What's your thoughts on old homes? (built in 1830)

[Yixue Zhao]

Hello friends! I'm new to real estate investing and this is my first post :) Like many of you, I got inspired after reading Rich Dad Poor Dad and then started reading real estate books recently and I'm ready to make a move now yay! I just started looking for my first deal where I plan to live with my husband first, and then rent it out after a year or so.

I live in Northampton, MA and there are not many available listings currently. But I came across a cute house that's built in 1830 (almost 200 years old!) Well, I personally love antiques but from Brandon's book, I also learned that old homes are usually more costly and risky (e.g., more repairs, high utility bills since it's not energy efficient, some unforeseen problems). There are also many other potential pitfalls that I saw on YouTube videos. As a newbie, I'm not sure whether it's too risky to buy such an old house as my very first property (but people also learn a lot from the mistakes in their first deal so maybe it's fine? lol). Anyway, just wondering what's your thoughts on this and what are some factors I should consider in this particular case to make my final decision?

Thank you very much! I really appreciate some guidance to help me join this exciting journey with you all :)