Perils of older home purchase (Bangor, Wells: rental, lenders, houses)

[bangorme]

Ah, wet basements. I make it a point to NEVER buy a house that has ever had a sump pump, and I've never had a wet basement. That doesn't mean that not having a sump pump means you won't have a wet basement, only to emphasize that I don't even consider houses that there is even a smidgen of a chance the basement could be wet.

When you get your house inspected, read the disclaimer. Then you'll understand why so many people buy houses that have significant problems. Even if you hire a competent home inspector, he/she can only inspect what they can see. And, we all know that the things that come back to haunt us are the things they can't see (especially in older homes). For example: mold in the walls, wet basements, bad roof, bad insulation, failing appliances and well pumps, rodent and insect infestations, wiring and plumbing problems... Hopefully a good inspection will ferret out some of this stuff,but if they don't see it, it won't be on the report.

[slyfox2]

Originally Posted by bangorme

Ah, wet basements. I make it a point to NEVER buy a house that has ever had a sump pump, and I've never had a wet basement. That doesn't mean that not having a sump pump means you won't have a wet basement, only to emphasize that I don't even consider houses that there is even a smidgen of a chance the basement could be wet.

When you get your house inspected, read the disclaimer. Then you'll understand why so many people buy houses that have significant problems. Even if you hire a competent home inspector, he/she can only inspect what they can see. And, we all know that the things that come back to haunt us are the things they can't see (especially in older homes). For example: mold in the walls, wet basements, bad roof, bad insulation, failing appliances and well pumps, rodent and insect infestations, wiring and plumbing problems... Hopefully a good inspection will ferret out some of this stuff,but if they don't see it, it won't be on the report.

Clearly you only will buy a new house. Old houses have all these "problems". There are benefits to old houses.

We knew that most people have no skills anymore to fix up houses. so before moving to our old house in Maine we renovated the 25 year old house top to bottom. Except for one run in one room, there was nothing that hadn't been replaced. The home inspector found things to replace that were simply made up:

He claimed that the vent to the attic would leak from a tiny picture 35 feet away. Having not climbed a ladder he didn't see that I used a whole tuber of Silicone on the vent---inside and out.

He claimed that the shower faucet leaked and didn't turn off properly. He failed to understand that it was replaced a week before and that in the full counter clockwise position it wasn't off.

He claimed that the deck was weak and old and needed to be replaced. We had replaced the posts, added back posts instead of t just the connection to the house. Reinforced the connection to the house, and reinforced the entire deck with new decking and walls. Two people moving back and forth couldn't make it move, which was what it did new. My wife sat on it during an earthquake and didn't even know we had one.

That was about all he he could find.

[bangorme]

Originally Posted by slyfox2

Clearly you only will buy a new house. Old houses have all these "problems". There are benefits to old houses.

Sorry, never owned a new house... or a house under 15 years old for that matter. I did own a house built in 1895 for 20 years.

[mainegrl2011]

I think mainebrokerman and WhoFanMe offered great advice. I can understand you having some fears, but don't let them rule your life. It seems you could be heading for a nervous breakdown over these fears. Certain things done to a house require a building permit, right? Wouldn't there be a record of those? From a friend who is a contractor, vinyl siding can hide lots of problems so I would want to see what's under the vinyl siding or make sure not to buy a house with vinyl siding. What about the show "This Old House?" Old houses have character and maybe a few spirits. Find out when the electrical was done or redone, plumbing, etc. I never heard of termites in Maine houses and have never known anyone in Maine who had/has a wet basement. (maybe they follow bangorme's advice) Visit the house when it's raining--a down pour and go into the basement aka cellar. Most older house are built out of what I refer to as"real boards" at least.

[bangorme]

Originally Posted by mainegrl2011

Certain things done to a house require a building permit, right?

"I don't need no stinkin building permit"

Originally Posted by mainegrl2011

I never heard of termites in Maine houses and have never known anyone in Maine who had/has a wet basement. (maybe they follow bangorme's advice) Visit the house when it's raining--a down pour and go into the basement aka cellar. Most older house are built out of what I refer to as"real boards" at least.

Never seen termites in Maine, but have seen carpenter ants a number of times.

My parents bought a house many years ago that had a beautiful finished basement... paneling and everything. They put furniture, a TV, etc down there. The following Spring there was a nice trout stream flowing from one corner of the basement to the other. It flowed right into a sump hole in the far corner. Dried up in a couple months. They investigated digging out the foundation and all that stuff, but it was way to expensive. They ended up just never using it... lesson learned.

[slyfox2]

Originally Posted by bangorme

Never seen termites in Maine, but have seen carpenter ants a number of times.

There are no termites in Maine. But occasionally somebody will get a mortgage from some company out of Maine, and the termite guys will come down from Bangor, have a picnic at your house and then return.

Wish I could say the same about European Fire Ants.

[mainegrl2011]

Originally Posted by bangorme

"I don't need no stinkin building permit"



Never seen termites in Maine, but have seen carpenter ants a number of times.

My parents bought a house many years ago that had a beautiful finished basement... paneling and everything. They put furniture, a TV, etc down there. The following Spring there was a nice trout stream flowing from one corner of the basement to the other. It flowed right into a sump hole in the far corner. Dried up in a couple months. They investigated digging out the foundation and all that stuff, but it was way to expensive. They ended up just never using it... lesson learned.

I am not a contractor, but would french drains help the basement situation?

If the termites were in the area, they froze to death. I have heard that ants will attack a house's wiring--exterminate those varmits.

btw, I know someone who ended up with a fine instead of getting a building permit....just more government in your business.

http://umaine.edu/publications/2550e/

[Northern Maine Land Man]

There are lots of rules like speed limits and tree cutting. People learn what is acceptable and get along well. Every now and then somebody on here asks about an occupancy permit. You can live in the house you are building with no occupancy permit. No functionary is going to come by and tell you that you have to sleep in a tent - on the lawn - in the rain - instead of in the house you built because there is no occupancy permit.

Maybe that could happen in Portland, but not in Northern Maine.

[mainebrokerman]

Originally Posted by bangorme

Ah, wet basements. I make it a point to NEVER buy a house that has ever had a sump pump, and I've never had a wet basement. That doesn't mean that not having a sump pump means you won't have a wet basement, only to emphasize that I don't even consider houses that there is even a smidgen of a chance the basement could be wet.

When you get your house inspected, read the disclaimer. Then you'll understand why so many people buy houses that have significant problems. Even if you hire a competent home inspector, he/she can only inspect what they can see. And, we all know that the things that come back to haunt us are the things they can't see (especially in older homes). For example: mold in the walls, wet basements, bad roof, bad insulation, failing appliances and well pumps, rodent and insect infestations, wiring and plumbing problems... Hopefully a good inspection will ferret out some of this stuff,but if they don't see it, it won't be on the report.

I live in a floodplain,,,and have a sump pump basin, with three pipes feeding into it-

I don't like this set up, but have managed with this for almost 25 yrs,

I have a sump pump in the basin, that works well, and a battery back up...

yes. ive had water in my basement , its something ive chose to live with,,because 99% of the time,,,i don't have water in my basement,,and I enjoy living on the water


when looking at the home,,,i asked the owners about the basement and water,,and he was truthful, pretty much said what I just did,,,
the fishing, swimming, boating, watching ospreys/eagles beautiful sites far outweigh the
some spring water challenges some years

here are a couple pics from out my living room a couple days ago

so im more than willing to tolerate some water in the basement challenges,,,a couple days a year,,,and sometimes no problems for 5 years.. just comes with the territory

oh, and my property taxes are under 1200, not bad for a three bedroom house

[maineguy8888]

If an older home has been maintained well throughout its life, you rarely run into major problems. It is when there is a "lapse" for a number of years that problems arise.
Even then, a competent handyman with a decent budget can repair houses with "issues". I always love to see old homes brought back to life.......wanted to do that myself but the wife said "NO!". So we agreed on an 1890 home that really had no big issues. It does get a little water in the basement during really wet times, but since it's not a finished basement, we just use a dehumidifier and live with it. No biggie.