How To Check What Year Your Home Was Built
Have you ever been curious about when your home was constructed? If you built it from the ground up, or recently moved into a new construction home, probably not. But if your home has been around for a while, there could be a ton of interesting history lurking inside those walls. By learning the exact year your home was constructed, you can conduct your own research and possibly find out some really cool facts about the residence.
Knowing when your home was built does more than paint a picture of what life was like during that time period; it's important for several other reasons. It gives you a general idea of the structural integrity, which comes into play when renovating. According to Realtor.com, older homes typically need more updates in order to get them up to code with newer regulations. This includes outdated heating and electrical systems, plumbing, and more, which are costly to replace.
The age of your home also factors into its value when it comes time to sell. On average, homes with historical elements are worth more than homes built within the last ten years, Bankrate explains. Combine its history with some modern renovations, and you have yourself a home worth buying. So, how do you check what year your home was built? There are a few ways to do so.
Visit your county clerk's office
When searching for the construction year of an already built home, the first place to start looking would be your local county clerk's office. You can ask for the deed in person, or go online and search for your deed on the office's website. By checking the deed of your home, you'll be able to determine its sales history, as well as the home's past owners, says HomeLight. This information should point you in the right direction of your home's building year.
You can also find tax records at the county clerk's office, which offer you a complete history of recorded taxes on the home, and whether or not the previous owner paid those taxes for the current appraisal value. That value is updated every time the house is sold, meaning if you search far back enough in the records, you should eventually stumble upon the first year your home's taxes were paid, giving you the answer you've been looking for.
Consult a home inspector
While this method may not give you the exact year your home was built, closely examining its architecture will offer insight as to the general era of construction, and if you do it yourself it's 100% free. For help understanding which style is being represented in your home, there are several websites that explain them in detail, such as REthority. By researching each style of home, you can compare and contrast the common design features to your own in order to get a grasp on what year your home was most likely built.
For example, if you live in a colonial-style home, chances are it was built sometime between the years of 1880 and 1955, whereas federal-style homes were built earlier than that, more like the late 1700s to mid 1800s, according to Wentworth. Those are just two of many home styles that exist, so if you want to check what year your home was built, give this method a try. You might be surprised at what you find.
Of course, it's quite possible that this will all lead to a boat load of unanswered questions. In that case, the best thing to do is consult a home inspector. A quality home inspector can take you through just about every detail to help you truly understand the age and the value of your home (via The Mortgage Reports).