Condition matters more than age, and 'old' is one of the most regional words in real estate. In a newer city like Las Vegas or much of Southern California, a 20-to-30-year-old home already reads as old, and buyers there often stay inside that range because a fair number of the older homes on the market are poorly maintained. Across much of the country that framing makes no sense. Homes from the 1700s and 1800s are lived in and renovated routinely in the older parts of the East Coast, with structural quirks that newer growth-market housing never has. So skip picking by year built. Pick by the property in front of you: location, price point, and how comfortable you are with the condition of the major systems. A newer home usually means a roof, HVAC, plumbing, and electrical with more life left, which lowers your near-term surprise costs. An older, well-built and well-maintained home can be a better home in a better location, as long as you go in with eyes open on the big-ticket items. The non-negotiable, whatever the age, is a thorough inspection. Have the roof, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and foundation looked at hard, and price any deferred maintenance into your offer. A newer build can hide problems and a hundred-year-old home can be rock solid. The inspection, rather than the year on the listing, tells you which one you are actually buying.