5 Ways To “Know What You’re Getting Into” With An Older Property

Buying an older property with history and character isn’t that uncommon in the UK, where housing has been developed over centuries. However, it’s fair to say that just because a house is beautiful, old, and filled with character, it doesn’t always mean it’s perfect for you. At the very least, it’s important to know what other challenges age can bring with it.

Of course, the main benefit is that an old house has shown to be sturdy. If it’s been standing without issue for two hundred years, odds are it won’t fall down during your ownership period. But we can’t be sure about that. And also, a house has had many owners tinkering away, making changes, or perhaps letting unknown errors cement.

For this reason, you may wonder what to look out for, or the most common issues older-home buyers will experience. Don’t worry, because in this fairly long article we’ll discuss how to avoid jumping into a house purchase with a hidden history or older challenges you didn’t know about. Or, at least those you underestimated. Let’s get started:

Landscaping & Old Trees

A beautiful old garden can be a real selling point for a property with a long history. You can find mature trees and sometimes plant life that would take decades to grow from scratch, but sometimes these plantings can also hide a few issues. To use an example, a very large tree might have a root system that could affect the home’s foundations or the drainage pipes running underneath. 

In those cases, a professional arborist take a look at the condition of any old trees to make sure they’re healthy. You could also find that the leaves or other debris from the trees create a lot of work for you throughout the year. The presence of advanced trees can certainly look fantastic, but you might want to think about the long-term upkeep of the entire garden and its green areas, as well as ask about any work done beforehand. Trimming a tree might be sad, but it could ultimately be necessary work to have done.

Previous “Renovations”

Older houses have usually had many owners over the years, and not all of them might have hired professionals for their home improvements. You might find a beautiful old room that was redecorated with an odd choice of wallpaper hiding some questionable plastering or wiring that simply isn’t up to modern safety standards. 

Moreover, many home renovation projects might have been a bit of an adventure for a former owner, and their personal vision might not have included all the necessary safety precautions or professional touches. It’s always a good idea to be cautious of any renovations that look a bit rushed or strange since they can be expensive to fix and might even be a bit of a mystery until you start work on them. A thorough inspection can help bring these hidden issues to light before you are faced with a huge project.

Neighbour Histories

In an old house, perhaps bought from owners who’ve been there a while, it’s a good idea to learn a little about the people who live next door. Older properties sometimes have a bit of history with their neighbours that you might not know about. For example, a previous argument over a shared fence or a long-standing issue with noise or access that the last owner never mentioned could now be your problem.

You could try talking to the neighbours or looking at property records for any past disputes. It can be a very uncomfortable surprise to discover a long-simmering issue with the person living right next to you after you’ve already moved in. The atmosphere and community that you’re moving into are just as important as the house itself. You might find that the people next to you are fantastic and they’ll be able to tell you all sorts of things about your future home, and if so, that’s even more worth knowing.

Land Borders

The exact boundaries of a property can be a bit more complicated with an older house, as fences and walls might have been moved over time or they could be in a state of disrepair that makes it unclear where one property ends and the other begins. Some older properties might share a wall with a neighbour or have an old right of way that allows a neighbour to cross your land for a specific purpose, and that’s a bit of a surprise if you didn’t expect it. 

As such, we’d recommend having a surveyor look at the property lines to make sure everything is clear, and you might want to check for any legal documents or covenants that could affect your land. You simply don’t want to get into an awkward conversation with a neighbour about a shared fence or a misunderstanding about your own land only to find out you were wrong the whole time.

Older Home Provisions

Older homes have a certain charm but that charm can sometimes extend to the services and utilities which might not be up to date. It’s very easy to find that the electrical wiring in the house is old and unable to handle modern electronics, or the plumbing is made of older materials that could be quite exposed to easy leaks and blockages. 

In many older homes, the heating system could also be quite inefficient, possibly forcing you to deal with higher energy bills. A good investment is to have a professional check all of these systems during a home inspection, as they can tell you about their condition and give you an idea of how much it might cost to update them, and you can then factor that into your buying decision. A little repair work goes a long way in these instances, or you may find out before you buy that an entire replumb is required, and thus account for that in your offer of the asking price. It never hurts to figure out what the provisions are before you lay any money down.

With this advice, we hope you can more easily “know what you’re getting into” when buying an older home.

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Becky

Meet the award-nominated UK lifestyle blogger behind Spirited Puddle Jumper – a mum of three living in South East London! Becky shares the real ups and downs of family life, parenting tips, and lifestyle inspiration, proving that being a mum doesn’t mean you stop being fun or having other interests! Follow along for honest insights into UK family life and opinions on a whole range of topics, from travel and food, to beauty reviews, home and DIY, business and health and wellness.