The house could be sliding down that hill a bit. 50,000 may not be anywhere near enough money to fix everything. New windows wont do any good, if the old ones are warping because the house is shifting. Could be a big money pit, and you may never get all the money you put into it, out of it. Might be a walk away place. It would be if it were me. I would at least get a second opinion from another inspector before making any decision though. Its not a brand new house, so there will be issues of course, just because of its age. Wondering about the wiring inside the walls too.

Thanks Cat, this is helpful. The wiring had been re-done though there are 2 aluminium wires. The inspector said that he wasn't concerned about these. We were wondering too if its worthwhile to install a French drain. Hypothetically if money were not an issue, what would you tackle first?

You could hire a structural engineer to give a second opinion, we recently did this on a home purchase. Having previously owned a home with foundation problems, we really didn't want to do that again. Fixing the water problems might stabilize the house, but you really need an expert to look at it.

Just curious, how much money would you forfeit by walking away?

We've been trying to contact structural engineers but the issue is that we need to give our answer by Monday, and it's unlikely that we can get someone to quickly this weekend. We don't live in a major metropolitan area. In terms of how much money we'll lose, only the cost of the inspection ($650); we submitted our offer with the condition to inspection.

If you want the house take another 50K or so off the offer if you can still change it or walk away. Too many unknowns in my book.

Thanks. I really wish we could do that. With this ridiculous market though, the ability to negotiate is pretty much off the table—the sellers put someone in second place.

I think will all this info, I'm going to walk away. Really appreciate everyone's help.

I don't blame you. If you had more time for a better deep dive inspection but just to many unknowns and what if's.

The seller also has to disclose all the information from the inspectors report to the new buyers too, if you decide to walk. They will most likely walk too.

The seller doesn't have to disclose anything a potential buyer might think needs replacing. The seller most likely won't even see a potential buyers inspection report.

This doesn't sound like the house for a first time home buyer with no experience in home repair.

What you're walking into is a money pit unless the price reflects the condition, and with what you've described you may want to go a little deeper into the house or walk away. A house with a bad foundation is the ultimate nightmare and a slight slant, diagonal cracks and it sits on a hill all add up to a serious concerns and a closer look by someone with expertise is needed. The house has settled faster on one side than the other and hills will move when saturated. sealing the crack with Hydraulic cement and water management may be all it needs but the foundation is always the most important thing to consider.

Everything else can be repaired, but another concerned is the rot. Crumbling ledges under a window may have allowed water in and rot could be all the way down to the rim joists. The part you say needs to be tore off may also have done the same to floor joists and/or rim joists and they hold up the walls. Very expensive repair process along with anything else which may require tearing through the exterior masonry to repair. Potential money pit in my opinion. There is a reason the price is so good and we've all listed them.

Walk. The basement probably needs to be rebuilt. If the house is slanting toward the back that means it is structurally unsound if it is enough that you can see it. After the basement is rebuilt on that side then that whole side would probably need to be torn off and rebuilt.

The first step I would take is to ask for more time for the inspection period to be able to call in a structural engineer to take a look at the foundation. This extension is usually fine in most circumstances except in a situation where there are several buyers waiting, but if it was a house I really wanted I would at least ask for it. Contact your realtor and see if you can make this happen.

The gutter part wouldn't concern me as that is not a huge deal.

The balcony extension teardown/fix would be something I would negotiate a credit/lower price for.

Masonry, Insulation, and the plumbing are things that are not unusual in an older house and something to budget for. You could try to negotiate something for these too, but they are not surprising. For the wiring the concern on the Aluminum part would be if it is wired straight into copper and if it was it is a something I would request to be fixed or negotiate so I could have it fixed myself. It is a matter of adding the right connector so not a huge deal to do, but electricians aren't the cheapest either.

@3onthetree would it help if I shared the report here?

Yes, share the report. Are you interested in acquiring carpentry/fix-up skills? Someone lived in this house before, right? You said we: make sure you're both on the same page on this.

You said we: make sure you're both on the same page on this.

Yeah, that ^, and openness from parents, siblings, whoever may be helping you along this journey (of any house that has some fixin to do).

As far as sharing the report, I'd say only if you want more input on a very specific item. There is so much that goes into a house-buying decision. Maybe you already fell in love with it, maybe it's on the same street as your mom, maybe interest rates are going up, . . . .

We had to replace the foundation of our house. It cost more than 50K.

Did the inspector give you any ball park numbers for these things? Hopefully he had knowledge of old houses and local costs to be able to give you reasonably accurate numbers - the few Ive dealt with in my life were able to generate different scenarios - eg I do part of it vs. professional doing it all - and also advise which things you might DIY and how youd go about it If he hasnt volunteered that info you might want to ask. You need good solid info from an expert you trust to be confident in whatever you decide, one way or another If you dont have that then yah, get some specialists in there to look. That's not an unusual thing to request.

Just remember you will also have to pay all these specialists to give you the info you need to make a decision.

My understanding is that construction and remodeling costs are up substantially due to Covid (25% is a number I have seen bandied about, and some materials costs went up more than 100% locally). If you buy this house, factor those increased costs in, as well as any increased delays in getting competent specialist on the job.

Personally, I would walk. A house is only as good as its foundation.

All good points. Thanks again for all these responses. Not going to share the report because it’s long, but here are some photos.

2 more

Run, that stuff on the basement wall is mold and not from water seeping through the wall. Only a test will tell but visually it looks like what is commonly called "black mold". The second picture appears to have mold on the base of the second layer of siding. Removing what is there and sealing it can be done but often not successfully for a long period of time.

something else will come along. don't make an emotional financial mistake. if you buy the right home it becomes an investment and nest egg, if you buy a lemon it's a financial disaster. it's easy to fall in love with a place bc you imagine it in its perfect state. leave it and keep looking. good luck!

Nothing you show looks out of the ordinary for an older house. However, a brick house is great for needing little maintenance, but when it does need it, the work usually has to be done by pros and can be expensive. That deteriorating sill will have to be replaced someday, it looks like the lintel over the larger window has sagged, etc. I don't see mold, I just see old cellar walls.

You can bet there is wall damage below that broken lintel. Water is running right into those cracks. Freezing and thawing, will make the damage even worse. I cant say if it is mold or not, not viewing it visually, but, I will say, it looks like it could be. Looks like a bow in the brick under that siding, on the one end. The foundation itself would be what would worry me the most. I would walk.

Can't say how grateful I am for all of these responses in such a short amount of time. We've decided to walk. You've all helped me feel more confident in my decision, so thank you!

“bow in the brick”. I’ve not seen that before. That would be a big concern for me. Better luck on your next selection @Chelsea.

I think you are making the right decision. A better house is out there for you. Good Luck Chelsea, let us know when you find just the right one.

Chelsea-

It sounds like you made the right call for this situation. But I will point out that any house needs maintenance; even a brand new one will develop problems. Please start doing some reading or even take a class now that will help you develop DIY skills that you will need as a homeowner. I have three adult daughters who are all homeowners, and each of them has become skilful over the years as they have had to address home issues. If you do not resolve to develop these skills, you will find yourself frequently having to pay large amounts of money to have professionals do basic things for you...things that you can probably do just as well with a little practice.

When I bought my first home, I didn't have much in the way of skills, and I didn't have money to pay professionals to fix things. so I started teaching myself. These days, I still may not be as efficient as a professional, but I can probably do as good a job, if not better.

You were wise to pass on a house that could have been a money pit. But you shouldn't shy away from a house that needs some TLC. Just recognize that you should expect and prepare for home repairs and maintenance with any home, and start developing those abilities now so you can better judge what you can handle when you find the "right" home.

Thanks @kudzu9 since I want to buy an older house, this is a good call. Are there any online courses that you recommend?

@Chelsea two books I have found reasonably helpful are
Renovation (4th Edition) by Litchfield

Renovating Old Houses by Nash

Ditto both of those books. eBay has quite a selection (cheap!).

I don’t have specific suggestions for online courses, but I do find YouTube to be helpful on specific tasks. However, I suspect that you are at a stage where you don’t have many tools, many skills, or a general idea of how easy or hard a repair might be. For that reason, I suggest that you get yourself a book that orients you to the basics, such as this: https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Guide-Repair-Improvement-Updated/dp/158011783X/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=Whole+house+repair+guide&qid=1613934617&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE1M0xOSUNCVjhRTk4mZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAyMDM4ODkzMUI5SlowRlBPRkY2JmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA0NjI0MjIyNzlPRFo2TlA2VFFWJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

It‘s also important to find out which of your friends have DIY skills and might be able to provide a little advice. Many home repairs aren’t rocket science, but you do need some basics. I gave each of my girls tool kits that I knew would be helpful, and I showed each of them how to do basic tasks. Once they had some hands-on experience, they began to figure things out and take on more complicated projects on their own.

It was probably a good idea to walk. As a first time buyer, you don't want to be saddled with repairs that are beyond your ability. Let's talk about what you have learned and what you might have done.

Norm Abram from This Old House advised us to think of a house as an old man in winter. Does he have on boots, coat and hat. Or, is the foundation, exterior and roof okay? If yes, proceed. If no, it's going to cost a lot to get the house properly dressed. Those are the areas where you must spend a lot of money to keep the structure from falling down.

In the case of the house you were considering, the next step would have been for your realtor to get an inspection extension in order to find a structural engineer to conduct and report on the status of the foundation, the water intrusion and cracks in the walls.

Many people think that a home inspection is the only inspection that is needed. To stop with a general home inspection is to buy something without a full understanding of the features and potential costs.

To fully understand and be able to quantify your purchase, you may need to employ additional specialists to inspect the structure, the HVAC plant, the roof, the plumbing and the electrical. While it makes sense to do this with older homes, newer homes have just as many problems. A skeptical eye should be used on any property that you will be paying good money to acquire.

The general home inspection is just the start of the process, not the end. Often 10 days isn't enough. This is where your realtor can help by arranging for inspection contingency extensions. If a seller won't grant an extension for an additional inspection, my answer would be to walk away. I want to know what I am buying. I'm never embarrassed to inconvenience someone in order to get my questions answered.

You did the right thing. Hopefully, the next home you place a contract on will be in better condition with fewer issues.

Since this is your first house, and you are not skilled at diy yet, I would advise buying a newer house for your first house. Keep it a couple of years, and learn how to do things, to make it better, and when you buy that older house you really want, then you will have better knowledge and skills how to do things. There is a lot with old houses, including wiring, and asbestos, and lead, and who knows what, that you really need to learn about. Dont buy something that is going to overwhelm you before you start working on it, nor buy something that will be a money pit before you can safely live in it. There are older houses out there, that have already had a lot done to them.

I agree. My first house had a few issues and I swallowed some of these, no problem. This one has too many, good you chose to walk.

To me a 70 year old house has to many layers of lip stick covering the bad. Encapsulated asbestos under floors, sheet rock and paneling. Old brittle wiring, no insulation, galvanized pipes corroded up inside, sagging floors and crumbling foundations. I'd rather buy a house no one has touched at the right LOW price and have it done right from the foundation up, or know for sure it was done right with proof. Sorry but a visual inspection by an inspector isn't proof. Most are worth a cup of coffee at best and all are worth nothing in court.

The Tuck pointing on this house was done wrong to coverup a settling problem and will need redone. Grinding out the old joints an inch deep and redoing with a rake joint tool to match the rest of the house isn't cheap. The electrical box and wires by the basement window tells me a owner did this and it's garbage, so what else did they hide in the walls which may cause a fire or electrocute someone.

The diagonal crack with a larger gap at the floor tells me the footing on that side is moving sideways, and down based on uneven grout joints up the crack. A tilted house with warped doors and window aren't easy fixes, along with the countless patched plaster cracks inside which won't hold. The bond of the plaster to the lath has been broken and only a matter of time before reappearing and even falling from the ceiling and walls. This house is a walkaway unless everything is known about it and the price is low enough to warrant investing in the repairs to bring it up to market value. If market value is 200,000 and you put 70,000 for repairs the market value still is only 200,000 so rational thinking would state the house is worth $130,000 at best.

if your realtor is as good as mine was when I sold my 1st house, she offered 1 thing to get fixed on the inspection report (basement posts had small amount of rust on them) and she stated- if they fix everything the price will go up. I gave credit for posts and closed. made 50% on home in profit, built a house where I grew up and paid it off in 16 years.

Ouch yeah I'm happy we walked. @kevin9408 you're probably right about the foundation moving sideways—that crack is positioned in the direction of the slope of the land.

My heart is set on buying an old house and now I'm struggling to figure out how I'll realistically be able to make this happen. Especially with today's market that leaves no room for negotiation and leads to bidding wars. Tough times.

I also prefer older homes and have have had 3 older homes, 1860, 1948, 1949. In one of them, I was the one who spent the money to update it over the 17 years I was in it. In the most recent one, updating was the previous owners’ 20-year project. I far prefer to find one that was lovingly updated by someone else. It is much more economical- your return on investment from the repairs/updates is never anywhere close to what you will pay for them- you’re lucky if they add anything at all to the value of the home.

Give it time, you’ll find the ONE, it’s worth waiting for.

The first evaluations are always minimal and afterwards you are left with pouring more and more expenses on the alterations and repair. it is good that you walked away.