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That old house appraisal came back way lower than I expected

Bought a 1970s ranch in Portland last spring. Had it appraised a few months back. Came in 45k under what I paid. Turns out the original wiring and galvanized pipes kill the value. Learned to always check the bones before the paint job. Anyone else get burned on an older home?
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susan_wells
That original wiring and galvanized pipes thing got me thinking, isn't it funny how we always focus on the pretty stuff first and miss the real problems hiding underneath.
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margaret_nelson
Oh absolutely, @susan_wells. A buddy of mine bought this cute little bungalow from the 1920s and spent a fortune on fancy tile and a new front door. Then the basement flooded three months later because those old cast iron drains had rusted through. She ended up having to rip out half the new drywall to replace the pipes. Sure, the door is pretty, but she still can't use her washer without worrying about a backup.
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