Older homes are a big part of the appeal in areas such as Old East Village, Hamilton Road and other established parts of East London.

They can also come with decades of renovations, repairs, additions and maintenance decisions that are not always obvious from the listing photos.

A professional home inspection is where a buyer gets a much closer look at the house, but there are plenty of things you can begin observing during the showing or open house.

For this guide, Mark O'Brien, Ontario Association of Home Inspectors (OAHI) Registered Home Inspector with O'Brien Home Inspections Inc., shares practical things buyers can watch for while walking through an older property.

London REALTOR® Zach Boulert of RE/MAX Icon Realty Brokerage contributed the East London real-estate context.

If you're still comparing neighbourhoods and housing types, Zach's East London real estate guide covers Old East Village, Hamilton Road, EOA and many of the property considerations that come with older housing.

Start outside before you walk through the front door

Mark recommends beginning with a walk around the property rather than heading straight inside.

Look at the roof

From the ground, look for things such as:

• missing shingles
• lifting or curling shingles
• visible sagging
• obvious patchwork
• areas that appear damaged or deteriorated

You are not trying to determine the remaining life of the roof from the sidewalk. You are simply looking for obvious signs that deserve a closer look later.

Check where the water goes

Water management is one of the most important themes Mark watches around a house.

Look at the gutters and downspouts. Are they attached properly? Do the downspouts discharge away from the house, or is water being dumped beside the foundation?

Look at the grading of the lot as well. Ideally, surface water should move away from the house rather than collecting in low spots or against basement walls and windows.

Look closely at exterior walls and the foundation

Mark suggests watching for:

• significant cracking
• visible shifting
• evidence of previous water entry
• loose or missing mortar
• spalling or crumbling masonry
• exposed wood siding or trim showing deterioration
• chimneys that appear to lean

Older London houses have been repaired in many different ways over the years, so a visible repair is not automatically a problem. It is something worth understanding.

Windows and doors

Look for:

• damaged frames
• missing or deteriorated caulking
• peeling paint
• wood deterioration
• doors or windows that appear badly out of alignment

Try operating a few of them if appropriate during the showing.

Porches, decks and exterior stairs

Older homes often have porches, additions, stairs and decks that have been repaired or modified over time.

Look for:

• cracked or deteriorated concrete
• settled or shifted stairs
• soft or rotting wood
• damaged railings
• uneven or visibly shifted floors

Driveways, walkways and garages

Significant cracking or heaving in driveways and walkways may be worth noting. In a climate like London's, freeze-thaw cycles can move concrete and asphalt over time.

For a garage, Mark suggests looking at the floor, door alignment and drainage. Older detached garages may have been altered or re-sided over time. If there is an automatic opener, test it if permitted.

Once you're inside, slow down

It is easy to walk through a showing looking at room sizes, furniture placement and finishes. Mark recommends deliberately looking at the actual building surfaces too.

Ceilings and walls

Watch for:

• stains
• cracking
• peeling or bubbling paint
• patched areas
• loose plaster
• signs of previous moisture

One of Mark's simple tips is to look inside closets. Areas that are normally hidden behind belongings can sometimes show cracking, staining or old plaster problems that are less obvious in the main room.

Pay attention to how the floors feel

Walk slowly and notice:

• soft spots
• unusually bouncy sections
• major slopes
• areas that move underfoot
• abrupt changes in floor level

Those observations do not tell you exactly what is happening underneath, but they can identify areas worth investigating further.

Look at the electrical clues you can actually see

Older East London homes may contain electrical work from multiple eras.

Mark suggests looking at switches, outlets, fixtures and exposed wiring where visible.

Older two-prong outlets, including some older horizontally mounted receptacles, can indicate ungrounded wiring from an earlier period.

Also look at something very practical: how many outlets are actually in each room? A room built long before laptops, televisions and dozens of plugged-in devices may have far fewer receptacles than a modern buyer expects.

Check whether rooms have ceiling-mounted lighting or rely primarily on switched lamps. These details are not necessarily defects, but they can affect how you would actually live in the house.

Kitchen: test the things you will use every day

If permitted during the showing, run the kitchen tap and notice the water pressure. Look underneath the sink for signs of active or previous leakage.

Mark also suggests looking at:

• cabinets for moisture damage or warping
• evidence of pests
• whether countertops appear properly secured
• whether there is a functioning range hood
• whether the range hood actually vents outside

If appliances are included, ask about their age.

Bathrooms

Bathrooms contain a lot of plumbing, water and ventilation in a small space.

Mark suggests checking:

• toilets for movement
• taps and water flow
• under sinks for leakage
• counters and sinks for secure attachment
• grout and caulking around tubs and showers
• operation of the exhaust fan

A loose toilet or deteriorated caulking may look minor, but water going where it should not can create larger problems over time.

The basement deserves extra time

For many older homes, the basement can tell you a lot about the history of the building.

Mark's first recommendation is remarkably simple: pay attention to the smell when you reach the bottom of the stairs. A strong musty or damp smell is one of the most important basement warning signs he wants a buyer to notice.

Then look at exposed foundation walls and floors. Watch for:

• cracks
• water staining
• damp areas
• efflorescence - the white mineral residue sometimes left as moisture moves through masonry
• loose mortar
• spalling or crumbling concrete
• patched foundation areas
• evidence of waterproofing work

If there is a sump pump, look at the pit and ask when the system was last serviced.

Where the structure is visible, look at beams, columns, joists and subflooring for visible damage, cracking, moisture or signs of insect damage to wood.

If finishing the basement is important to you, Mark also recommends thinking about ceiling height and window/egress considerations before buying, rather than discovering later that the space does not work the way you expected.

Do not ignore crawlspaces

If the property has a crawlspace, find out what type it is and whether it is accessible.

Mark suggests looking for:

• visible moisture
• foundation issues
• deterioration or rot in framing above
• dirt floors
• signs of pests
• strong odours

A crawlspace is easy to forget about during an attractive showing, but it is still part of the house.

Heating, cooling and water-heating equipment

Ask about the age of the furnace, air conditioner and water heater.

Mark's notes use these typical ranges as rough context:

• furnace: approximately 15-20 years
• central air conditioner: approximately 10-15 years
• water heater: approximately 8-12 years

Actual service life varies with the equipment, installation, maintenance and operating conditions. Units that are regularly serviced tend to last longer.

Mark also looks for obvious clues such as physical damage, dirty filters, rust, water staining, and staining on the floor around equipment.

Look at the electrical panel and visible wiring

Older electrical systems are especially relevant in established London neighbourhoods.

Mark suggests identifying what type of panel is present. Older fuse panels can sometimes raise questions with insurers.

Where wiring is exposed, buyers may also see clues to older systems. Mark specifically recommends watching for:

• wiring marked ALUMINUM or ALUM
• visible knob-and-tube wiring, particularly in unfinished basements or attics
• older electrical components that clearly predate modern renovations

Seeing one of these does not tell you the entire condition of the electrical system. It tells you that the electrical history of the house deserves a proper investigation.

Zach also has a separate guide to knob-and-tube wiring in London homes for buyers trying to understand why this comes up frequently in older properties.

Look at the plumbing materials you can identify

Around the water meter and in unfinished areas, you may be able to see some of the plumbing materials used in the house.

Mark suggests looking at the incoming water-service material and visible drain piping.

Older homes may contain combinations of:

• copper
• lead
• plastic
• cast iron
• steel
• ABS

Lead service material tends to have a dull grey appearance and is relatively soft. Mark recommends replacement of lead supply lines.

For visible cast-iron and steel drainage piping, look for obvious corrosion, rust or holes.

Again, the goal during a showing is not to perform your own plumbing inspection. It is to notice what is present so that you know which questions need answers.

What should a buyer actually do with all of this?

The purpose of an open-house walkthrough is not to decide whether the house 'passes' or 'fails.' It is to gather better information.

If something catches your attention, take note of it and bring it into the conversation with your REALTOR® and home inspector.

For an older property, that may influence:

• what you ask the seller
• what documents you request
• what conditions you include in the offer
• which areas you want the inspector to pay particular attention to
• whether another specialist should become involved

That is especially useful when comparing older homes because two houses on neighbouring streets can have completely different renovation and maintenance histories.

About Mark O'Brien

Mark O'Brien is an OAHI Registered Home Inspector with O'Brien Home Inspections Inc.

Mark works with buyers by examining the home's visible systems and components and helping clients better understand the property they are considering.

For this guide, Mark provided the inspection observations and practical open-house walkthrough tips.

O'Brien Home Inspections Inc.
226-998-5821
obrienhomeinspections.ca

About Zach Boulert

Zach Boulert is a REALTOR® with RE/MAX Icon Realty Brokerage in London, Ontario.

Zach works with buyers and sellers throughout London, with detailed resources covering East London, Old East Village, Hamilton Road and older housing.

His East London Ontario Real Estate Guide provides more information for buyers comparing neighbourhoods and properties on the east side.

Looking at an older home in East London?

A showing is where the questions begin. The inspection is where you get the opportunity to look much more closely.

Going into that process already aware of the roof, drainage, basement, visible electrical, plumbing, structure and mechanical systems can help you ask better questions and make a better-informed decision.

Editorial note: This article is educational and is not a substitute for a professional home inspection or specialist advice where required.