Buying Advice
Every Buyer Says They Want Character... Until Character Starts Leaking
Older homes can be beautiful, memorable, and expensive in ways buyers do not always see on the first showing.
Before you fall for character
Love the charm with your eyes open.
- Original windows can mean higher energy bills.
- Vintage bathrooms can hide expensive subfloor repairs.
- Old finishes may cover walls, wiring, or plumbing that need attention.
- The right buyer budgets for the surprises before writing the offer.
The 1920s bungalow with the original windows. The 1940s cottage with the clawfoot tub. The 1960s ranch with the wood paneling that everyone is suddenly nostalgic for.
Character is the word every buyer uses on the first showing.
Then the inspection report comes back. The original windows are single pane and the energy bills will prove it. The clawfoot tub is sitting on a subfloor that needs to be replaced. The wood paneling is hiding plaster walls that have not been touched since the Eisenhower administration.
Character is real. It is also expensive.
The buyers who actually love an older home know what they are signing up for. They have already budgeted for the roof, the windows, the electrical, the plumbing, and the things they will not find until they pull back a piece of trim.
The buyers who fall for the word "character" on a Sunday afternoon are usually the ones calling on Tuesday asking if they can back out of the contract.
If you love an older home, love it with your eyes open. The character is worth it. The surprises are not.
Tell me which one you are. Are you a character buyer or a brand new construction buyer?