Buying an Existing Log Home?

Today is the day you’ve been waiting for – you’re finally purchasing your dream log home. You’re set on finding a house with three bedrooms and two baths. However, there may be some critical factors that you haven’t considered yet.

Before making a purchase, have you considered the advantages and disadvantages? Would you know what essential aspects to look for in a cabin? Can you determine its condition just by walking through it? Will you need a home inspector or a log home inspector? Do you know how often and the costs involved in maintaining or restoring a log home? Who will insure it or finance the purchase? These are questions you need to consider before you buy a log home.

You may think this sounds like a deterrent. However, that wouldn’t be accurate. In our article “Log Structures and Durability,” you will discover that I believe they are more durable than traditional homes if they are adequately maintained and built. When you finish reading, I hope you will be well-prepared to make the right decision.

Here are some additional articles to consider reading to get a full scope of information:

• Log Home Maintenance and How Often
• Different Log Home Styles to Meet Your Budget
• Financing and Insuring Log Homes
• Log Home Inspectors

Pros and Cons

When purchasing an existing log home, it’s essential to consider your feelings about the home and the objective facts about the property. It’s best to weigh the pros and cons of buying a log home. You probably have a long list of pros, such as the rustic charm, the connection to nature, the cozy feel, the historical appeal, the energy efficiency, and more. This is the feeling that makes all the cost worth it. But don’t stop at the feeling and not consider the facts of owning a log home and the responsibility it requires. Know the benefits over the cost.

I understand that it can be challenging to determine the actual benefits, as many of them are subjective or emphasize appearance. It’s important to acknowledge that what may seem like a positive aspect to one person could be viewed as a negative by another. I appreciate your concern, and I’m here to help you consider all the elements, including the drawbacks, to see if owning one is the right choice for you. Let’s start by examining the facts over feelings.

Facts over Feelings

First, you must remain objective. Your subjective feelings toward the home can distract you from seeing the truth. While the beautiful charm of a time past can be captivating, you know feelings can fade. It would be best if you looked at the facts.

Congratulations! So that you know, you have made the wise decision to do your homework. Fact. It is essential not to overlook the cons, such as:

• ongoing exterior/interior maintenance and repair costs,
• regular pest control,
• log home financing,
• log homeowner insurance,
• and living in remote areas.

Each con presents a specific challenge that increases homeownership expenses. United Country Real Estate does a great job detailing “The Pros & Cons of Owning a Log Home.” I highly recommend reading it over.

Affordability

Second, forget the allure and examine your ability to own a log home. This is key. When you buy a log home, you make the first of many investments in holding it. “First of many investments?” I’m glad you asked. Allow me to explain.

Maintenance

Your log home will NOT be maintenance-free. Maintenance is critical to its health and safety. You will need to clean it annually. This will cost you money as you should use a good cleaner for wood surfaces. Using the right products is helpful whether you go with Perma-Chink’s Log Wash or another brand. We highly recommend you read the article regarding maintenance in Perma-Chink’s DIY resources.

Also, you will need a recoat in the future. South and west walls usually suffer the most damage. Even with the best products, you will likely need a recoat every 2-3 years in humid climates and every 4-5 years in arid climates. Recoats are not cheap and can require a professional log master to complete them.

For a quick, hassle-free online estimate before you buy, visit “Checklist for a Free Online Estimate!” Getting an estimate on maintenance costs is beneficial for planning since you will need this in the future. We are excited to hear from you.

No Maintenance

In contrast, if your log home has been left unmaintained for multiple years, you may have some log rot. Log rot repairs will be costly. If log rot goes unrepaired, you may need to replace a whole wall of logs. Log rot is a beast that will devour the log home as it spreads like cancer to neighboring logs. Considering the log prices, you will spend a lot of money. Consider reading “What We Consider in a Log Home Restoration Estimate!” The factors in this article will give you information that could determine if the existing log home is right for you.

Insurance

Lastly, insurance on a log home can be complicated and, depending on the location, costly. Not all insurance companies cover log homes. Ask your insurance provider for information on insuring a log home.

Existing Log Home Vs. Kit Log Home

And finally, the pros and cons of buying an existing log home versus a kit log home. This is where you will need to do a lot of research as it depends on what you hope to get that cannot be found in an existing log home.

With a kit home, you will want to research the land you wish to purchase and what HOA covenant/county permits are allowed. You may need to consider:

1. How will the kit be dropped off?
2. Will they be able to access the property quickly, or will you need to bring up the materials one load at a time?
3. Will you be putting it together, or do you need to pay for labor?
4. What kind of equipment will you need to put your kit home together if you are doing it yourself, what is the cost, and how will you get it there?
5. How hard will it be to install water, sewage, electricity, and internet?
6. Is the ground stable for a foundation, and how tall should the foundation walls be?
7. How will the building & landscape impact my restoration and maintenance costs?

Kit homes are appealing since they cost less, depending on what is included in the assembly. In most cases, you must bear the cost of flooring, walls, interior cabinets/furnishing, foundation, plumbing, electricity, sewage, etc. Some kits require you to have a sales tax applied when they are purchased.

Kit Home Maintenance

Also, in a new kit home with green logs, you will need to have the slip joints and screw jacks adjusted for about three years to accommodate settling. This will require a professional log home builder to make the adjustments. We do not recommend you build with green logs as they create all issues that can easily be avoided with kiln-dried logs. To learn more about settling, screw jacks, and slip joints, read “Comprehensive Guide to Identifying and Managing Log Home Settling.” Before you decide on a kit, do your homework. Speak with a log home builder.

Important Things to Recognize When Looking to Buy a Log Cabin

After weighing the advantages and disadvantages, you have decided to buy an existing log home. Now begins the search for the perfect log home. But how will you know what to look for in a good log home? Which ones can you eliminate? To learn more about the items plaguing log homeowners, read our article “Common Issues in Log Homes and How to Solve Them.” You’ll have all the information you need to sound like a pro at every log home you visit. Once you’ve gotten some log homeowner education from our Log Masters blog postings, you’ll be more confident and equipped when you begin to check the realtor listings online.

From the Realtor Listing

First, when you examine the listings, consider how old they are. New log homes could experience some settling in the first three years as the logs compress from drying out. Well-maintained older log homes generally have less settling since the logs are no longer green. Even with regular maintenance, external factors like a bad foundation can make an old log home continue to settle. In this case, contact a professional foundation repair company first. There are some things that are often overlooked when it comes to the listing, such as invisible issues. For instance, consider having a professional pest control service examine the home for wood-destroying insects (WDIs). Or better yet, a mold test. And finally, consider the value of getting a log home inspection (not a home inspection; very different) from the seller. They, or you, can select a log home inspector certified to inspect for WDI, mold, thermal imaging, and much more.

From the Listing Photos and Description

Second, the realtor listing photos and description should be examined. There, you may be able to determine if:

• it appears to have been maintained inside and out
• the logs are high enough off the ground to avoid upward splashing or wet grass
• the condition of the stain, such as cracked, peeling, and blistering issues
• there are long horizontal lateral lines on the exterior
• the roof overhangs the sidewalls by more than a foot
• they used chinking or caulking only, and it’s condition
• it has gutters and a deck attached
• landscaping challenges
• road access for large equipment.

Google Map It

Finally, you should determine the structure’s position on the landscape. Hopefully, the address will bring up a Google Maps image. From there, you may be able to answer these questions:

• Will a river run through it because it’s in a floodplain?
• What trees are nearest the home?
• Are there a lot of shrubs?
• Is it on a hillside or high in the mountains?
• How remote is it?

These are everyday things to examine while doing homework before visiting the listing. However, those things are very much on the surface, and there are more important aspects to evaluate once you reach the home. To learn more about landscaping a log home, review the image below and read our article, “Log Home Landscaping Wisdom.“

Below, you can download our landscaping suggestions, as seen in the photo above.