Older homes are why many people fall for Seattle. Three things they rarely mention in the listing, and how to ask about each one.
A 1920s Craftsman with original built-ins is one of the great pleasures of buying here. It also comes with a hundred years of decisions made by other owners. Three of them come up again and again.
The roof and the moss
Our wet season is long, and moss loves a shaded roof. A little is cosmetic. A thick mat holds water against the shingles and speeds up their failure. Look at the roof, the gutters and where the downspouts send the water. Ask the roof’s age, and whether it has been treated.
The oil tank you cannot see
Many older homes here once heated with oil, and some tanks are still underground. A small pipe sticking out of the ground near the foundation, or an old vent pipe on the wall, is the clue. A tank may have been removed, decommissioned in place, or simply forgotten. Ask the seller for records, and ask your inspector to look for signs.
The side sewer
The pipe from the house to the city main is usually the owner’s responsibility, not the city’s. In older neighborhoods, clay pipes crack and tree roots find their way in. A sewer scope, a camera run through the line during your inspection, costs little compared with what it can find.
None of this is a reason to walk away
Every one of these is a known, fixable thing. The point is to know before you sign, so the price and the plan reflect it. The full list of what we look at on a tour is in the buying guide.
See also the city’s own guidance: Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections.