I'm so sorry.

What kind of comment is that Hot Rod?

Any "improvements" you want to do should pay homage to the house. Many times if it has original windows, those are better than what you can replace them with despite what window people will tell you.

It's an empathetic comment. I have lived in houses of that age and they are a… challenge.

if it's any consolation (to me) our inspector said it's the best 100-year-old home he's seen. everything that he saw looked really good. electrician said everything looked great too.

Congratulations! I've been in my 160+ year old house for over 30 years & never once have I regretted it. We bought with the knowledge that all mechanicals would have to be replaced (along with a lot of other repairs) & we were somewhat prepared for it but it seems you're ahead of the game on that. If it's habitable at closing, you're in a good place!

No Thanks -- My house is only 92 years old, so a few years younger than yours. I've lived in quite a few houses but this one is my favorite by a long shot. I agree with Cpartist to stay true to the house. Of course you'll want modern amenities but try to hang onto as many original features as you can and when you can't, make choices that complement the house. Yes, old houses can cost more to own and maintain, but it sounds like you found a well-maintained home. Congratulations! I hope you come to love your old home as much as I love mine.

Prepare for some quirks. Don’t count on studs being a consistent 16” on center for example. And plaster doesn’t respond too well to nails being hammered in without drilling a pilot hole first. You might have to look a little harder to find the right person to work on your house. Tradespeople who do mostly new construction often didn’t know how or want to deal with an old house. I still miss my 1899 house. The current 2004 house has been a much bigger money pit than both old houses I’ve had. Enjoy your new home.

I have an almost 100 year house we will have a birthday party for it in 2028. We might have spent more making this house a home than buying newer, we added the 12 k boiler, central air, changed plumbing and electric and added a master bath but even though these changes were expensive to add the wood moldings, heart pine floors, tin ceiling, solid wood doors and lovely multiple built ins to a characterless new build would have cost a lot too.

Also our dream location came with only older homes available for the most part. You can not buy history for a new home. Charm and character are priceless.

My advice is to fix the inspection flaws first then worry about the decor.

Congrats!

Congrats! There'll be some surprises that the inspector couldn't see. That roof will be expensive to replace. If you can somehow work it into your mortgage you won't have to pay for it out of pocket.

Congratulations, my home is almost 200 years old and I love it. My recommendation is to first fix anything that could allow water penetration. Then look back through old posts on this site, you'll learn a lot about old house techniques and repairs that way. Then after a year, decide on any changes you feel will make the house better.

Living in a house will give you time to learn about it and avoid making mistakes. I've learned that repairs in old houses are much less expensive than in new houses, back then repairs could be done without fancy tools or advanced skills. Biggest kerfuffle is original windows, they are wonderful but unscrupulous people try to convince people that they should be replaced.

Here are two good references for you:

https://www.oldhouseguy.com/

http://historichomeworks.com/ (John Leeke's site)

Old houses require devotion. Our current 112 year old home is a country pile with charm in spades, but she will need her original roof (slate) replaced in a few years, That is a big ticket item but come on ladies and gents-- what roofing material lasts over a CENTURY?!. The bigger the old house, the more costly it tends to be. Ours will need a new paint job which is also pricey (especially the way I plan on doing it). She is getting a new kitchen, new master bath. She will need all of the floors refinished and some windows replaced. She will need crown molding restored. And when we bought it she was lovingly cared for and had a lot of solidly done updates both mechanical and aesthetic. Old houses are rarely complete with one owner. The key is to buy one that someone has started good restoration on.

I have lived in brand new construction and will never go back. In five years my brand new "luxury" build was already having problems. If you buy new today you don't get the old-growth materials and features or the abundance of bewitching elements that delight the eye as you enter each room. Old houses require a fund for repairs, yes, but so does any house. You can certainly update an older home with an eye towards lowering maintenance costs. And you don't have to do everything at once. Usually you can't unless your home is small and your pockets are deep. So you learn to prioritize and enjoy planning the projects one by one.

There are some people who just want to live in a house. Unpack boxes, place furnishings and move on with life, never to revisit any work on the house. Something as simple as painting will cause them to bemoan their fates and send them into a spiral of uncertainty. Routine maintenance is not something they expect and account for and instead something that really puts them out or gets them down. I would argue that this group should have a condo or rent versus owning. We see them on this forum. These people should not touch an old house with a 10 foot piece of reclaimed hardwood plank. If these folks stumble into owning an old house-- disaster.

But there are some who are architecture or design buffs, who love history or simply have deep imprints of what a house "should" look like. People for whom their house is like an additional almost sentient family member. People who are swayed by a soaring staircase with a hand-carved balustrade or a plaster ceiling medallion. Those people will seek the glowing flame of the old house like hapless moths and be very content living in one if they understand what is required. It's a select group, and some would say, a slightly insane one. For those people, there is no better feeling than coming home to a welcoming historic residence with all its quirks and wonders. I belong to this number. I wish you the best on your old house journey!

Congratulations -- ours turned 100 this year and I don't think a 100 year old house has all that many issues than a 30 or 40 year old house. Things wear out!!!! I have lived in 2 old houses and one new house . . . . I would NEVER live in a new house again!

Congrats! I second the good advice everyone has given here (particularly concerning the windows, if you are lucky enough to have the originals, don’t touch them!), and would only add one thing. Before making any drastic changes, live it it for a bit and learn to listen to the house. An old house will tell you what it needs, and will let you know, loudly, what it doesn’t. Don’t try to make it into something it isn’t and was never meant to be. An old house is sort of like a recalcitrant older relative who sneaks a glass of wine every night or a cigar every now and again against doctors orders - they have minds of their own, and sometimes you just grin and bear it.

@Tiny J well said! We immediately named our old house. I was chatting with a friend via text and said "what do you think our house should be named?" and she replied with the exact name in my head. The house made it clear that THAT was her name. We say she is an old lady who is still glamorous, still bedecked in her jewelry and wanting more, but playful. The type of lady that pinches the bottom of the cute pool guy while sipping her Bellini. Like any older person she has a wealth of history but can be cranky. She admires some changes but is solidly rooted in a more elegant era.

I firmly believe you have to get along with your old house. If you fight it, life will be miserable. If you constantly point out the things that don't work or aren't done to modern standards, the house will just drain your wallet and wait for the next caretaker who is more aligned with what the house needs. I see lots of bitter stories of old house ownership and think "you weren't a good fit for that house." The house ALWAYS tells you what it wants.

thehistoricdistrict.org is a great site for old houses

I’ve noticed that many people are either “old house” people or “new house“ people. I’ve owned both but I prefer new houses for a variety of personal reasons ( i prefer new houses’ more open floor plans, simpler more modern design, better insulation, etc. ). There is a Victorian up for sale in my neighborhood that is totally the opposite of everything I would want. But I’m sure it will sell to someone that loves that style. In any event, Congratulations on your new old house !

@K Laurence I notice this with my clients. Its often a very strong divide, not even in terms of architecture. There are some people who just don't want the place to ever have been lived in before. Bright and shiny. It can be as traditional as you want or as modern-- just no one else can have ever touched it. Then there are people who love the charm quirks and quality of an old build or even a specific period of home build. I can say that both of these personalities are very distinct and working with one or the other is like shifting into an entirely different gear. There are usually conclusions I can draw about the design direction just looking at the house they chose.

There is a third group-- people who really have not given this much thought and just bought a place based on strictly pragmatic factors (price, location, schools commute). This is the most common in my mid-range remodels and I would say its probably the most popular group overall. Not everyone has strong feelings about old or new. Some don't even have the luxury of choice in the places they live.

My house is over 200. The current metal roof was installed in 1927 because the original shake roof had failed and the new (1927) owners could afford a new shake roof! When we bought, we asked the home inspector to tell us every, assuring him we weren’t going to back out of the deal but wanted a list of to-do items. He said the roof was in very good condition but needed new paint, so that has been done. As far as new homes, we custom built a house in 1997. After thirteen years we had replaced the water heater two times and the upstairs HVAC units. We knew the roof would need replacing after the house reached twenty. Due to the improper installation of gutters in 2005, a significant amount of water damage was hiding under the cement board siding by 2017. All houses require maintenance, replacement, and remodeling.

Congratulations. I hope you enjoy it a whole lot. Our first home was well over 100 yrs old, and I loved that house.

I lived in an old home for many years until I relocated to another state. That home was very much better built than the newer homes I have lived in since then. Enjoy your new home!

As for insulation, the walls in this house are a foot thick - excellent original insulation.

Congrats! I love old houses. We own a couple old farm houses built in 1900, one of them was being moved to a new basement in 1950's. And we are buying a historical home that is even older in age.