Souvenir

No you're not cynical. If a place hasn't been touched for 15 years, there is a good chance that the roof, windows, doors, furnace etc etc are all about due for replacement. Within a short space of time. If you see an older place that you like, make sure you get an inspector in if you make an offer. If it's been on the market for a while (your realtor will know), think about demanding an independent appraisal (similar to an inspection but they also provide a fair market valuation that you can use as a bargaining tool). If you're selling, by the way, never agree to an appraisal unless you are desperate to sell. They low-ball.

Look for dirt on the undersides of gutters (eavestroughs) and soffits (the perforated bits under the roof overhangs). It's an indication that there may be a drainage problem (ice dams, overflows etc).

Maple Leaf

hahahahaa i have to agree with you.....LOL..i even said something similair to my husband.......hahahaaa

sysclp

The house we bought was built in 1991 and had no real problems with it. The roof is still good for another 15 years, the furnace works well, and the a/c was only put in in 2000 so isn't that old. The only thing the inspector said it needed was the trim scraped and painted which we will do this summer.

The thing you have to really look out for is quick cosmetic fixes that make a house look good for selling but won't last like the ones they do in Selling House, House Doctor, Take This House and Sell It, etc. The only one we have found is the front porch which was painted fresh but obviously with the wrong paint as it peeled off in sheets after it started to warm up. We scraped and painted it to a color we liked better anyway, just cost us a day of work and a can of primer and paint.

tobyjug

Sorry but you gotta keep this thread going !!! As i will be moving over in the near future, info like this is great, I have noticed that when i surfed the estate agents, all the houses i looked at had no wallpaper!!!, is this a canadian thing or is there a reason for it?? love to know.... anyone ?
Pat

sysclp

Wallpaper is out of fashion now in North America. People are more into the faux finishes which I personally hate. We spent a night covering up a really ugly purple one in the main floor half bath when we moved in.

Crispie

I saw a lot of wallpaper when I was viewing but it was mostly the older owners that went for it. Much like the UK in interior design trends but a couple of years behind.

Another thing I noticed was a lot of people in NS have had more snow than in a long time this winter. This has caused problems of weight on some roofs but especially on a raised deck I saw. Loads of temporary supports had to be put in