Buying an older home has its charms—mature trees, quirky details, and character you can’t find in a new build. But charm often comes with baggage. Knowing what to look for can save buyers from expensive surprises.

While most homes in Maricopa are newer, you may be considering an older home in the Valley or in Maricopa’s Heritage district.

Here are a few items that may require extra scrutiny and additional testing:

Lead-based paint. Common in homes built before 1978, it poses serious health risks, especially to children. Simply painting over the old paint is just a temporary fix. Proper abatement can be costly, so it’s worth testing if you’re eyeing a pre-1980s property.

Plumbing. Polybutylene pipes were used widely from the late 1970s through the mid-1990s, and they’re notorious for

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