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Calgary real estate market

Calgary's millennials own more real estate than those elsewhere in Canada, Royal Lepage survey suggests
New mortgage guidelines keep a generation on the outside looking in at real estate — outside Calgary

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...s-calgary-tops-country-in-ownership-1.4252368

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Has anyone here had experience buying a 100(+/-) year old home in Calgary? Looking at one that has held up, has been well kept, and is completely liveable right away. It would still require some work within the first 5 years. I know to expect to uncover some weird building practices with any renovations of older homes, but is there any suggestion to what to look for ahead of time? Including with the renovations that have happened in the past. The realtor told me that there were no visible permits from the house, which would mean the renos were done either before the city was recording, or it went unpermitted. Should that be of concern? Just looking for a second (third/fourth) opinion.
Also, if there's anyone who has had experience building a garage on an inner-city lot and their experience with the city in getting permits etc.

Thanks!
 
^My brother bought a house that was close to 100 years old, and the two things that stuck out were the insulation and the electrical. The insulation was shredded newspaper. The electrical was standard electrical for the time and he was able to update it without having to re-do all the wiring by installing a new panel, and having GFI breakers put in. I don't know if the insulation is normal for that time period (~ 1920) as the house he bought was a smaller sort of slapped together house.
 
A friend bought a house of a similar vintage in Edmonton, and yeah insulation was the biggest thing. You could ask to review 12 months of utility bills as part of the offer so you are going in eyes open. Otherwise, electrical as any watcher of HGTV renovation shows will tell you. And make sure all rooms have whatever central heat source the house has - supplemental electric baseboard is really expensive if you are going to use the rooms often. If you suspect a renovation that involved spackle on the ceilings, those can have asbestos if it is pre-1979, so if you are going to touch it to change lights or anything, having that tested is a good thing as contractors may (and should) refuse to do work until it is remediated.
 
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Hmm good call on the insulation. My only previous thought was that it was pre-asbestos at least. Electrical, IIRC had been modernized (although all these places are starting to blend together in my mind). A review of the utility bills is a good idea. First I've heard of that suggestion, mostly just hear about getting a passing/near-passing inspection.
 
darwink said:
If you suspect a renovation that involved spackle on the ceilings, those can have asbestos if it is pre-1979, so if you are going to touch it to change lights or anything, having that tested is a good thing as contractors may (and should) refuse to do work until it is remediated.
Click to expand...

Most of the renovations have been in the basement. The main floor has largely been maintained as original, partly why I am so keen on it. There has been an addition onto the back which might be the only place of concern, but the ceiling in there is panelized.
 
Insulation for sure is something to check, but like Darwink said, usually the utility bills will tell the story. If the gas bills aren't crazy high, then it's probably fine. Being an older house the wiring will be older and won't support the standard three prong wiring, but you can get past it by having an updated panel with GFI breakers like Cowntown had mentioned. I had to do that on my 1950's house.
 
Insulation is the common theme. I don’t have any experience, but have heard stories about some older houses having paper and sawdust and all kind of stuff used as insulation.
 
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