Ways to Tell If a Home Has Good Bones

Strong Systems and Structures

One of the major tenets of a home with good bones is that its structural, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems are in good condition—or that they’re there, period. These systems may seem invisible, but think of them as the vital organs of your home: You rarely notice them when everything is fine, but when there’s a problem it can be dire and often costly to repairs.

Once you’ve filtered out all the bad decor, consider the flow of rooms, their size and proportion, and any inefficiencies or wasted space. This is often easiest to do by looking at a floor plan, because you can quickly see adjacencies, funky-shaped rooms, and potential ways to recapture unused square footage. Are there four closets in a row next to the kitchen that could potentially be used to create more counter space? Is there a structural column that would get in the way of creating what you thought would be the perfect master suite? Finding these tricky spaces will have you feeling like a design pro in no time.

Natural Light

Another important element to consider is the location, size, and number of windows. Typically, windows that face south get lots of light throughout the day, while north-facing windows receive less daylight, and windows on the east and west get strong morning or afternoon light, respectively. Because it can be difficult and expensive (if not downright impossible, in some buildings) to add windows, think carefully about spaces that have few or no windows. Does the living room have a tiny north-facing window looking out to a brick wall, meaning that you’ll get virtually no natural light? Is there a perfectly placed window right over the outdated kitchen sink that would make washing dishes that much more pleasant? Look for these subtle signs of a great space that simply needs a cosmetic renovation.

Quality Finishes and Materials

Aesthetic choices aside, there is something to be said for finishes that have lasted through the years and have a timeless quality. Hardwood floors, solid wood doors, and thick masonry or plaster walls and molding are the kinds of elements that were built to last—and can be exponentially more expensive if you were to replace them today with something of a similar quality. What’s more, these can also bring a lot of charm and character to a space that can be hard to find elsewhere.

Location Location Location

There are some things you just can’t change about a property, and where it’s located—and how it’s oriented on its site—is one of those things. You’ve heard it from every real estate agent, and they’re right: Location is (often) paramount. A beautifully laid out townhouse is suddenly not as perfect if it’s located far away from where you were looking, and a home in the ideal neighborhood that was placed on its lot so that it almost abuts its neighbor can be similarly unappealing.