Older Homes For Sale in Celina, TX

Older homes for sale in Celina, TX are popular for many reasons including price vs. new construction, the ability to create something new from something old and a number of other reasons. However, there are always things to consider when searching for older homes for sale in Celina, TX. which we will discuss in this post. With a little bit of due diligence and research, purchasing an older home in Celina can be a very rewarding and even profitable endeavor. However, without taking the proper precautions, one can also make a purchase that they regret. (Note: please be extremely careful when considering an older home for sale by owner. Many times these deals can be very good, but they can also be double bad because you get all of the issues of an older home PLUS the issues in dealing with a non-licensed seller. You can read more here.)

Research Older Homes For Sale in Celina, TX

Thanks to the fact that Celina has been around since the late 1800 means that there are plenty of older homes, some over 100 years old within the Celina city limits. Over the many decades that Celina has existed, there have been numerous changes in building methods and the materials used to build these homes. In fact, about every decade, there is a significant change in how homes are build, how the wiring is done and how the plumbing systems are engineered.

Some of the significant changes over the years include using aluminum wiring in homes from the 1960's through the early 1970's to the more modern use of copper wiring. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, homes with aluminum wiring are 55 times more likely to have "fire hazard conditions" vs homes with copper wiring. Another change over the decades of homebuilding is the use of iron pipe for plumbing to the more modern use of copper and PEX materials. The iron pipes used in the early 1900's were prone to rust and mineral build up which should be of concern to anyone buying a home that has not been retrofitted with more modern materials.

Clearly, it is critical that a potential homebuyer, especially of an older home for sale in Celina, TX, do their research and discover all of the potential issues as related to building materials and the building codes that were in use at the time. Many times the systems within an older home have been updated, however, without doing proper research, this can not be determined. If a homebuyer has discovered an older home for sale in Celina, TX that has not been updated or retrofitted with newer materials, then this should be a consideration when determining a fair price for the home.

Home Inspections Are Critical For Older Homes

Home inspections are generally accepted as just "part of the process" these days. However, especially on an older home, it is CRITICAL that the home inspection be done by a very well qualified Home Inspector.

My recommendation would be to have an initial consultation with the Home Inspector and specifically ask them to make note of older materials used in the major systems of the home. Perhaps some of these systems such as electrical, plumbing, insulation and roofing have been updated to some extent. Asking the Home Inspector for a list of systems they see updated could really come in handy down the road.

Make sure that whomever you use to inspect a home is willing to provide you with two things: first, a written and photographic report on the home and second, a followup meeting or phone call to go through the report and explain what they saw. Of course, this isn't the time to learn that your home inspector has never inspected older homes and doesn't know the first thing about the older systems and codes that were in use during the time period that your subject home was built.

Know The Common Characteristics Of Your Home's Era