders are complete.
Darn, I feel bad for those young people too. Have they not learned that the boomers selling those houses have taken advantage of their generation already. Major red flag buying a boomer home.
Waiving the inspection contingency is not the same thing as skipping an inspection. It means get a pre-inspection before you submit your offer.
They are skipping inspections because they want to sue after buying the home.
From one who twice purchased 100-year old homes (what was i thinking?!), lots of great info here- love the comments!
I am a fan of TOH since the beginning but in the past few years I feel like it’s become “Gutting this old house” and also “Install every cutting edge highest-end outrageously expensive system in this old house”. Is this because the old houses are now so old they truly require such tearing out? And are these really the optimal new systems or do the owners just want the fanciest and most expensive?
I would love to see a budget TOH!
Thank you guys! Way to keep it real even during these crazy times. One of the very few drama free informative shows left. Nothing but talent
They didn't mention "is the home within a HOA". Always get a current copy of the "by-laws" and READ them so that you know and understand. If you wait until you have bought, you could be in for some big surprises. I know, I know, there are many of you out there that would never move into a HOA neighborhood and that is your personal preference but understand that HOA's have benefits that keep your investment protected. My neighbors can't paint their house pink with purple trim (or other strange colors), can't have sheets for curtains, can't have junk cars that have been sitting for years in their front yard (that they are going to fix-up and turn into a collectable one day), etc.
Ok, but many HOAs are out of control and even dictate which flowers you can plant, and assign random fines that can acrue to the point they take your house. These HOAs are an industry that is completely without regulation or oversight. See John Oliver's video.
No one else is telling what to do with my property, house - NO ONE !!
@@bennym1956 Do you take that tone with the government when they come to collect your property tax every year?
Some HOA's go overboard, but mostly they keep the community held to an agreed upon standard.
HOAs don't actually protect your investment. Homes in HOA neighborhoods are not significantly more valuable than neighborhoods without one. Who they actually benefit is the developer because they can pass on the debt of building roads and utilities to the HOA
I like HOAs - if they are well run. I once lived in a neighborhood where the neighbor did just that, painted the house purple. Another neighbor down the block had a small trailer home parked in the driveway with a relative living.
Mentioned a couple times but look at things you cant change.
Neighbors, loud roadways, hoas, everything in the house is repairable or can be remediated, though some way more $$$ than others.
Good health to all
Exactly this. Doesn't matter how nice the house is if you end up living in a bad neighborhood.
Parking is one thing people often over look, especially when buying on a cul-de-sac with an HOA. They get real excited about how much they like the house they forget about parking until the first time they try to throw a party.
'HOA'. Lost me at that nightmare.
HOA? Run screaming.
The area next to your property is not yours. Nor is the area they park. It's their parking area.
Tough shyt if you throw a party and your buddies vehicle gets towed.
I bought an inspection from the person who made a previous offer and backed out. Cost me 1/3 the price and was available immediately.
Interesting idea but how did you find out about that person and get to contact them? Did the realtor helped you make the connection?
This would be a good series from different places around the country. Homes in Southern California are definitely not the same as New England.
Good point ! Different regions of the country have different issues.
Didn't mention: 1. Age of septic system (if applicable) and maintenance records. That's a $30k+ job to replace. 2. Well water testing (if applicable), that's bit us with several early 1900's houses near us with only cesspools. 3. Mold and/or ceiling stains (or evidence of recent stain repair :) ). Good advice from these guys. I will say however that formal inspections can be hit or miss. I had one done 5 years ago for a re-fi...maybe he didn't put in the effort since he knew it wasn't for a sale, but he glossed over a few things that I clearly knew were problems, including the above-mentioned ceiling stains from leaking pipes from an upstairs bathroom that we subsequently fixed.
A lot of home inspectors don't know what they are doing and are not an expert in every, or any trade.
If I were to ever buy a house I would try to schedual the walk through the day after it rains. The heavier the better. I would also bring a thermo camura to "see" any areas of water infiltrating or pooling behind walls or ceiling.
Don’t forget to check whether the house is located in a flood plane, how often floods occur in this area, and the extra cost of insurance, if available.
House-neighbors have security bars on windows.
1) Don't fall in love at first sight! Go in with your eyes wide open!
When we bought a well-built 1960 ranch style home with lots of beautiful stonework (inside and out) in a great location that needed a new roof, new windows, siding, electrical work, a new heating system and the septic was suspect, two large storm damaged and dangerous trees needed to be taken down, kitchen and baths were very dated, we wrote the seller a letter introducing ourselves complimenting them on their very nice home. They were the original owners. We politely and honestly explained the need and cost of each item of concern giving them the basis of our offer that was considerably less than their asking price. We worked out a price that worked for both of us. They appreciated the honesty and some communication back and forth with us rather than dealing with just the realtor and offer sheets. I think once the housing market calms down, (hopefully it does) this is a good approach to take if you really want a property that needs a lot of money put back into it. BTW, after doing all the work and upgrades over a 5-year period we love it here! I would love to show some of the before and after pics. We took a 60+ year old house and it looks like it is a new custom built home.
We had a pre-closing inspection done. He found lots of light bulbs out (21), filthy HVAC filters and other relatively minor things. Sellers insisted on an “as-is” sale. The night we moved in, it stormed. We found water running down interior walls on the first floor in several rooms from a leaky roof. We then noticed the preexisting water stains on the walls. Later, I found a rotted post by the front door and a rotted window sill in an upstairs bedroom.
sounds like your "pre-closing inspection" was useless. He was to busy looking at at the little things to see the big things.
@@davidlohberger5237most pre-inspections are arranged by Realtors who pay inspectors to only highlight trivial things. A good piece of advice is never trust anyone, and get the most expensive inspector in your area.
Sometimes if the owner can't take care of the little things like lightbulbs and HVAC filter, there's a good chance they let a lot of other stuff go as well. It's a red flag in itself
Home inspectors are a joke. Big waste of money.
@@bike4peaceRTW there are good ones. Everyone of our inspections helped us know about potential issues. I bought a new home. 3 mths old. The guy was being deployed and he had just bought the home and didn't want to deal with renters. Plus he decided after his deployment he would retire and leave the area. The inspector found that the shower installation cut through a joist and the drain wasn't hooked up in the crawl space to anything it was just left to drain on the ground. The HVAC system was in the attic, and somehow the electrical switch was just left in the cellulose insulation. Not mounted, possible FIRE Hazard. there was an attic fan that was never hooked up to the switch, installed but not getting any power. A few shingles were missing entirely in one of the V's in the roof section. Not noticeable from the ground. A couple of the gutters were not mounted to the home, just left propped UP. I think the military dude probably missed the inspection or something. I don't think he knew any of it. The builder was liable for all of it as it was incomplete and under warranty. Sadly that builder did end up being sued over incomplete stuff in other homes. Living there 10 yrs, those were the only issues. I sold as I got hailed out. 3 storms in 1 yr and I couldn't continue with insurance. And I work in insurance. Several of us had to move cuz we couldn't get insurance having submitted 3 claims in one year. Untouchable at that point.
When you listen to the experts and add everything up, you come to realize the wide variety of issues to beware of. For most prospective homeowner's that's beyond the scope of their knowledge. That's why having a qualified home inspector is important. I emphasize the word qualified because there are probably a lot of inspectors who are not that good. Finding a knowledgeable inspector is key.
The first item they mentioned, a proper, professional home inspection, is by far the most important thing anyone can do and will mitigate most, if not all, of the subsequent items they mentioned. I was the fourth owner of my current house (three military owners in 12 years) and my home inspector discovered the large multi-level deck was non-compliant. It had top-quality construction and materials and was wildly overbuilt with nineteen (19) 6x6 support post instead of the required 4x4 (according to the inspector, 1/3 as many posts as required). It would easily pass as a freestanding deck - as it had with at least two previous home inspectors - except that the joists were not continuous in one section and there was no ledger. The then-owner had to fix this as it could not legally be listed as a saleable property otherwise it would be considered a defect of non-disclosure and, because it was safety related, their insurance company would have to be notified.
The fact is even if you avoid these issues the more standard costs associated with home ownership are very high.
Do NOT buy a home if you have to stretch to afford it, because you’re only looking at the monthly payments and the deposit. The maintenance and repairs can get you and make it very painful.
It’s easier said than done but I believe the “ideal” house to be 10-20 years old. This is ample time for it to manifest any major issues with the foundation or water, yet you’ve got most modern building codes applied.
Ideal is pre-war construction when they didn't build everything like crap.
10-20 years old sure, but at 20 years, everything in the house starts to fail - all the major appliances (dishwasher, fridge, stove, microwave, washer, dryer), water heaters A/C unit, heating, roof, decking…it can quickly becomes a money pit. So if buying at 20 years, I would definitely look for a home that has much if not all of those big ticket items replaced.
I generally agree but remember there was a major housing crisis in 2007-08. I recommend avoiding anything built or even renovated during that time. People were desperate to just finish & get houses on the market ASAP so they wouldn't lose everything. Don't ask me how I know.
Working in the real estate industry here in Illinois the most common things I see is water intrusion in basements . If you overpay for a home it’s most likely because there’s not another one like it and especially area is ideal such as it being next to a family member or friend.
Totally missed the biggest one! Location. It's the one thing you can't change (ok, sometimes you can, but at incredible expense). That highway is never going to get less busy. The HOA is never going to get less nuts. The hog confinement down the road a bit is never going to stop stinking. And so on.
Also consider the neighbors. Mine threw a hissy fit because I didn't want to cut down 30 foot trees on the property line so he could put in a 6 foot fence. That cost me thousands of dollars in lawyer, surveyor, and arborist fees just to put him in his place.
And always look out for nearby railroad tracks.
We looked at a house once and seriously considered it until we noticed that the city water treatment plant was a couple streets away. When we asked the owners, they literally told us, “Oh, if we ever smell the sewage, we just call the plant operator and the smell goes away.” 😂😂😂 I think about that house every time I drive by that neighborhood and am thankful we caught that. Now, when looking for a house, I always zoom out on the satellite image of the property to see what water treatment plant, huge dam, big school, mining operation or firehouse is nearby.
You got that right. In farming areas look for chicken houses or hog houses. There is a very nice house in the Shenandoah valley right next to 2 chicken houses that has sold 3 times in the last 3 years, 26 acres for less than $400. The smell is incredible. Also look for power lines and power substations. @@saraquigley5414
Today: "PEX is great"
30 years from now: "Never buy a house with PEX..."
I was a home inspector for 17 years and did over 5000 inspections including radon and Wood destroying insects.
A lot has to do with whom is buying the home? Is it a first time buyer or someone that is going to flip the home or many others in between.
Attic issues like rodent entry, old systems, underground systems, trees in close proximity.
Bat 🦇 droppings, old wiring, environmental issues.
Informing the prospective buyer and educating them was what I enjoyed, the blame game from all involved parties was a challenge.
Tommy and Richard have such an extensive knowledge of homes that would be excellent at advising people as they do here and most often on the condition of the home, new construction or 100 + years old!
Basically, when we bought our house, we did all the things these guys recommended, and the conclusion was there was no old house worth buying. We bought an 80s era house and maintenance and upgrades have been easy. It's well insulated, has modern plumbing and electrical. All our friends who bought older houses, despite inspection, are constantly jumping from expensive disaster to expensive disaster.
1926 home here, only thing I had to ‘jump’ to fix was a small drip leak in basement.
I dunno. We had a 30s house that required some maintenance (we got all of our money back and broke even) and bought a 1920s house. We have done a decent amount of modernizing but the home is solid in a way a new house will NEVER be. It has its creaks and things, and it can be drafty in the winter but holy cow the architecture and the construction is much better than any new home I’ve been in
I think people need to realize that most homes have about a 50 year lifespan; and major renovations can extend it quite a bit. So, a 1920s home that hasnt really been updated in 20-30 years is probably gonna be a nightmare of electrical, plumbing, and water leak issues. But a 1920s home that got gutted and renovated within the last 15-20 years might be better than a home built in the 2000s.
Based on my last homebuying experience, the sweet spot might be all these 1960s/1970s homes that all got majorly redone kitchens and electrical within the last 10-15 years...all the big safety issues (bad wiring, sketchy or undersized panels, etc) are gone, the only big ticket item is usually a roof or AC replacement. They were a solid $30-50k cheaper than the newer construction homes, and Im not gonna drop that even if I have to replace both the roof and AC
I'd rather buy a new mobile home than some old houses; the mobile will be up to the Federal HUD code, all new and insulated. I live in a 1940's real brick house; cold in winter, hot in summer, original wood windows. Great "bones", real 2 x 4s, etc., but too much for me to fix everything now with a reduced income.
@@chrispreperato5562 You don't want to "gut" a home that old and "renovate it", you would only be replacing quality construction with utter garbage.
A deal breaker for me is a lead service line.
Another deal breaker (from a cold weather location) is inadequate attic ventilation.
Good advice from the experts. Always spend the little money to get an inspection and fix any issues as soon as you move into the house.
I would advise against buying homes that have lots of minor things done wrong. It's a good signal for bigger things being done wrong - that it was owned by some DIYer who didn't know what they were doing.
For example, a buddy bought a home where a couple of the outlets were installed with the wrong polarity. And the bathroom sink had no trap - it was just a normal elbow.
No big deal, right? Well, after moving in they found out all the windows were installed wrong. The sliders too. It costed them a bunch of money.
As a licensed plumber, get the sewer main inspected and video recorded do not skip that step no matter what.
This is a great primer on what to consider. But I think it's also important to talk with other home owners in the area you are looking. For example, heating source, stucco, condition of the frame, type of insulation, discoloration on the attic sheathing, etc. There's a lot to consider and having a checklist would be very helpful.
Always love listening to this group of wonderful craftsman to gain further insight that I've often used to help others as a fairly skilled home renovator, much to the education from the TOH crew and other trades people over several decades.
bought a flip house my options were limited. The craftsmanship was not the greatest , materials were new but of lower quality, at least the roof was newer and high quality.
Absolutely! And drama free to boot😳 sold
Great piece…thanks for sharing
I enjoyed listening to the team. Very informative. And great advice.
These are some of my dealbreakers:
1) Signs of roaches. My wife and I have walked out of several showings at the first sign of roach scat.
2) The seller has let maintenance go. If I can clearly see maintenance issues during a showing then there are certainly issues I am not seeing.
3) No permits pulled for obvious renovations, especially if they put in the disclosures that there was no unpermitted work. I'll concede that this is location-dependent.
4) The seller is flipping the property. This is especially true if there were no permits pulled. Flippers in my experience are putting lipstick on a pig.
5) Cast iron plumbing, if house is over 50 years old. Especially if slab on grade with sub-grade plumbing.
6) The seller is a smoker. Getting rid of the smell could go as far as a full gut, sealing the studs, and replacing the HVAC.
While not immediate dealbreakers, my hackles are up if furnace, A/C, and roof are old or if the home has a lot of fans running and/or candles lit.
Thank you guys for this topic. Just something everyone should be aware of! New or old builds.
Totally agree with everything! People now rush into things too fast without thinking over things.
Location is the most important issue. Don't buy a house on a busy or cut through street or any street with a yellow line. Stay away from a local nuisance, a school, fire or police station, hospital public park, pipelines or other utility easements. Make sure that there is not a night light nuisance, a streetlight shining into a window, neighboring homes that are lit up like a prison. Beware of airplane traffic both commercial, general aviation or military which can be noisy. Check out a neighborhood, during the day when most are away at work, in the evenings and on weekends to see what the people are like. Do you want annoying kids as neighbors or a more empty nester situation? No place is perfect but carefully selecting a property is all important. The last house I owned, the perfect spot hated the existing 1960's house. Purchased it, scraped the lot saving the best trees and started from scratch. Last, beware of flipped houses by amateur flippers.
This is Great Advice From my Favorite group of Contractors and They Do things Right the first time around
Host: "What are some deal breakers?"
Everyone else: "Well, it's not a deal breaker, but..."
It was a bad video for what they were supposed to be talking about.
I live in New England. I bought a 1927 bungalow 19 years ago. When I look back I think I missed a few things but fortunately, my house has very good 'bones.' The only thing I spent money on was a new roof last year, a rebuilt chimney, new bathroom and kitchen lights along with a new toilet and sink (which required some new plumbing) and had all my window ropes and weights fixed.
The other stuff I had done was done with funding from the city: Removal of all insulation in the attic and then removal of all knob & tube wiring and complete rewiring of my house, air sealing (with insulation board and various foams) of the attic and basement and insulation blown in attic and exterior walls, Panasonic Whisper fan in the bathroom and of course it had to be vented out through the roof (there was no fan in the bathroom before), vinyl weather stripping for my front and back door. The insulation was done by a BPI certified contractor. A heat gun was used by an inspector to make sure any gaps in insulation was fixed. The electrical work was inspected by the city. It took 2 days to rewire my house (1092 sq ft) because they did it without opening my plaster walls; lots of tedious work. I even got a new driveway NOT funded by the city, but I didn't pay for that either...long story. The work was done by responsible contractors though. Years ago I replaced my old asbestos boiler but the loan I got was structured as a grant; if I stayed in my home for 5 years, the city would discharge the loan in full. They did and I have the recorded discharge.
The state is replacing homeowners' water lines with copper if they are lead, at no cost to the homeowner. I've been approved and have been notified that will be happening shortly.
So I have been lucky, very lucky. I still need to paint the outside and fix my front screen door. Some cosmetic painting on the inside. But all in all, even though I made a few mistakes my home turned out just fine.
Good video topic, and good insights. When I have shopped for a house, I stop in the bathroom and flush the toilet. If it flushes - good. Then I turn on the hot and cold water taps and feel how hot or cold the water is or is not. Plumbing is very expensive.
Related to the plumbing is the hot water heater. If it is inside the main floor of the house, then have it moved outside and placed on a slightly tilted concrete pad tilting slightly away from the house wall so if and when it leaks/breaks the water will run onto the lawn/garden. Much better than waking up some morning with an inch or 3 of water on all the floors/carpets/rugs in the house.
On the paint front, the lead scare is way overblown.
From 1978 on a home has been painted many over, totally encapsulating the lead paint.
Now if you purchase a home that hasn't been painted since 1970 then maybe use caution.
I worked in Lead Abatement for 20 years. You're right. If the paint in intact, it's not dangerous. It's when the family with kids move into their new house and start sanding and scaping to prep for new paint, that the danger is real. Also lead paint on "friction surfaces" like window sashes and doors that rub can be a hazard to children (they put EVERYTHING in their mouths)
Sage advice. We just had to replace all of our "red print" copper plumbing last week with PEX due to pinhole leaks.
The fact that it was "Red print copper (M) and not the thicker copper probably had little to do with it. Some people have bad water that will eat copper. Plastic pipe will fix it.
flood risk, flood risk, fire risk fire risk, check the landscape before deciding on the home.
I would’ve thought moisture from top to bottom would’ve been on someone’s list. Maybe it’s covered in the home inspection but moisture management in a home can lead to a lot of structural costly fixes from excavation to tiles to damaged insulation would mold, etc..
I looked at a house that I knew some background on and was in a great location. Unfortunately it had been vacant at least a year and at some point developed a plumbing leak in the master bath at the back end of the house. There was black mold in every room along the back of the house from to the dining area. Only the kitchen in the back was clear from what could be seen inside and the rooms along the front of the house because there weren’t any pipes under the front. There were other things too but in comparison were minor. Because I had wanted that house so much, it took several days for me to accept the reality and tell the realtor thanks, but no thanks! 😜
No bathroom fans in a rental is always a big red flag for me. It's cold where I live, no one is opening up windows in the winter to have a shower.
Thank you guys for making the video and all of them! My family and I thought we had found our dream home but just in my personal inspection we found out the house needed smoke abatement (thanks for that video as well), had serious problems with the foundation, the garage was leaning, and there was significant rotting in the floor of two areas of the home where either a pipe had burst or something had been dripping on the floor. The combination of all those things made us run away even though it was an otherwise gorgeous home in our dream neighborhood.
I would say the one thing that I didn’t think of when we were getting our home inspection is, does this house have a hot roof? If you live in northern climates with lots of snow like I do (Alaska), it can be a big issue and cause a lot of damage if it isn’t dealt with. Even if it is dealt with often times the options are expensive. We went with heating coils on our roof. This of course brings up our electricity bill drastically in the winter, which is when it is usually more expensive already. We love our house but had we known about ice damming and hot roofs, I am not sure that we would’ve bought it.
Great episode! Thanks so much. The end especially
Thank you for the helpful video
Thanks guys, always watching you. 🙂
Is it important to pay the inspector yourself? Instead of waiting for the house to sell, tell the inspector you'll pay immediately. And go along as they do it. Should make a difference.
The number 1 deal breaker for me is a wood foundation.
Another deal breaker would be the local property tax rates. Sometimes being one street over puts you in the city limits for instance and that can cost you alot more in taxes over the long term
Excellent segment!
THESE GUYS ARE THE BEST.. LOVE THIS GUYS PLEASE NEVER STOP MAKING THESE CLIPS
Thank you for these suggestions--a whole lot of people need this kind of information! Because of my age (and to my surprise) I downsize and purchased a house constructed the same year I was born--1942!
No way in hell is skipping a professional inspection so you can get a bid in before someone else is ok. What's the point of bidding first if the house is a piece of sh!t?
more of these please!!
The hourly rate statement was hilarious, but true lmao
I used to sell Solar panels, and the other reps along with myself, would tell People STAY AWAY from LEASEing your Solar panels. If the house you want to buy is currently leasing the Solar panels, then STAY AWAY!
Check the joists (strong, not cut into, properly supportive) leaks in the attic, drainage in the yard after a rain, how fast the water drains in the sink, the placement and number of outlets in the rooms, how much sunlight comes in.
Lots to consider and no house is perfect! All a balance between buying price and how much to set aside and fix!
And get multiple inspectors, especially if you don't know the person doing the inspection. Our home inspector came recommended to us by the realtor and he missed TONS of issues that would have been great to know about.
1) NOT having a highly qualified home inspection.2) Not checking for mold 3) NOT finding how old are the furnace, water heater and a/c unit.4) Asbestos. 5) Easements. 6) Kitchen not venting outside. These are all the mistakes I have made in buying homes over my lifetime.
A homeowners' association is a deal breaker for me. Even if there's no HOA, check the deed for CCR (conditions, covenants and restrictions).
Before I buy my next home, I'll be looking at local millage election results. I want to find a township where the residents occasionally reject a millage increase rather than automatically raising their own taxes at every opportunity.
Liquid propane (LP) heating is almost a deal breaker (let's say it's two strikes). Compared to natural gas, it's very expensive and inconvenient.
Last couple houses I have bought have been easy to inspect. Since the plan for both of them was to rip everything out to the studs, it didn't matter how terrible the plumbing, electrical, insulation, or systems were. Makes it super easy when you only have to inspect the roof, walls, and foundation.
Of course, when ripping it out, you come face to face with just how horrifically bad some of the work was (or at least, the condition of it after decades and decades of use).
This is helpful to the home seller, too! I'm considering putting my house up, but I have wondered what I need to be aware of. Thanks TOH for having this. It does help!!
All great comments--- thank you, everyone! As a soon-to-be first-time home buyer, this provides so much useful, and necessary, information. It's almost as if one would ask, "how could you afford *not* to spend a few extra $$ to have the sewer line inspection, or whatever else checked out. Peace of mind is priceless. And, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Add to that : Mature vegetation /trees requiring expensive maintenance or replacement , any properties with bordering easements , improperly installed well or septic system . Any low lying property in a development .
I regret not hiring the inspector myself instead of my realtor. The inspector I got just really wanted me to buy the home but wasn't concerned with nitpicking in order to help me lower my bid. There's a lot more wrong with the house than he found and I overpaid 😢
Aluminum wiring is a red flag item. It can be fixed, but not easy or cheap.
Look for black mold in the basement and in the attic.
Had some in our basement. Fixed the grading to stop water entry. Ripped out moldy shelving. Ripped out basement insulation. Fixed refrigerator water leak. Replaced moldy subfloor panel above. Killed all mold with diluted bleach. Painted walls with drylok.
It was a lot of work but very doable for a DIYer over a few weekends.
@@robertm5969 Mold remediation is always "fun" and usually expensive.
As a young guy who bought and old house these videos help motivate me that i can fix everything.
This might be the best episode ever for first time buyers !!!! Please liste!m!!!!
termite damage, moisture and asbestos can all be extremely expensive to fix
I need to replace my old galvanized pipes. Good news is almost all plumbing is in the exposed basement ceiling so easy to get to. I'm not sold on PEX being safe for drinking/showering. What chemicals will be leached into the water? I know it will be more expensive, but maybe copper is the way to go. Any advice?
PEX A. Not B. Do it yourself. All this copper they sell now is the product of recycled and I don't trust it. Plus Pex is way faster, and very few connections.
Compare the cost. Get an estimate on both.
See which one fits with what you need and want.
Any installed solar panels should be looked at very carefully, usually opens a can of worms unless it's full paid without any liens on the home and the equipment is still relatively new. That will be rare since almost all of it will either be financed (lien with foreclosure clause that you will assume on purchase of the home) or leased with contractual service charges whether you like it or not.
THIS IS GOLD!!!!
Always great
a lot of knowledge around this table
Water Heater, Furnace, Roof, Windows, plumbing, Floors, Foundation.....
Great video
Great toolbox in the background.
Dealbreaker when buying a house: 7% interest
The very first thing that was stated isn't really true. I live in one of the markets where it's often stated that you you don't get an inspection. We bought at the height of the market, and we still got an inspection. What is really meant is that you can't get an inspection and request changes based on the result. In most cases even in really hot markets, you are fine putting in a pass/fail inspection in your offer.
Yup, you can get a contract contingent on inspection. But you sure could get an inspection. But the market has changed in much of the country since prices are softer, and inspections are becoming more and more part of contracts. That doesn't mean a seller needs to take your offer, and if it is a fine house in a great location you might just want to pay full price with no contingencies and pay cash to make it as smooth as possible for the seller.
@@maddierosemusic I wouldn't advocate for anyone to not do an inspection, at least as a pass/fail. You certainly can to make your offer look better, but there is a huge amount of risk there. I also highly recommend people walk with the inspector, so you are well aware of all the things that make it into the report, and those that don't. Also, you will have way more context than what you can get in the report.
With the market softening, it's even easier to make that kind of offer. Our offer was very competitive, not cash, but with a significant appraisal gap, and with a pass/fail inspection.
Retaining walls are my number 1. Knowing that I'm going to have to fix or replace it eventually just kills me. And tells me I'm getting water in the basement.
This was really helpful.
I love looking at houses and I didn’t know much of this stuff.
(Although, if seller didn’t let me do a home inspection, I would run)
Tom nailed it (no pun intended big guy). Most of the other things aren't deal breakers certainly not an old water heater LOL!
In 1980, I bought a 2 story duplex in CA that was built in 1910-20 and had the original heaters in a kind of basement installation. I had to have a thermostat replaced once and the tech wanted to look at the heaters. The heaters didn’t use fans, but just used the heat to move the air. He kept telling me that they didn’t meet modern code. I kept asking him if the code said they were dangerous and had to be replaced or just that the code had updated and the heaters (which worked just fine) could remain. He just hemmed and hawed around and wouldn’t answer. I left the heaters alone.
The inspector moaned and groaned because he doesn't know anything about those older units, which are typically from well before WWII. Most were converted from coal to gas or oil. It doesn't mean they are bad but does mean they have limited life left... and no parts available. They also have asbestos, so any removal will be expensive.
@@rupe53 The furnaces were natural gas units. But you might be right about asbestos, I don’t know. The living room originally had an open flame radiant heat that was outlawed decades before I bought the building. I thought about converting it to a wood burning fireplace, but the cost was more than I was willing to pay. So I went to Sears and bought an electric heating fireplace with “dancing flame effect”! LOL. I would run the dancing flames without the heat and I would swear I could feel heat.
I’m so glad I’m in the trades… diy has been my best option for years … obviously you can’t do everything but you could do most of it.