---
title: The Five Things I'd Investigate Before Buying an Older New England Home
description: Buying an older home in Maine or New Hampshire? Learn five things to investigate, from wiring and foundations to moisture, heating costs, and past renovations.
---

[Field Notes from the Greenhouse | Priscilla Weston, REALTOR®](https://priscillaweston.com/blog)

# [The Five Things I'd Investigate Before Buying an Older New England Home](https://priscillaweston.com/blog/the-five-things-id-investigate-before-buying-an-older-new-england-home)

 Written by [Priscilla Weston](https://priscillaweston.com/blog/author/priscilla-weston) | Sep 15, 2025, 3:30:00 PM

I have a weakness for old houses.

Give me wide-plank floors, original woodwork, a slightly crooked staircase, and windows that have been looking out at the same trees for a hundred years, and I'm interested.

I love the craftsmanship.

I love the history.

I even love some of the quirks.

There's something wonderful about a house that's been standing long enough to have lived through generations of families, changing fashions, and approximately seventeen different opinions about what color the kitchen should be.

But here's the thing about old houses.

**They've had a lot of time to accumulate decisions.**

Some of those decisions were excellent.

Some were perfectly reasonable for the time.

And some were made by someone who apparently believed electrical tape was a substitute for professional judgment.

So while I'm absolutely in favor of buying an old New England home, there are five things I'd want to investigate carefully before falling too deeply in love.

Not because I expect the house to be perfect.

Because I want to know what I'm getting into.

## 1. The electrical system: What's behind the walls?

One of the first things I'd want to understand in an older home is the electrical system.

When was it last updated?

What type of wiring is present?

Is the electrical panel appropriately sized for the home's current needs?

Have additions or renovations been properly wired?

And are there signs of work that might not have been completed professionally?

Some older homes still contain knob-and-tube wiring, early cloth-insulated wiring, or other electrical components that deserve careful evaluation.

That doesn't automatically mean the entire system needs to be replaced.

But older wiring can present safety concerns depending on its condition, installation, modifications, and current use.

It may also affect insurance options.

And here's something important: a newer electrical panel doesn't necessarily mean all the wiring throughout the house has been updated.

Sometimes a home has a modern-looking panel connected to a collection of much older circuits.

If I were seriously considering the property, I'd want a qualified electrician to evaluate any concerns identified during the inspection.

Because the prettiest kitchen in the world won't make me feel better about questionable electrical work hidden behind the walls.

## 2. The foundation: Old doesn't necessarily mean bad

New England has some extraordinary old foundations.

Fieldstone.

Granite.

Brick.

Early concrete.

And occasionally a combination of materials that suggests the house has been expanded more than once over the last century.

I actually love seeing old stone foundations.

They tell a story about how a house was built and what materials were available at the time.

But I'd want to understand their condition.

Are there signs of significant movement?

Are the walls bowing or bulging?

Is there deterioration of mortar or masonry?

Are there areas where water enters?

Has the foundation been repaired, and if so, how?

It's important to remember that older foundations don't necessarily behave like modern poured-concrete foundations.

Some traditional masonry systems were designed and constructed differently, and repairs may require someone familiar with historic buildings.

A little unevenness in a 150-year-old house isn't automatically a crisis.

But significant structural movement is something I'd want evaluated by an appropriate professional.

And if I saw a recently finished basement in an old house, I'd have questions.

Possibly several.

Because I want to understand the condition of the foundation before the drywall went up.

## 3. Water: Where does it go, and where has it been?

If I could teach every buyer one thing about evaluating a house, it might be this:

**Pay attention to water.**

Not just whether the basement is dry on the day of your showing.

Where does rainwater go when it leaves the roof?

Are the gutters and downspouts directing it away from the foundation?

Does the land slope toward the house?

Are there signs of water staining, rot, or persistent dampness?

How does the property behave during spring snowmelt?

And what happens after several days of heavy rain?

Water can affect foundations, framing, siding, insulation, interior finishes, and indoor air quality.

It can also create expensive problems that aren't always obvious during a quick walkthrough.

Old houses sometimes have a long history of water-related repairs and modifications.

Maybe drainage was improved.

Maybe a sump pump was installed.

Maybe the roof was replaced.

Maybe a previous owner addressed a chronic issue successfully.

That's all useful information.

I'd want to understand what happened, what was done, and whether the solution appears to be working.

And I would be particularly cautious about assuming that a freshly painted surface means a moisture problem has been resolved.

Sometimes paint is just paint.

Sometimes it's covering a story worth investigating.

## 4. Insulation and heating: How expensive is this house to live in?

Here's where old-house romance meets a January heating bill.

Older New England homes can be wonderfully charming.

They can also be spectacularly inefficient.

Not always, of course.

Some have been thoughtfully improved with insulation, air sealing, updated windows, and efficient heating systems.

But others still have very little insulation in places where modern homeowners would expect to find it.

I'd want to understand what's in the attic.

What's in the walls, if anything.

Whether the house has been air-sealed.

How the heating system operates.

And what the actual energy costs have looked like.

I'd also want to know whether there are cold rooms, drafts, or areas that are difficult to heat.

A home energy assessment can be particularly useful here.

And if you're planning improvements, I'd encourage you to understand how air sealing, insulation, ventilation, and moisture management work together.

Older buildings can have complicated assemblies, and the wrong approach can sometimes create new problems.

The goal isn't necessarily to make a 200-year-old house perform exactly like a brand-new one.

It's to understand its operating costs and identify sensible ways to improve comfort and efficiency.

Because a house that seems affordable at closing can feel considerably less affordable when you're filling the oil tank in February.

## 5. The renovations: What has changed, and was it done properly?

This is the one that can require some detective work.

Older homes often have layers of renovations.

An original house from the 1800s.

A kitchen addition from the 1950s.

A bathroom added in the 1970s.

A finished attic from the 1990s.

A new deck built sometime in the last decade.

And perhaps a mysterious little room whose original purpose nobody seems entirely sure about.

Some of those improvements may have been completed beautifully.

Others may have been done under different building standards.

And some may have been completed without permits or inspections that would be required today.

I'd want to understand the history of major alterations, particularly those involving structural changes, electrical work, plumbing, additions, and changes in how spaces are used.

Were permits required?

Were they obtained?

Were inspections completed?

Does the current layout match municipal records?

And if the house has additional bedrooms or finished spaces, are those areas approved for their intended use?

I'd also be thinking about older building materials.

Homes built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint, which deserves particular attention if you're planning renovations.

Some older materials may contain asbestos, which can require appropriate testing and handling before disturbance.

Radon is another concern worth testing for in Maine and New Hampshire, regardless of the home's age.

And if the property has a private well or septic system, those deserve their own investigations.

None of these things automatically makes an old house a bad purchase.

But they can influence what you're able to do with it, what improvements might cost, and which professionals you'll need.

## The question isn't whether the house has problems

Here's where I think people sometimes get unnecessarily discouraged.

They fall in love with an old house.

Then the inspection reveals a list of issues.

And suddenly, they wonder whether buying an older home is a terrible idea.

But I don't think a long inspection report automatically means a house is a bad investment.

Older homes often have more things to investigate.

The important questions are:

How serious are the issues?

What would it cost to address them?

Are they manageable within your budget?

And does the property's price and overall condition make sense given the work involved?

A house with an older roof and outdated heating system might still be a wonderful purchase if those costs are understood and reflected appropriately in the decision.

A house with serious structural concerns, extensive moisture damage, and questionable renovations might require a very different level of caution.

There's a difference between a house that needs work and a house whose problems you don't yet understand.

And I think buyers deserve to know that difference.

## Don't spend your entire renovation budget on the kitchen

This is one of my strongest opinions about older homes.

If you're buying a house that needs improvements, prioritize the things that protect the building.

Roofing.

Drainage.

Structural repairs.

Electrical safety.

Heating.

Moisture management.

I understand why people want to start with the fun stuff.

A beautiful kitchen.

A new bathroom.

Refinished floors.

Paint colors.

Those improvements are exciting because you get to see and enjoy the results.

But I would much rather see someone live with an outdated kitchen for a few years than spend their entire renovation budget on cosmetic improvements while ignoring a serious water problem.

A house needs to be sound before it needs to be stylish.

And sometimes the most valuable renovation is one nobody will ever notice.

## The best old houses have been loved intelligently

There's something special about an older home that's been cared for over time.

Not necessarily renovated into something unrecognizable.

Just thoughtfully maintained.

The roof was replaced when it needed replacing.

The electrical system was updated appropriately.

The drainage was improved.

The heating system was maintained.

The original woodwork was preserved where possible.

The owners understood what made the house worth keeping, and they took care of the things that allowed it to keep standing.

That's my favorite kind of old house.

One where the character remains, but the important systems haven't been forgotten.

And when I find one, I get excited.

## I wouldn't trade the character for perfection

If you love old houses, you probably already understand that they're not for everyone.

They can be quirky.

They can be demanding.

They occasionally make noises that require you to pause and listen carefully.

And they may ask more of their owners than a newer home would.

But they also offer something that can be difficult to recreate.

History.

Craftsmanship.

Materials that have aged beautifully.

Rooms with personality.

A sense that you're becoming part of a story that started long before you arrived.

I think that's worth something.

I just want you to understand the responsibilities that come with it.

So go ahead and fall in love with the wide-plank floors.

Admire the original staircase.

Imagine your furniture in the sunny front room.

But before you make the house yours, ask some good questions about what's happening behind the walls, beneath the floors, and around the foundation.

**The goal isn't to find an old house without a past.**

It's to find one whose past you understand well enough to feel confident about its future.

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