Top to bottom exterior crack - Problem?

[Grant S.]

I looked at a house yesterday that has an exterior crack in the stucco from the top of the house down to the foundation. It's on the exterior side of the house and begins in the middle of the house where the roof peaks. It extends down into a attic vent and then goes off to the side a bit, down to a kitchen window, around the window and then on down to the ground. The house is 66 years old. Is this a major concern or just a little settling and a stucco crack that shouldn't be a concern? Here is a link to picture of it: [URL=http://s1145.photobucket.com/user/adda2ude/media/REI/IMAG1131.jpg.html][/URL]

[J Scott]

Without more investigation, nobody is going to be able to tell you if this is a symptom of a serious problem, or if it's routine settling that is presenting a purely cosmetic issue.

While you can take the safe approach and run away (like some others are suggesting), keep in mind that by doing so, you're giving other investors (like me :) an opportunity to swoop in and grab a great deal because we're willing to spend a couple hundred bucks on an engineer and then potentially negotiate the price down far below market value, even if the underlying issue isn't severe.

If spending a little time and money is something you're willing to do in order to potentially get a great deal, then I'd recommend finding a good structural engineer and having him visit the property and make an assessment. If you're looking for something turn-key that doesn't require additional cost/effort, this probably isn't the property for you.