i am house hunting and i am tron between two houses, one made of block and one a woodframe with stucco?
i preferr the one that has stuccoo but isnt a block home way better? the block home is pretty dull looking and has low ceilings and just a single carport, the stucco has very high ceilings two car garage and a huge lot, i like it better but i dont want to make a stupid move by buying some peice of junk. what is your opinion on this?
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block home
I'm assuming that you do not live in an area prone to hurricanes or tornadoes. Have the wood frame home inspected by a professional home inspector and read his written report carefully. If possible, speak directly with the inspector and ask him specifically if there is anything structural in the home that could cause you problems.
If the home is sound, go with your heart. Yes a house is a major investment -- but there is no point in buying one that will never really feel homey. If the house you like doesn't check out -- keep looking. There is lots of choice out there right now and somewhere there is a house that will "speak to you" and you'll know you've found your home.
Checklist to consider:
Age of house: many finishes, like stucco may not last for long without maintenance. Home > 5 years should expect some finishes and services maintenance that coming along the way.
Who was the builder: Pulte and Centex, Pulte has better build quality. Not sure about the other. Home inspector may not able to identify many unseen problems created by builder negligence, like building on landfill, wet ground, etc.
Look for proper drainage around the house. Sidewalk must have drainage inlet. Look for yard inlet. Dead lawn are sign of stagnant water which offers more latent problems.
A block home is a forever home - very impervious to the elements - but a Stucco home isn't hard to maintain. Life is too short and it's meant to be lived. Get the one you love. If you just "settle" for the block home, you'll always regret it!!!!!! (speaking from experience here!) Get a home inspection done prior to buying either one.... then you don't have to worry about buying "some piece of junk". You'll know what you're buying. Good luck!
I don't think one is 'better' than the other. You can get crappy built block houses just like anything else. And it's not like the stucco house is going to cave in on you. I would buy the one that will make you the most happy while you are living there. And I would agree, the high ceilings and large lot would be the deciding factor for me.
Go for the stucco!! You will not be happy in the block!!
While I was on vacation someone was pointing out stucco houses to me.. there seemed to be an issue between "real" stucco and synthetic. The real was better and the other seemed to go bad.. I forget how..might have been mold issue. So be sure it's real stucco.
I'd take the stucoo myself as long as it checked out. I think it would have a better chance of increasing in value. Other people would react to it positively as you do.
Block houses can be cold and damp, when choosing you should have a inspector go thru , they can detect any problems you may have in the future. Either way have it inspected, it is worth the fee they charge.
I live in Florida and in FL a block home is much better than a wood frame - because we are the termite capital of the US. Block homes are also better made to withstand hurricanes.