Home Buyers Info

How Long Will that Home Sweet Home Last?

By Sean Rizzo
Tiger Home Inspection

You’re thinking buying that home of your dreams–a federal Colonial dating back to the 1700’s. All your life you’ve wanted to live in a genuine antique, and now you’re about to realize responsibilities that comes with your wish.

When budgeting for a home purchase and upkeep, you should consider the expected life of systems and components of that house; for example, a furnace has a life expectancy of 15-25 years. If you’re buying a house with a 22 year-old furnace, there’s a great chance that you might need to replace it in the near future–and that’s a $3,000 – $5,000 expense you might not have originally considered. Be sure to get a solid, candid inspection of the condition of the furnace, and other components of the house, prior to “signing on the dotted line.” This will help you plan your expenses ahead; it may even be a negotiating point on the sale price of the house.

According to the Massachusetts Home Inspection law, the inspector is prohibited from quoting any prices for possible repairs. However, a home inspector can be used as a guide to understand the condition (and remaining life span) of items in your house. While this isn’t intended as the “last word” on life expectancy, it provides valuable insight as to what you might expect.