The Downside Of Buying Used Homes In US

For many, the thought of buying used homes brings a sense of dread while for others the thought of paying the price of a new home is out of the question. There is new doubt that used homes in the US tend to be lower priced than new ones, but the question is whether that’s because they are older or because they are of inferior quality.

As you research the answer to that question, you must ask yourself first the age of the house and what kind of building code or fire and safety codes have changed since the house was built. These things are important, because they will tell you if there are potential safety hazards with the house.

To elaborate a little bit of some of the potential problems you may find with an older home, consider some of the following issues that may plague an older home because of safety of building code changes:

Use of asbestos in roof shingles, siding, or insulation

Lack of a firewall between row or townhouses

Lack of smoke detectors in the house

Use of fiberglass insulation, especially in attics

Existence of black mold in the house

These factors may differ based on where you live, and they are important, because new codes tend to place older homes under a “grandfather’ clause, which does not obligate the property’s owner to upgrade the home to existing code.

Thus, people can end up buying used homes that do not meet current safety and fire codes, because they were built before those codes existed. Many used homes in the US are being forced to upgrade to meet fire codes, such as having smoke detectors, but this is not the case in every state.

Besides code changes that affect used houses, another problem you may encounter is not knowing the age of things, such as the roof, shingles, windows, appliances, air conditioner, and heater. These are major expenditures if they need replacing, and when you buy a house, you may not know how old these things are unless the seller is wiling to release that information—and if he gives you an honest estimate. When you buy a brand new home, you know the answers to these questions. At the same time, you may be unable to afford to buy a new home at that particular time.

There is no doubt that there are downsides to buying used homes, but if you take the time to research a home, before you sign the contract, you will have fewer problems. Make sure the seller puts in writing the ages of things like the roof, heater, air conditioner, kitchen appliances, and any other items that may be major expenditures.

Used homes in the US are abundant, and, if you do an in depth investigation, you will buy a home that will not be riddled with problems. Not everyone can buy a new home, so it’s important to know all of the pitfalls before you buy a used home.