100+ year old houses in Lehigh Valley, PA

[Doris Jin Huang]

We are looking at some very old houses (built between 1870-1900) in Lehigh Valley, PA. I generally don't think old houses are necessarily a bad idea for buy and hold, but depending on the way they were built & materials used there could be serious issues that are oftentimes area specific. Could anyone with experiences in the area share thoughts on what to look for during inspection?

[David Ribardo]

@Justin Brown Hey man! Good to see you, hope business is doing well!

@Doris Jin Huang In the Lehigh Valley most rental properties we sell were constructed between 1890 and 1920. These single family and duplex row homes are great investments. The key is to get a skilled investor-friendly inspector to make sure you have good plumbing, electric, structure, roof, and mechanical systems. Some of these houses have nightmares of knob-and-tube wiring packed with insulation, leaky cast iron sewer pipes, and cosmetic renovations slapped on to cover up structural issues. You want to find one with good bones that has been updated over the years and kept within modern code. This will give you a cost-effective property in the long run.