DON'T BE AFRAID TO BUY THAT SPOOKY HOUSE

Old homes in need of lots of repairs can often be spooky—but that doesn’t mean they’re haunted. A spooky home may only need work, not an exorcism. If you’re open to it, you could end up with more space and features at a bargain price.

Older homes needing work tend to sell at an attractive discount. Even if you feel like you’ve walked into a time capsule where you don’t belong, the age and condition of the home matter little if you renovate it in a financially feasible way.

Older homes needing work tend to sell at an attractive discount. Even if you feel like you’ve walked into a time capsule where you don’t belong, the age and condition of the home matter little if you renovate it in a financially feasible way.

The other option is demolition and building a new home. Talk to your lender and see if the price of the home and the cost of renovations or building new are affordable.

Just don’t over-improve for the neighborhood. Your benchmark will be nearby, similar homes that have either renovated or rebuilt to modern homebuyers’ standards.

So, don’t be spooked by a dark, spooky home. It may only need a new electrical panel, new lights, new windows, and some tree-trimming.