Age Differences: Old Homes vs. New

Of the many concerns to weigh when buying a new house, a major one is whether to buy a new one in name only: both state-of-the-art properties and distinguished older homes have their attractions – and possible drawbacks.
In making this decision, it's important to literally leave your preconceptions at the door of any home you're considering. Quality construction can appear in any era, and you just have to be knowledgeable about the strengths and problems to look for in each individual house.

Surely newer homes assure a certain measure of structural integrity, energy-efficient features, and safer electrical wiring and heating systems. They can have less wear and tear, more modern conveniences built in, an aesthetic more suited to today's tastes, and often better handicap accessibility. On the other hand, older homes can have a proven history of safety and stability, styles appealing to those looking for more old-fashioned elegance and charm, and a track record of repairs that leaves no surprises.

There are some pros and cons in which old and new houses are evenly matched. Newer homes, as part of newer economic growth, can be found in more promising areas just setting out on a boom of development (and thus presenting substantial investment advantages), while older homes can be found in more established, comfortable, and picturesque locations which have their own premium value to many types of subsequent buyers. Older homes can come with the headaches of aging structures and systems, while newer ones can be hastily made, with their own set of consequences. Old homes can harbor the health concerns of obsolete materials (like lead paint and asbestos), while new homes can include ones more recently recognized (like arsenic in outdoor wood and formaldehyde in carpets). But either can still be your dream home, and this overriding point is tied more to the intangible interests that lead you to shop for homes in the first place than it is to scientific specifics. For any house you'll want to get a professional inspection done, but in the end you have to follow your heart.

Old homes and new ones have upsides and downsides of equal weight, so tip the balance with your own preferences and abilities – personal taste, financial resources, handy-person skills, available time and long-term goals. Which is the winner of Old vs. New? If you decide carefully, either one can be the winning choice for you.