Beware charms of a ‘quaint’ old house

I have always loved the look of elegant older houses. Obviously, not all old houses are elegant. Some are actually awful-looking, but the elegant ones are fascinating. But never, ever, judge a house from its exterior.

Buying and fixing up an older house is not for amateurs. It takes homeowning experience, money, commitment and more money to handle all of the challenges of updating and redoing an older house who is more than likely very set in her ways.

First-time homeowners should be extremely wary of older homes, especially “quaint” old houses. The word “quaint” can be translated as “in dire need of remodeling.” Once friends of ours, a levelheaded and a practical couple, fell madly in love with a quaint, old house, and
in a fit of passion, they bought her. That hussy of a house totally seduced our friends into a mortgage.