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8 Things to Look for When Rehabbing Older Homes

Kevin Perk
5 min read
8 Things to Look for When Rehabbing Older Homes

In addition to being a landlord, I also rehab houses for the retail market. I like bringing faded homes back. And the chunks of cash I collect when I sell are not bad either. Most of the properties that I work with are older, historic homes (built in the 1920s or earlier) in need of lots of love. They are often very unique and offer lots of historic charm that just can’t be found in the homes built today, which many home buyers appreciate.

On the flip side, these homes lack many of the features and conveniences that modern buyers want. Some of these items can be quite obvious, like central heating and cooling. But others are much more subtle and take an experienced eye to see. Knowing about these items, and planning for them in your rehab budget, can make your project much more appealing when you put it on the market.

Here are eight subtle and not-so-subtle items that rehabbers should think about when working on older homes.

1. Where Does the Big-Screen TV Go?

They simply did not have big screen TVs back in the 1920s, so family living areas were not designed to accommodate them. In fact, living areas in these older homes are often smaller and more segregated—men and women may have even had separate parlors.

Today’s modern buyers do not want that. They want big living areas for big-screen TVs and theater seating. Plan in your rehab where the big-screen TV will go.

It may take moving walls, or it could even take building a family-room addition. Doing so may seem expensive now, but you will wish you had done it when everyone at your first open house is wondering where to put the TV.

2. Where Do You Plug in the Big-Screen TV?

Not only were large TVs not a thing in the 1920s, many other modern household appliances were not either. They simply did not have all of the electronics that we do today. So you have to think about where your buyers are going to plug in all of their stuff.

Do not just think about the TV, but think also about the hair dryer in the bathroom and the microwave in the kitchen. When figuring out your rehab budget, be sure you include a plan to have enough outlets.

Related: 3 Tips to Greatly Reduce Risk When Buying, Fixing, & Flipping Properties

3. How Do They Get Cable or NetFlix to the Big-Screen TV?

You also have to plan how your buyer is going to get content to their TV. Yes, I know I’m talking a lot about TVs in this post, but Americans love their home entertainment.

So not only does the TV have to be plugged in, it has to get the content that people want. Very few today are satisfied to just get content over the air. Older houses simply were not wired for cable, the internet, or even phones.

Develop a plan for your home to be wired for these items, especially as we move closer and closer to the internet being incorporated into all things.

4. Where Will Madam Put Her Shoes?

Older homes often lack closet space. America was just not as prosperous in the 1920s as it is today. Lots of people only had one or two pairs of shoes and a few changes of clothes. So closets were not a thing.

In fact, it is rumored that homes with closets were taxed at higher rates than those without. I’m not sure if that is true, but the fact is older homes do not have large amounts of closet space, and Americans today have a lot more stuff that needs to go in closets.

Be sure to look at all closets. If they are small, expand them, and if they do not exist, add them.

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5. Where Does Madam Bathe?

Today, she does not do it where the rest of the family does. Instead ensuite baths are all the rage. The master bedroom simply has to have a bath attached to it.

The days of being happy that you had even one bathroom inside are long gone. A master bath is simply a must. I have even sacrificed bedroom space to create a master bath and closet suite to meet modern demands. Yes, this bathroom and closet space is often much more valuable than bedroom space.

If you have money to spend (and you had better), spend it here. Bathroom suites are one thing that will make your house stand out from the rest.

Related: How to NOT Over-Improve Your Properties: 3 Key Levels of Rehab Finish

6. Where Are the Washer and Dryer?

Washers and dryers are appliances that were just beginning to come into widespread use in the 1920s. These modern conveniences were often hastily added wherever they could go. They were placed in dark utility basements, or kitchen counter space was sacrificed.

Today, if they do not have their own space near the bedroom, you need to make a space for them. No one wants to go downstairs into a dark basement to do laundry. Nor do they want the washer/dryer standing out in the kitchen. Now is the time to move them and make a dedicated space for them.

7. Bet That the Sewer Line is Broken

If it isn’t, it will have roots in it. Sewer lines back in the day were made of terra cotta pipes. Those pipes just do not hold up after 100 years. They collapse.

Plus, trees mature a lot in that time span, and their roots seek out water. Guess where the water is? And guess where the roots go? Nine out of 10 homes I have done have had collapsed sewer lines.

Thing is, it may not show up while you are rehabbing because you won’t be fully using the home. But once your buyer and their kids start taking showers every day, bam! (Your buyer’s home inspector may also send a camera down the line before the purchase only to find a several thousand dollar problem you never knew existed.)

Trust me, budget to fix the sewer line on the front end when dealing with older homes.

8. Energy Efficiency

Homes built in the 1920s were not built to be energy efficient. There is no insulation in the walls. There are no storm windows. Gaps and cracks that let air in and out can be anywhere.

Insulation can be a tough addition in the walls unless you are ripping them out anyway. But you can easily add some to the attic for a minimal cost. Storm windows can also be a nice selling feature.

Keeping energy costs down is going to be more and more of a concern as buyers become more energy conscious.

The Sum Up

Well, there you have them: eight items that I have had to learn to deal with over my career of rehabbing older homes. You may not find all of these items in every house you look at, but you need to go in with an eye for noticing them.

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What other subtle problems have you come across when rehabbing older homes? How did you handle them?

Share your experiences in the comments below!

Note By BiggerPockets: These are opinions written by the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of BiggerPockets.