Buying an Older Home in the Driftless Area: Charm, Quirks, and Real Costs

Most of the housing stock in Lancaster, Platteville, Mineral Point, and the other Driftless towns was built before anyone reading this was born. Limestone foundations, plaster walls, nine-foot ceilings, oak trim nobody could afford to mill today. People fall for these houses, and I understand why. I'm Jeremy Fishnick, a Realtor and licensed home inspector in Lancaster, Wisconsin, and a good share of the hundreds of homes I've inspected were built between the 1880s and the 1950s. This is my attempt to tell you what you're getting into: the parts that are wonderful, the quirks that are just quirks, and the costs that are real.

Why old houses here are worth considering

Old houses in the Driftless were built by people who expected to live in them for life. The framing is often full-dimension lumber, the floors are real hardwood under whatever carpet got laid in 1978, and the lots tend to be bigger and closer to downtown than anything built since. They also sit in the price range where most local buyers shop, which in Lancaster is roughly the $200,000 to $250,000 band. A well-kept century home in that range can be a far better value than a newer house further out.

But "well-kept" is the operative phrase. An old house is a hundred years of decisions by a dozen owners, and some of those decisions were made on a Saturday afternoon with whatever was in the garage.

Quirks that are usually fine

Buyers sometimes panic over things that are just how old houses are. A few I rarely lose sleep over:

• Sloped or wavy floors. Houses settle over a century. If the slope is old, stable, and the structure below is sound, it's character. I check whether it's still moving; that's the question that matters.
• Plaster cracks. Hairline cracks in plaster are nearly universal. Wide, fresh, or stair-stepped cracks over doorways get more attention from me, but a hairline above a window is a cosmetic job.
• Doors that stick or don't latch. Same cause as the floors. Plane the door.
• Low basement ceilings and stone walls. Driftless basements were built for coal and canning, not family rooms. A dry stone foundation with a little efflorescence is normal. A wet one is a different conversation, which I get into below.
• Odd room layouts. The tiny room off the kitchen was a pantry or a maid's room. The closet-sized bedroom was for a child. You'll either love this or you won't, but it isn't a defect.

The real costs to budget for

These are the systems where age translates to dollars. I'm not going to quote prices because they vary with the house and the contractor, but I will tell you which ones to get quotes on before you remove your inspection contingency.

Electrical

Knob-and-tube wiring, undersized service, panels with a known history of problems, and generations of add-on circuits are the most common big-ticket items I find in older Driftless homes. Some insurers won't write a policy, or will charge more, until certain items are corrected. I wrote a whole post on this: Knob-and-Tube, Old Panels, and Other Electrical Red Flags in Older Wisconsin Homes.

Plumbing

Galvanized steel supply lines corrode from the inside and lose pressure over decades. Cast iron drain lines crack and clog. A house may have three generations of pipe spliced together, and the weak link is usually buried in a wall. Low water pressure at the upstairs bathroom is the tell. Also ask about the sewer lateral to the street. Clay tile laterals from the early 1900s are common in our towns and tree roots love them.

Roof and gutters

Steep, complicated rooflines with dormers and valleys are beautiful and expensive to re-shingle. Many old homes also have inadequate or no gutters, which sends water straight at that stone foundation.

Foundation and water

Stone and early block foundations were never waterproof. The question is whether water is managed or not. Grading, downspout extensions, and a working sump pump solve most of it. Bowed walls, active movement, or standing water are the problems. My post on Foundation Cracks in Wisconsin Basements walks through what I look for.

Windows and insulation

Original wood windows with storms can be perfectly serviceable, but many have been painted shut or have broken sash cords. Insulation in the walls is often minimal or absent. You can live with this; you just pay for it every January on your heating bill. Attic insulation is the cheapest improvement with the biggest payback.

Lead paint and asbestos

Homes built before 1978 may have lead-based paint, and federal rules require sellers to provide a lead disclosure on those homes. Asbestos shows up in old floor tile, pipe insulation, and some siding. Neither is a reason to walk away from a house. Both are reasons to plan renovations carefully and hire the right people when you disturb them.

Chimneys

Old brick chimneys that once vented coal furnaces often have deteriorated liners or none at all. If the furnace or water heater still vents into one, I flag it. If a wood stove is involved, get the chimney inspected by a sweep before you use it.

How to buy an old house without regret

1. Give yourself a real inspection window. An old house takes me longer than a new one, and you may want follow-up visits from an electrician or a plumber for quotes before your deadline. Ask for the days.
2. Prioritize safety and structure over cosmetics. Negotiate on wiring, roof, water, and heating. Don't spend your leverage on a cracked tile.
3. Talk to your insurance agent before you offer. Some older homes need specific items corrected before coverage binds. Knowing that early changes what you ask for.
4. Keep a reserve. Something in an old house will surprise you in the first year. Budget for it and it stops being a crisis.
5. Buy the bones, not the staging. Fresh paint and a new vanity cover a lot. A dry basement, a sound roof, and updated electrical are what you're paying for.

Where the two licenses come in

When I'm representing a buyer on an older home, I'm reading the house with an inspector's eye from the first showing. I'll point out the panel, the plumbing, and the grading before we ever write an offer, which means my clients walk into the inspection knowing what to expect instead of being blindsided. One buyer, Abel C., put it this way in his review: "Information is a powerful weapon to have when negotiating a home sale or purchase." That's the whole idea.

Talk to Jeremy

If you've got your eye on a century home in Lancaster, Platteville, Mineral Point, Darlington, or anywhere in the Driftless Area, I'd be glad to walk it with you. I'm Jeremy Fishnick, Fishnick Realty Advisors (brokered by LPT Realty) and The Complete Inspection. Call or text 608-732-2564, or see what's available at the Perfect Home Finder.