would you buy a house that is 90% original to 1913?

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i have many friends that are real estate agents. once in a while i will do some side jobs for them to get a house ready for sale. yesterday i saw a house that i thought was rare and difficult to find . the house was built in 1913 and its about 90% original. windows , door , floor kitchen cabinets etc . of course there is many layers of paint on the trim ,but i can see what look like cherry or mahagony under the paint.

this house was purchased mid 80's by the present owners . its been a rental all these years . i was debating with my realtor friend on how to sell and market this home. he wants to paint the whole interior and and a general freshen up . i told him it best to just clean it up and sell as is as if they find a buyer that will appreciate as i do, the originality of the home. bringing it back to the original condition it will be beautiful.

its not listed yet so i can't post pix of it. so if you were looking at a home like this, would you like it original or completely updated? this home for being 1913 even has a garage. most homes in this area don't because back then it was still horse and buggy day . having a vehicle was for the more affluent.
 
Mine is from 1925 and is original for the most part. Inside the house, only the kitchen and bathrooms have been updated.

Electrical, plumbing, HVAC have been updated to meet code (was a rental house for a while).

All else remains as originally built.

I would add that I also live in an historic district (local and national recognition). The house you are discussing is only worth it if the new purchaser wants that UNLESS it is in an historic district.
 
No, just no. My mother inherited my grandparents house from about that era which had been remodeled 60 years ago. She made it a rental for 30 years until a tree limb fell on it a couple years ago and in the course of investigating the scope of repairs we discovered two walls were completely eaten by termites. Had to tear it down.
 
I fell in love with a 1921 home in Mesa Arizona. The interior was partially restored, but it still retained the original wood stain floors, crown molding, and small rooms that we’re nicely appointed. The backyard was huge, but then there was the old original roof which clearly needed to be replaced. It stands to reason the walls are being held together with termites locking arms. In the end, I didn’t purchase it because it was just too expensive and required way too much to fix it up.
 
I don't care what year as long as it's the house I want and is in solid condition. Hopefully it will also be in good condition, but as long as it is solid it can be brought around. If Karma guided things so any/all updates and freshening were to my taste and what I'd do then I want it updated and save the work and trouble. Not being likely, I want it left alone so I can do as I wish and not have to settle on choices by others or do over to suit me.
 
I think it depends on the neighborhood and type of home. If it’s just a small, basic home then I’d probably update it. If it’s a grand home or in an historic district, leave it original as possible.

My in-laws had a beautiful 1890s mansion in St. Louis. They did remodel the kitchen but most of the house was close to how it appeared when built. It had central heat and air added at some point, a full 3rd floor kitchen added, a 3 car garage replaced a carriage house that was beyond repair and some bathrooms were updated but I loved that house. They don’t make them like that anymore.

Post pics if they list it.
 
I'm sure a thorough clean up and fresh coat of paint on what's painted now will be money well spent. Get rid of old carpets, etc...

We are in the process of updating my inlaws 1908 house which was the 1860's house taken apart and rebuilt a bit smaller. All the rafters in the attic are from either the previous house or another building that got recycled.
It had the kitchen and downstairs bathroom redone in 1979 by my FIL. Its walls are 3 layers of brick but with 1" of styrofoam insulation added on the inside of the exterior walls, and our area isn't too termite prone. The property has been in the family since the 1830's so were keeping it and renting it for now, until the next generation decides if they want to live there.
 
this house is a deja vu house for me. i grew up in that area and i swear that my friend lived in it and i have been inside beforev. this was before the owners bought it in the 80's . i tried looking up the past owners of the home ,but the county records online only begin late 80's. need to go look at micro fiche.

its all hardwood top and bottom . the wiring is a mish mash of original tube and current romex. the box has been replaced with circuit breakers . from the basement all i see is gavalnized and iron pipes. its does have a bathroom . its listed at 1400 sf, but its a lot bigger than that , i would estimate 2100 . its got a porch in the front the width of the house. looks more in line with something down in the SE than in the PNW .
 
this house is a deja vu house for me. i grew up in that area and i swear that my friend lived in it and i have been inside beforev. this was before the owners bought it in the 80's . i tried looking up the past owners of the home ,but the county records online only begin late 80's. need to go look at micro fiche.

its all hardwood top and bottom . the wiring is a mish mash of original tube and current romex. the box has been replaced with circuit breakers . from the basement all i see is gavalnized and iron pipes. its does have a bathroom . its listed at 1400 sf, but its a lot bigger than that , i would estimate 2100 . its got a porch in the front the width of the house. looks more in line with something down in the SE than in the PNW .


Galvanized and iron pipes? Better have a fat checking account to deal with that eventual plumbing nightmare or be good at DIY.
 
Rented for forty years? Yeah, go through it with some paint.

If it has any sort of architectural molding leave it alone.

If it has wooden siding paint it, but leave it alone. Don't cover it in vinyl!

Hardwood floors under nasty carpet? Rip it up.

Pipe insulation isn't asbestos if you don't test it. :whistle:

Energy efficient windows might be a good idea, but you won't get your investment back. Let the new owners deal.

Someone's going to stretch their funding to buy it, don't make it so they're knocked out of the market.
 
It's a money pit. I would pass. Expect old knob and tube wiring, galvonized water pipes, gravity fed heating (no ducts to rooms), asbestos, lead paint and that doesn't even address all other issues (roof, windows,etc.) found on much newer homes needing addressing. I am even surprised it was legally rented and insured with the old electrical system. Most insurance companies want no part of knob and tube wiring.
 
It was rented but may not have been legally. He mentions a mix of knob and romex. I didn't see anything regarding HVAC status.
 
Be nice to know where OP lives. HVAC must not be a big concern with original drafty single pane double hung windows, and no insulation anywhere. Barely any outlets or closet space, ancient bathrooms and plumbing, are the floors level? We owned a house in NW Pa that was older and lack of updating when we were young and dumb and the charm wore off real fast.
 
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