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POLL: Brand-New House vs. Very Old House

Emily H
9 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago

All things being equal in terms of location and style, would you rather have a brand new house that has never been lived in before or a very old house, with a long history?
VOTE and tell us about it in the comments!

Brand New Please!
Old Houses Rule!
Featured Answer
  • PRO
    Al Fortunato Furnituremaker
    9 years ago
    If you want an old house then you get what comes with it. If you want open floor plans, walk in closets, fancy bathrooms, etc., then buy a new house. Old houses should not be modified to look new. Utilities should be updated for safety though.

    Comments (146)

    • lauren1331
      8 years ago

      Our house was built in 1938. It is a 6 room house with a finished lower level with a full bathroom. I grew up in a house built in 1900. I didn't know it at the time nor would it have made any difference to me. It had 4 bedrooms, huge closets, large rooms and 1 bathroom for 4 people!!!! I've owned 3 houses since then, all built in the last half of the 20th century. We now own a stone house built in 1938. I just love all the quirky things about it, the small closets, the aggravation of driving nails into the plaster and lath walls, the old small bathrooms and the creaking floors. I wouldn't have it any other way. The moment I stepped in the front door, I felt at home.

    • willadale
      8 years ago

      Lauren1331 - it has always been my dream to live in a stone house again. The house we lived in from the time I was 3 until I was 8 was a stone house with a wrap-around porch. I have so many wonderful memories from that time in my life and I have always attributed those memories to the house itself.

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    • montana88
      8 years ago

      It doesn't matter to me what the house is, as we can make it home with our vision. My concern is location, location, location.

    • sabra900
      8 years ago
      Live in a very old house...ready for a brand new one...
    • 38240
      8 years ago

      Hard to answer. Grew up in farm house (see photo) & loved it. I love the character, the detail given to the old homes, but I also know that you either need the skills required to maintain/repair/remodel an old home yourself, or have enough money to be able to pay to have it done.

      Now for the new house. If the design is mine & I can get EXACTLY what I want as far as details & quality, then yeah, sure!

    • ptmallc
      8 years ago

      I think we are on the cusp of real "smart home" technologies that will enable us to live more comfortably and economically. I want a well built new house with a roof strong enough for solar panels, wiring for whatever technology comes along, and easy accessed 'guts' of the house that can be changed to suit new inventions. I love old houses and early in our lives, we lived in several. But they are money pits, and they take constant vigilance to keep up with the maintenance. New with double paned, huge windows giving lots of light, heating that really keeps the inmates comfortable and the latest, easiest to use, appliances, Thank you!

    • 2desperate
      8 years ago
      I will finally be enjoying both. After a kitchen fire destroyed 90% of the interior of our 125 year old Victorian (taking all our pets, and nearly our lives), we are rebuilding the inside. By keeping the look age appropriate, we can maintain a traditional Victorian home, but enjoy modern amenities and all code updates. Fortunately, it's beautiful exterior was undamaged. However, given the choice, I'd take the old house. I am a sucker for old homes with soul! :)
    • deesmom
      8 years ago
      last modified: 8 years ago

      Old hands down! I have lived in both , and being married to a builder, we have seen both sides. In my view, new houses are exactly that... HOUSES... while older ones seems like HOMES.... the creeks and imperfections that go with it are only signs of the love that has been in the house before me. Life has existed there and I know I am a small part of Gods universe.

    • Judy
      8 years ago

      In 1994 I got divorced and wanted a new home that had no history, no "ghosts" so I had a house built and got exactly what I wanted, it was a great house and very well built but kind of blah. 8 years later I craved a home with some character so I bought an older home (about 15 yrs old) which turned out to be a money pit so I sold that and bought another older home (about 30 yrs old) 4 years later. I've remodeled the baths and updated most everything else in my current home and I love every inch of it. New homes hold no attraction for me, if I could afford it I'd buy a 100 year old home, I would want updated appliances, bath and kitchen, I'd leave as much of the original design as possible.

    • suzi10
      8 years ago

      I grew up in a house that had to be retrofitted for that "new fangled electricity!" The house was later moved about 15 miles and is still in use.

    • zajnat
      8 years ago
      Brand new house will become old eventually. Old house can still look good, classic with upkeeping, has character and charm.

      If one has money to buy brand new, one can also afford to redo some old stuff and keep the charm.
    • donnatu
      8 years ago

      I like the energy in an older home. New ones don't 'speak' to me.

    • Cheryl Biermann
      8 years ago

      Only if I had the money to get them in "like new" condition . Also, if I ever had the money and chance to build another house for us, I would learn from 28 years of parenting...the laundry room would be part of the children's bathroom, it would be the largest room in the house, there would be shelves and racks for clothing in there and a private spot for changing after the shower! No schlepping around room to room any more, putting clothes away that in one frantic moment gets destroyed. No yelling when the basked of clean clothes they were supposed to put away winds up with dirty clothes on top!

    • hvanderark
      8 years ago

      I would never be able to afford the new home I would want to build - it would have to have all of the old world charm I love and that price tag would be insurmountable! We tried to stay true to the era of our home (1929) when we remodeled the kitchen and even added a basement bedroom - materials and trim style make a world of difference.

    • Kelley Dockrey
      8 years ago
      it depends on when the old house was built. some eras had better construction than others.
    • vgunter
      8 years ago

      My home was built in 1972 ranch style and it sits on 5 acres of land, only 1 acre is livable the rest is woods. And yes, I do consider it an older home but it is built structurally well. I have done several upgrades and additions over the 17 years I have lived there because (1) easier to make some desired changes to an older home (2) sometimes they have more land than newer homes. So old vs new, older homes are probably built better but they do have problems as in any man made product old or new. So lesson to be learned if you live in your new home long enough you will see there are going to be some type of problems that will occur sooner or later. It's just a matter of time.

    • Mary Dillon
      8 years ago

      I just can't get over what we in the U.S. consider "OLD" -- !!!

    • PRO
      Beck Custom Homes, LLC
      8 years ago

      I would normally say new but based solely on the Elevation pictures above and quality of workmanship, I would go with the Old.

    • dr_j_p_2046
      8 years ago

      I love old as in over 60 yr. and older....they seem to have a personality all their own:)

    • artsyphartsy_home_maker
      8 years ago

      I love the charm of old but voted for new construction from a practical perspective. A new construction only if constructed very well with quality materials & craftsmanship. Charm of old historical homes certainly can't be beat though.

    • pat_ter
      8 years ago

      The quality older homes have a character and an element of comfort that the newer homes can never achieve!!!!

    • Barbara Larson
      8 years ago

      There is no way EVER I would prefer a new house - I don't care how much money people spend on more space than most of them need - they will never be as great as the charm and character of my 1918 bungalow with original chestnut woodwork and ceiling trim. I've lived in older homes all my life while my sisters have opted for new - their homes are boring. My 2 cents and no one will EVER convince me otherwise. Updated plumbing, electrical, sure but new homes are just plain ugly to me.

    • mykidshavetails Dallas
      8 years ago
      Just bought a 1896 Victorian 5 months ago after living in new homes all my life . After the initial shock and acceptance of the pricing of all new plumbing and eletrical ( still on going ) WE LOVE IT.
    • Mary Ann Keith Herrera
      8 years ago
      Brand new house but old style...
    • WantAHome ForMyBaby
      7 years ago

      I might be late to chime in ..but since we home shopping ourselves and have same questions haunting us, I want to contribute.

      We lived in apartments all along so when looking for buying, I feel more homely touring old homes and instantly wanted to buy. New constructions were just like bigger apartments to me. So with all the money in my bank, i would have Brand NEW "old style" home with sun room, front porch, big back yard, fencing, swinging door kitchen ( I hate open kitchen concept btw) and no basements if possible.

    • PRO
      Raleigh Cabinets & Remodeling
      7 years ago

      Live in old house is great benefits if you "lucky" you can have quality materials and craftsmanship and enjoy because it's unique ... but some old houses build not up to construction CODE and problems all the time . Before buy old house just need Inspection after make mind if it's worth it to buy it . Problem found contractor who know how to repair old house very hard to found .

    • eightpondfarm
      7 years ago

      our rock house. built in 1840s. we LOVE it. i prefer the character, and am perfectly, 100% willing to take this old hand built german home...warts and all. this old homestead is our bliss.


    • creatureofchaos
      7 years ago
      I have an old house (1890) that was already thoroughly renovated. Building an old house doesn't have to mean buying old mechanicals, for heaven's sake.
    • januarisun
      7 years ago

      If location and style were exactly the same, and both had excellent build quality, then I'd pick new. I love older homes, but knowing it won't need repairs and that everything is up to current code has a certain peace of mind, I would think.

      That being said, I've never lived in a new home, and in general, don't like them, so I'm probably dreaming about being happy with a house that doesn't need something done to it in the next few years.


    • e p
      7 years ago

      Revitalizing an old poll... Old homes forever. The materials and quality of goods used in my 1912 can barely, if even, be purchased today and when you can it's stupid expensive. I look around and see houses built in the 90's - less than 20 years old that look old, worn and sad, even with upkeep, while my 100+ y/o house looks super with just a little paint touch up now and again.

    • PRO
      Gerety Building and Restoration
      7 years ago

      Give me a beautifully restored old home. Best of both worlds!

    • dr_j_p_2046
      7 years ago

      I go to junk barns, areas where older homes have been left to bury got the mantel for fire place free from owners:) I do still have doors with the brass knobs I took down as all rooms seem to have doors! stored in barn and tops of window frames I collected while restoring as well....yes hard to find many things today...best places I have found...Carolina, Virginia, Smoky Mountains, Appalachians, gotta go down those side roads!

    • pat_ter
      7 years ago

      The charm, character and warmth given off by extensive use of wood trim and floor plan tie everything together in a practical yet simple fashion.

      The new homes look like they were designed using a rubber stamp and not a lot of imagination!!!

    • PRO
      Cinar Interiors, Inc.
      7 years ago

      I have always lived in an old house. Purchased the home I am in now from my parents some decades back, the same home I was born and raised in. The home itself was built in the late 1890s. TONS of memories and history here. But with time things change. We are no longer secluded as I have neighbors on one side of me and the ranch next door sold with extensive construction being completed. No longer on the outskirts of town but more like smack dab in the center... boy oh boy does time fly. It's a nice home and has served its purpose but it's almost time to tear it down, sell the land and build new.
      Haven't decided if I want to build or purchase a newer home and remodel. This coming year will tell..

    • PRO
      Valter and Anna fon Eynik
      7 years ago

      Brand new, designed and built by self. We'll create a history by us ))

    • suzihomemaker56
      5 years ago

      I prefer an old house that has been updated to meet modern building codes. Updated plumbing, Updated Electrical with more outlets in all the rooms. All new paint. Also, I would like to have a master bath. Otherwise, this home will have the same vintage look, rooms, and charm as it did when it was built, which means the remodeler didn't knock down walls to make it open concept, which would destroy the reason why one would be interested in buying the home, in the first place, Where I live one can find these homes quite often.

    • uabchris
      5 years ago

      On the topic of "Old House character" here is a good read on retaining and restoring that charm we all love! https://myoldhousefix.com/2018/07/31/old-house-character/

    • pdk920
      5 years ago
      last modified: 5 years ago

      Great article, uabchris. Nothing sadder than seeing irreplaceable architectural features ripped out, making charming one-of-a-kind homes into gutted pseudo-new houses. People should just buy new ones if that's what they really want.

    • Stella Mengels
      5 years ago
      last modified: 5 years ago

      old glamor

      it will cost us an arm and a leg to renenovate this old villa...

    • leticia212813
      5 years ago

      I am a single mom of three awesome kids and I always dreamed of moving my kids to a small town, owning a charming old fixer-upper, doing most the repairs myself or with my kids and growing old in it, so we moved to the mid-West and purchased a home built in the late 1800’s... I now wish we had stayed in our new home in California! There are so so so-so many issues which continue to rear their ugly faces in my old home, most of which I never imagined... for one, not one door in my home will stay open without being propped open because my house leans but luckily, theres no easy fix because one room leans to the east while another leans to the south and another to the west.... you get the picture! Also, somewhere along the life of this cute little home, a previous homeowner decided putting siding containing asbestos over the original beautiful wood planks was a good idea. So now it’s going to take a whole $$ hazmat crew $$ to remove it and bring it back to its original beauty (thank you previous homeowner!). There are other issues like the entire subfloor needs to be replaced, the material used for the walls and ceiling is this horrible fiber stuff, so that has to be replaced with drywall. Spiders, bugs and even snakes (I like snakes, hate the spiders & bugs) keep finding their way into my kitchen cupboards and although I’ve searched and searched, I haven’t been able to find anywhere they could be coming in. The opening to the attic is about 15” square, so getting up there is fun especially if you’re claustrophobic and arachnophobic, but the squirrels have had no problem finding their way in and out of the attic and crawl space above the room addition and just when you think you’ve managed to get rid of them, the winter comes and they chew their way into the attic again.... Long story longer, it would benefit you to be rich and a great DIY’r if you plan on purchasing an old house because otherwise you’ll be living in a depressed, leaning, cancer causing, spider infested, did i say depressed house until you come into enough money to repair it or have it repaired... Basically, I wish I had watch “Money Pit” prior to purchasing this house.


      P.S. We’ve lived here 12 years and I do love my little old house, just not all her issues.



    • pdk920
      5 years ago

      Inspection of a house by a qualified structural engineer prior to purchase isn't outrageously expensive, and it's a very good idea if you aren't a professional-level fixer-upper.

    • Newhome2018
      5 years ago

      I have a very very strong preference for straight floors and ceilings, modern Anderson windows, central a/c and heating, modern up to date plumbing, lots of recessed lighting ,ample outlets, and walk in closets , and open floor plans.

    • shirlpp
      5 years ago

      Thanks for sharing Leticia...A house from the 1800's is bound to be full of issues, the snakes alone would scare me. Forget about the ghosts...Good Luck!

    • Lars
      3 years ago

      I've lived in both, and I prefer new, and especially if I could pick out the finishes. I lived in several Victorians in San Francisco, and I grew tired of them very quickly. I prefer modern styles with clean and simple lines - that makes it easier for me to relax. I got sensory overload from the Victorians.

    • 38240
      3 years ago

      Old house. I like warm & cozy, modern always looks cold & sterile to me. The ONLY thing I like about many modern homes is the big windows, I am a huge fan of windows.

      I grew up in a old house, built in 1910 & renovated in 1945. It groaned & the floors creaked but it was the history & the people who made it home. I remember looking out my bedroom window & seeing the horses & cattle in the pasture by the house. During the summer leaving the windows open & hearing the crickets. I know, kind of sappy, but when I see or think of modern what comes to mind is office building or hotel lobby.


    • skagitnana
      3 years ago

      When living in western PA we lovingly restored every inch of a 100 yr old house...rebuilt the windows, rewired and plumbed, new 'old' kitchen, restored porches, siding, slate roof, gingerbread. Took us about nine years, along with the barn and pastures. Went by the place a couple of years ago, and it had been (no doubt lovingly) modernized with vinyl windows, vinyl siding, and asphalt roofing. Very neatly kept, and I'm sure the owners were happy.....but it made me wonder why we had gone to all that effort. I guess when you leave a house behind , you just have to let it go.

    • Brad P
      3 years ago
      last modified: 3 years ago

      Brand new house built to look old and vice versa equivalent to an old man wearing a young man toupee Or teenagers with that stupid gray hair trend. It looks very wrong imo. Unless you have cash and a reputable builder new houses are not as well built like old homes.

    • Hyt Moses
      2 years ago

      It doesn't matter to me what the house is, as we can make it home with our vision. My concern is location, location, location.

    • smcolley
      2 years ago

      I don't mind homes 30 and under but I see where you are coming from. New homes are so beautiful and put together so well. I would love to have a new home.

    • Cindy Wooden
      2 years ago

      I live in an old Victorian home that was built in the late 1800's. My husband and I bought it back in the 70's with the intentions of keeping it of that era with the exception of the kitchen and baths. This is still an ongoing project, but, there is no way a new house would have the elegant wood carvings and unique character that older homes posses.

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