Buying a 100-year-old house didn’t initially feel risky for one couple. They had the home inspected before buying it in 2023, and aside from a few minor fixes and an older furnace and water heater, everything checked out.
The homeowner described the old Craftsman as their dream home and said they felt comfortable moving forward after the inspection.
Three years later, that dream home has required one major repair after another and the couple is starting to wonder whether buying it was a huge mistake.
The house seemed to be in great shape
According to the homeowner, the inspector was impressed by how well the century-old house had been maintained. Some things would eventually need attention, but nothing made the couple reconsider buying it.
The sale even included a one-year home warranty. They hoped that if something major was going to break, it would happen during that first year. Nothing did.
Then the repair bills started piling up
Over the next few years, the couple replaced the gutters and dealt with major plumbing problems after the sewer line collapsed. The plumbing work alone came close to $10,000.
Major basement flooding followed, requiring them to install a sump pump system. Now they’ve learned that the air-conditioning system needs to be replaced, and the older furnace may eventually need replacing too.
For a homeowner who had been careful about saving money, watching those savings repeatedly disappear into the house became frustrating.
They also started questioning the neighborhood
The repairs aren’t the couple’s only concern. When they bought the house, they believed the neighborhood was up-and-coming and expected to stay there for several years.
Instead, the homeowner said businesses have closed, and the area hasn’t developed the way they expected. Property values have also declined since the couple purchased the house.
That has left them feeling stuck between continuing to put money into a house they no longer expect to keep long-term and selling when they may not be able to get back what they originally paid.
Other homeowners had surprisingly similar stories
Once the homeowner shared the experience online, other owners began describing their own expensive first few years.
One person who also bought in 2023 had already dealt with a new HVAC system, water heater, sump pump and battery backup, along with a roof repair. Another described replacing a sewer line soon after moving in and later dealing with drain work, a water heater, damaged flooring, a leaking window and AC problems.
Hearing similar stories helped the homeowner realize their experience wasn’t unusual among people dealing with aging houses and major systems.
There was one inspection they wish they’d gotten
One expense stood out in particular: the collapsed sewer line.
The homeowner hadn’t had a sewer scope performed before buying the house and later said they regretted skipping it. Others in the discussion pointed out that sewer lines may require a separate inspection rather than being fully evaluated during a standard home inspection.
Fortunately, the couple had added sewer coverage to their insurance and said much of that particular repair was covered.
They also learned to stop taking the first repair quote
When repairs first began, the couple tended to contact a company and move forward without doing much comparison shopping. That eventually changed.
After they started getting several quotes, the homeowner said they saved quite a bit on one of their repairs. Other homeowners suggested asking neighbors and local contacts for recommendations as another way to find contractors and compare prices before committing to expensive work.
The house itself is still their dream home
One question from another homeowner cut through all the repair bills: If everything in the house were working, would they still like it?
The answer was yes.
The homeowner said they would love the house if everything worked and described the old Craftsman as the dream home they wanted when they bought it. They don’t necessarily want to leave immediately, but they also know they don’t want to stay in the area forever.
Now they’re trying to decide what comes next
The couple is now planning to get additional quotes for the work they still need and wait to see what happens with the house and neighborhood.
They still have the 100-year-old dream home they originally fell in love with. The question is how many more repairs they’re willing and able to make before that dream no longer feels worth it.
Would you stay after putting this much money into the house, or would you start planning to sell?
