Ask the Age of Major Systems Before Making an Offer

You excited enter into a contract to buy a home, agreeing to pay such and such a price... and you include an inspection contingency in your contract, as most buyers would these days.

Your inspector reports that...

1.  The heating system is functioning perfectly, but it is 41 years old.

2.  There are no leaks or signs of moisture entry, but the roof is 32 years old.

3.  The water heater is heating the water, but is somehow, 53 years old.

Hmmm... it probably would have been helpful to have known about these system ages before entering into a contract to pay such and such a price, because...

The seller is not going to be interested in replacing old systems that function properly... and yet... you likely won't be excited to replace them within the first few months or years after you buy the house.

So, unless a house was built in the past 15 years, it is worth asking how old the major systems are, and make sure that you are paying a price that takes into account the age of those systems.