10 things to look out for in a slightly older New England house built between 1950 and 2000
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
10 things to look out for in a slightly older New England house built between 1950 and 2000.
Before I get started on this list, I want to reiterate that when looking to buy a home, condo, or multi family, your buyer’s rep should always insist on having an inspection done, even if there is no contingency on the inspection in your offer. Having a way out of a contract if you find something unexpected and expensive is paramount, and if your agent is trying to talk you into a no-contingency no-inspection offer, they are doing this for THEIR benefit, rather than for yours.
First, here are five things that are found fairly frequently in New England, and these issues would be some of the most expensive fixes potentially:
1. Foundation and support structure. If you are looking anywhere in Eastern Connecticut (and some areas in surrounding Western Mass towns), Google “crumbling foundations CT” before you buy anything there that was built between 1983 and 2015. About 35,000 homes were affected by a specific concrete company in Stafford and it is an ongoing issue in that area. In other areas, if you are seeing lots of cracks in walls or floors that are not level, even though this is usually a 100+ year old home issue, keep your eyes peeled for this!
2. Septic system or sewer pipes. In Massachusetts, there is a law called Title 5 that makes it mandatory to have a full septic inspection before any sale takes place. If the septic fails in this state, the seller has to fix it, which certainly gives the buyer peace of mind. In Connecticut there are no similar protections, so your buyer’s agent should always encourage a septic inspection as part of your due diligence. Even if there is a public sewer hookup, the pipe leading to the road in older houses can crack and take on roots, leading to very expensive repairs. So know what you’re dealing with here!
3. Age and usefulness of boiler/heating system. Your realtor should be paying less attention to the nice tile in the breezeway than the mechanicals that are heating and cooling your new home; overlooking old decrepit mechanicals can cost you dearly years or months after your sale is complete and your buyer’s agent has pocketed their commission. Age is important here, as these contraptions have life limits, something that a good inspector will aptly point out to you. In addition to the heating and cooling, make sure the water heater is 10 years old or less, the oil tank, if there is one, is in good shape (not leaking!) as well as water expansion tanks, radon systems, etc.
4. Age and number of remaining years for roof. Inspectors will try to guess the age of the roof, but there’s nothing like the eye test. There have been studies saying that when you are looking to make a major purchase (car, house) your eyes will become accustomed to looking at these things and you should be able to easily pick out a good newer roof from one that is barely hanging on. Roof problems can cause so many interior AND exterior issues that this is one of the most expensive things you can overlook.
5. Water coming in either presently or in the past; could be mold or rot. Again, this is something either an inspector or an experience agent can usually spot for you, but you have to know where to look! If the house has a basement you can usually see some visible staining on the floorboards if it’s finished, or right on the concrete if it’s not. If there is a roof or gutter drainage issue, you might see stains on the top floor’s ceiling. If there were plumbing issues, you’d see water damage in the basement in the floor joists, or on first floor ceilings below bathrooms. There are many more possible locations, but this issue can cause long-term mold and structural problems that will need to be remediated.
ok so those are some of the bigger things that could prevent you from falling into a money pit! Now, here are 5 things that are often overlooked and could also cost you quite a bit of money:
6. Older plumbing pipes that have seem to be ready to come apart because of age. Some of the things you can look for: corrosion visible to the eye on any exposed pipes, discoloration around pipe seams, water pressure that seems weak, strange noises whenever running water, leaks spots on walls or floors, bad odors emanating from drains, and visible cracks on pipes. While most of these issues aren’t deal breakers, they can add up quickly!
7. Termites! A full termite inspection is always a good idea, but when you are looking at a house yourself or with your buyer’s agent, spend a little extra time in the basement with a flashlight on, looking up over your head. Termites like areas that have a little moisture, so be especially wary around those areas in the basement. You will notice small holes - some people say it resembles Swiss cheese - and you'll notice that the normally smooth face or edge of the beam is pork-marked with dozens if not hundreds of holes. Often the termites have already moved on, but if you spot this, most definitely have a professional do a full wood boring insect check
8. Bees! Bees nest can quite literally be a pain in the butt, but carpenter bees can cause serious damage to the wood eaves of your house, among other locations, Carpenter bees resemble bumble bees, but the lower half of their abdomen is shiny black. Check all around the edges of the roof for holes that look like someone took a drill and went wild with a drill bit. If you see signs of carpenter bees, it really needs to be treated and checked to see if structural integrity has been compromised as a result.
9. Rotted Soffit and Fascia. I’ve seen instances of even inspectors missing this, mostly because they can only inspect what they can see, and at times the fascia and soffit can’t be seen unless you climb a rather long ladder. But often with a good camera you can see rotted wood, the result of improperly installed roof drip edge, backed up gutters, or other water problems. Eventually the gutters will start to fall off, and an expensive re-working of the entire edge of your roof will be necessary.
10. Chimney issues. If you’re buying a home with a chimney, especially if it’s older, getting an actual chimney inspection from a specialist is a good investment. Many New England homes have multiple chimneys, servicing a boiler as well as one or more fireplaces or woodstoves. A chimney specialist will inspect external and internal sections of the chimney and fireplace to evaluate their condition. An inspection will be visual only, but often the inspector will see something funky and recommend further evaluation.
The bottom line here is that here in New England with our wonderful seasons and dramatic weather variations, a house can be damaged in so many ways that even if you know houses rather well, an inspector will always find more than you can. Therefore ALWAYS hire an inspection company (I can provide some recommendations if you reach out to me) before closing on any property!
Please call me right away to get started at 860-966-1617 or email me at matt@mattsellsrealestate.com