so, what are the downsides to buying a used home? it's old. and that could bring a lot of headaches. for example: how old is the roof? does it need to be replaced soon? how much will it cost me? these problems can stretch out to everything in the house: paint, flooring, appliances, landscaping, insulation. if there were any additions or construction done on the home, were there permits for the work? every used home will be different from the next, because they all had different owners, who, most likely, took varying levels of care with their home. with each home, you just have to know what to look for and what questions to ask. you will always want to get a home inspection before signing on the dotted line. so, what are some other downsides? it's not new, meaning the house has been lived in and is filled with someone else's memories. it could take a long time and maybe a lot of changes to the home before it feels like your own. this all depends on you, the buyer. for some, it isn't a big deal. for others, it could take some time before their 'new' home feels like their very own. another downfall could be energy efficiency. older homes are nowhere near as energy efficient or "green" as new homes are, so you'll be paying more in utilities. always find out if the windows are newer and if the furnace and other appliances have been replaced in recent years with energy efficient ones. lastly, and you'll hear this word a lot, older homes are "dated". their style is dead. from the architecture, to the floor plans, to the kitchens and bathrooms, it's all out of date. maybe homeowners updated some things or even everything, but something, somewhere is going to just look and feel old. the question is, can you deal with that? maybe you can and you'll find buying used is for you. we're still trying to figure that out for ourselves.
coming soon, the pros and cons of buying new.
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