House from the eighties - money pit?

Our schedule looks like this:
Regarding the 80s house:
- Contact the realtor, ask again about the energy certificate, adjust price expectations
- if we come to an agreement: commission a building surveyor

House purchase:
- Compare offers; view more houses
- Ask around among friends/colleagues who live in the area; some have already offered to let us know if they hear anything.

New construction:
- Obtain and compare offers
- Gather opinions from friends/colleagues who have built a house here in recent years.

General:
Ask for opinions and experiences and continue to read up.

I sold a 78 REH: in many ways the house is similar, for example it also had an asbestos roof and some slate cladding with hidden gutters. However, the roof was watertight and can therefore last another 30 years. Electrical wiring and water pipes shouldn’t be spoken of worse than they are. The house is 37 years old, not 73.

But you mention moisture, that would deter me.

Older houses have their own charm - this includes 70s and 80s houses. You can renovate bathrooms and spruce up the kitchen with paint. You can live well with old tiles, the design somehow keeps coming back anyway, plus it’s often an individuality that fits the house and makes you feel comfortable right away. You can also have fun in the garden: here and there removing some overgrowth, adding something new there.... old and new (modern) harmonize quite well [emoji4] Only the structure should be sound, therefore always do the second inspection with a professional.

And you should make the house your hobby: there is always something to do, on one hand what must be done, on the other what you want to do.

A new build is much more expensive, because you have to do everything at the same time, with a used property you can do it little by little...

Regards, Yvonne

Hello Yvonne,
thank you for your contribution!

I sold a 78 REH: in many ways the house is similar, for example, it also had an asbestos roof and some slate cladding as well as concealed gutters. However, the roof was tight and can therefore last another 30 years.

The roof is still tight for the most part, but you could see on the frames of the roof windows that it was once leaking and patched. However, the damage didn’t seem too severe.

You also shouldn’t talk about the electrical system and water pipes worse than they are. The house is 37 years old, not 73.

But you write about moisture, that would put me off.

There was once a moisture damage; according to the owner, it was hail damage and the water ran down the house wall. The damage was repaired and the walls are dry again now.
There is also no musty smell in the basement, and we borrowed a measuring device. (That would still be something for the building expert to look at.)
However, you can’t see the affected living room wall because there is still a huge cabinet standing there.
Honestly, I find that unfortunate. There are still large cabinets against the walls in many rooms.
The owner is retired and has already moved into an apartment that is more central, but still has a lot of furniture and other stuff in the house.

Older houses have their own charm – that includes 70s and 80s houses. You can renovate bathrooms and spruce up the kitchen with paint. You can live well with old tiles, the design comes back in a similar way anyway, plus it is often a kind of individuality that fits the house and makes you feel comfortable immediately.

And you should make the house your hobby: there’s always something to do, some things necessary, others what you want.

Just as you describe it, that’s how we feel about the house as well.
The slabs on the terrace, the garage door, the garden, the walls, etc., we would enjoy designing all of that ourselves.

Peu a peu is naturally appealing, but seriously: what do you really do once you actually live inside? I wouldn't put myself through a permanent construction site. You always have dirt and tasks in front of your eyes. I'm not speaking badly about the electricity and water. I'm just pointing it out for consideration. Some things (water) can certainly be done along with the bathrooms, provided there isn’t a reasonable condition. Electricity also needs to be checked. You really NEVER do that when you live inside. The roof would actually be the main point for me.

I would do the second viewing directly with the expert. And afterwards an email along the lines of:

Sehr geehrter Herr x,

auf Grund des Sanierungstaus in den Gewerken.... Halten wir ein Angebot in Höhe von xxx€ für fair und Marktgerecht.
Mit freundlichen Grüßen

Then you either come to an agreement, or not. If not, keep looking. I know what it’s like when you’ve fallen for something.

Peu a peu is of course appealing, but seriously: what do you really do once you actually live inside? I wouldn’t put up with a permanent construction site.

So the bathroom, the roof, the floors and walls should already be done before moving in. If necessary, also the electrical system, the pipes, windows and the underfloor heating.
What you can still do later would be the garden design, the front yard, the driveway, painting the garage door and the doors.

Would you then rather hire an expert now and then go into price negotiations or first ask whether there is anything to be done about the price at all?
If the agent refuses that, it would be too expensive for us.

You can of course start the price negotiation like this as well. But you run the risk that he will try to talk down your arguments since you are not an expert. They notice such things quickly.
Yes sure, the garden is of course completely unproblematic to do later.
Bathroom, roof, floors and walls I estimate roughly at at least 50,000€. More like 60,000€. Especially the roof with disposal and insulation hits hard.
Electricity then 10-15, pipes, puh, hard to say... Depending on the effort.
Windows are hard to quantify, but if the frames are fine, only the glass panes can be replaced.
If the underfloor heating has to be done, the screed comes out completely and everything is redone once. Then it’s over anyway.
However, often a professional flushing and a system separation for plastic pipes is enough so that the pipes themselves do not have to be touched.
With some things there will be the argument "it's still good". Yes, true... now as of 1980.
In my region I could say a realistic price from gut feeling. However, I do not know the market at your place.
Often or almost always, the location and the land are paid for in existing properties.
Overall, you are in the strong position because of course you want to buy but absolutely don’t have to.
Have I read and forgotten something regarding façade insulation?