A standard home inspection is built around today's building code, which means it's not always tuned to catch the specific failure points of a house built in 1925. If you're buying in Montford, Grove Park, or another of Asheville's historic districts, a few extra questions during the inspection window can save you a five-figure surprise.
Start with the electrical panel. Homes updated in the 1970s and 80s often received partial rewiring - enough to pass an inspection at the time, but knob-and-tube wiring can still be present in walls that were never opened. Ask your inspector to specifically check attic and crawlspace runs, not just the visible panel.
Foundation and grading come next. Many of these homes were built before modern drainage standards, and even a foundation with no visible cracking can have a moisture problem if the grading slopes toward the house. Look for efflorescence - a white, chalky residue - on any exposed foundation walls in the basement or crawlspace.
Original plumbing is the third area worth extra scrutiny. Galvanized supply lines corrode from the inside out, which means water pressure can look fine at a showing and fail within a year of moving in. A camera inspection of the main sewer line, in particular, is worth the few hundred dollars it costs given how many of these lines are original cast iron.
None of this means avoid pre-1950 homes - it means budget the inspection period accordingly, and don't skip the specialists a standard inspector will recommend calling in.
Thinking about buying or selling in Asheville? Our team is happy to talk through what this means for your specific neighborhood.
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Marcus leads the firm's buyer-side practice, with a focus on first-time buyers and relocations to West Asheville, Black Mountain, and Haw Creek. A former general contractor, he's known for spotting renovation red flags before an inspection ever happens.
