Video: 4 Characteristics of a House With Good Bones

You’ve heard the phrase, or at least you must have seen it in a listing or two; “needs a little work… just a bit of TLC… a charming fixer-upper… a great value with Good Bones”. So what do they mean exactly, when they say “Good Bones”?

Good Bones refers to structure and strength, a timeless design, and quality craftsmanship, a collection of characteristics beyond what is immediately obvious. Even a totally uninhabitable home can possess good bones. During the economic downturn when so many homes were foreclosed, trashed and abandoned, savvy home buyers could still get a glimpse of the good bones under all that clutter. With a remodel here, a minor improvement there… as it turns out, their insight was richly rewarded in future value.

I would strongly argue that along with the features listed in the video below, the property’s location should be included in the “good bones” definition. Your quality of life depends a great deal on the location of your home. You can change almost anything about a home except it’s location. (ok, ok, so technically that could be changed for a home with GREAT bones, but with great effort and at great expense)

The next time you attend a showing at a home that isn’t quite what you were hoping for, take a minute to look for the good bones. What is the value beyond the surface? Could it be that this is your dream home in disguise? A few strategic modifications just might make it so!

4 Characteristics of a House With Good Bones

For your convenience we’ve provided a Video Transcript below.

Here are four characteristics of a home that has “good bones”.

Eye on the Infrastructure – Sagging beams or cracking plaster could be a sign of problems with the foundation. Take note of when plumbing, electrical and systems were last updated
Look at the Layout – Floor plans are a good indicator of how well a home was designed. Ideally, there should be a sense of flow throughout the home. (maybe a flexible floor plan)
Quality Materials – Consider how thick the walls are. What type of wood was used for the flooring?
Architectural Details – Sometimes it’s the little things that make all the difference, like tall ceilings and crown moldings.