What should I know about buying an older home in Colorado Springs?

Plan on a budget for unknowns. An older Colorado Springs home can be a great buy, but a general inspection only covers what can be seen in a few hours, and some problems don't show up until you've lived there and used everything. Beyond the inspection, it's worth a sewer scope, a radon test, and a look at the permit records for work past owners did. Homes built before 1978 also come with lead-based paint disclosures. What surprises most buyers is that with an older home, it's always something. You just don't know where it will come from.

Why a budget for unknowns matters most

A general inspection tells you what an inspector can see in a few hours. It can't fully test a house the way living in it does: running the plumbing day after day, cycling the heat through a winter, and using every system. Something may simply not show up during the inspection.

So my recommendation for an older home is to set money aside for the unknowns, expect that something will need attention, and hope it's small. You safeguard against the risks you can see and plan for the ones you can't.

What surprises buyers isn't usually one big problem. It's that there's always something, and you just never know where it's going to come from.

What to inspect on an older home

• A general home inspection, with extra attention to the roof, heating, water heater, electrical panel and wiring, and plumbing, since original systems may be near the end of their life.
• A sewer scope. Older sewer lines can crack, shift, or collect roots, and a general inspection doesn't look inside the line.
• A radon test. Colorado's standard purchase contract strongly recommends one before you buy.
• The foundation and drainage. The Colorado Geological Survey calls swelling soil a common and sometimes serious problem in Colorado that can damage houses slowly over time. Grading, gutters, and cracks are worth a close look, and a structural engineer can follow up on anything that looks like movement.
• The roof and hail history. See how serious hail damage is when buying.

What your inspector finds may call for a specialist. See what to look for in a home inspection.

Work past owners did

An older home has had more owners and more years of projects. Its original construction may not match today's code, and that alone isn't automatically a defect. Later work is different. If a past owner finished a basement, added a bathroom, or changed the electrical, especially without a permit, it's worth knowing whether it was done right.

In Colorado Springs and the rest of El Paso County, the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department keeps permit records, so you can check what was permitted. Your inspector can point out what looks like later work, and the seller's property disclosure asks about work done without a permit.

Lead-based paint in homes built before 1978

Federal rules require sellers of most homes built before 1978 to disclose any known lead-based paint, share any records they have, give buyers an EPA pamphlet, and allow buyers 10 days for a lead inspection or risk assessment unless both sides agree otherwise in writing. Colorado's standard contract includes a Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Deadline and a Lead-Based Paint Termination Deadline, and gives buyers the option of a lead-based paint assessment. If you have young children or plan to renovate, it's worth taking this seriously.

Insurance and financing on an older home

• Insurance. An older roof, older wiring, or older plumbing can affect what insurance costs or whether a company will write the policy. Getting a quote before your Property Insurance Termination Deadline protects you. See why homeowners insurance varies.
• Your loan. FHA and VA loans have property requirements, and an appraiser may call for certain repairs before closing on an older home. Your lender can tell you what to expect. See how FHA, conventional, and VA loans compare.

A simple way to decide

• If the home has original major systems, price in replacing them over the next several years, not just what the inspection flags today.
• If you see signs of later work, check the permit records and ask the seller for documentation.
• If the inspection raises foundation or drainage concerns, it's worth getting a structural engineer's opinion before your inspection deadline.
• If your cash is tight after closing, an older home may stretch you more than a newer one, even at the same price.

What could change the answer

• A well-maintained older home with updated systems can carry less risk than a neglected newer one.
• A home with documented, permitted updates is easier to evaluate than one with unknown past work.
• An older home outside city service may have a well or septic system that needs its own inspection.
• Insurance companies' rules on roof age and older systems change and differ by company.

When to talk with a professional

A home inspector, sewer scope provider, and radon tester evaluate the home. A structural engineer, electrician, plumber, or HVAC contractor can give a firm opinion and estimate on anything flagged. Your insurance agent can quote coverage, and your lender can tell you whether your loan requires repairs.

Sources

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Real Estate Disclosures about Potential Lead Hazards
• Colorado Geological Survey, Swelling soils
• Pikes Peak Regional Building Department, About PPRBD
• Colorado Division of Real Estate, Contract to Buy and Sell Real Estate (Residential), for use on or after January 1, 2026 (§ 10.10 lead-based paint; § 10.13 radon; § 10.5 insurance)