I used to dismiss all of that "they don't build 'em like they used to..." talk as being mindless nostalgia, but I think I'm finally starting to get it.
As a grad student, I rented a little 2/1 cement block ranch (900 sq ft).... it was insanely dated (avocado green kitchen appliances!) but that house was SOLID. Lived there for three years and never once had to call the landlord for a maintenance issue. Several hurricanes came through and I never once worried. It was an awesome place to live. After that, I graduated from vet school rented a 1500 sq ft 3 bd/1.5ba split level 1950's house that was similarly awesome. Had a few appliance issues, but the house felt very well-built and solid. Next, I ventured into home ownership.... with a 1500 sq ft (3/2) 1936 house. It needed to have have electric/plumbing replaced, had a choppy layout, and had cockroach issues due to heavy English Ivy growth, but again it definitely felt like a solid house.
Next, we moved into a 2500 sq ft (5/3) house built in the 80's. Huge mistake. Numerous 'updates' had been made by the previous owners, but none were done well and the house literally fell like it was about to fall down around us. The house shook when the wind blew. It was scary.
Moved from that house into a 2000 sq ft (3/2) house built in 2000.... it's definitely better than the shoddy 80's house, but there are cracks from settling and areas where the floor is starting to creak more than it did even when we bought the house just a year ago. I like the house (open layout, tons of natural light, etc), but definitely feel that it's starting to experience the downward. Maybe the older houses have just already dealt with that aging stuff, but I feel like they're just much more sturdy by nature.
I really do feel like 50's ranches are the sweet spot for houses. If (when) we move again, that's definitely what I'll be pushing for!
