Answers / Buying
What should I inspect in a 1920s or 1930s house?
Direct answer
In Florida, insurers set most age-related checks: Citizens requires a 4-point inspection on homes over 20 years old, and insurers must discount wind-mitigation features under Fla. Stat. §627.0629. Roof age and City of Miami permit history follow. In Shenandoah, 109 of the 229 homes sold in the 24 months to September 28, 2026 were built before 1940.
Miami MLS closed sales, houses and townhouses inside Shenandoah's civic boundary, 24 months to September 28, 2026. Inspection rules from Citizens Property Insurance, Florida statutes and City of Miami pages, checked October 29, 2026. A licensed inspector and an insurance agent confirm what applies to one house. Method
What are the numbers behind it?
| Check | What it covers | Who asks for it |
|---|---|---|
| 4-point inspection | Electrical, plumbing, heating and air conditioning, and roof; required by Citizens for homes more than 20 years old; no termite check | Insurer, not the state or county |
| Wood-destroying organism (termite) inspection | All wood-destroying organisms, on a state-prescribed report; visible damage and areas not inspected are listed | Buyer or lender; Fla. Stat. §482.226 sets the report |
| Wind-mitigation features | Roof strength, roof-to-wall connection and opening protection earn insurance discounts | Insurers, under §627.0629(1) |
| Roof age and life | Under 15 years: no refusal on age alone. At 15 or more: no refusal on age alone if an inspection shows 5 or more years of life | §627.7011(5) |
| Permit history | City of Miami iBuild shows permit status, dates and missing inspections ("Why Not Final") | City of Miami |
| Flood zone | 14 of 14 sampled Shenandoah points are FEMA Zone X, minimal flood hazard | FEMA |
Source: SEFMLS / MIAMI REALTORS®, September 27, 2022 through September 28, 2026. Data is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed accurate by the MLS and may not reflect all real estate activity in the market. Totals and medians only, no client names or addresses. Properties counted were listed or sold by various MLS participants, not necessarily by Gatien Salaun or Coldwell Banker Realty.
In more detail
How do pre-1940 houses sell compared with later ones?
Shenandoah houses built before 1940 sold at a median $883,000, or $509 per square foot, in 58 days, at 91% of first asking price. Houses built from 1940 to 1979 sold at $866,350, or $562 per square foot, in 51 days, at 93%.
When do these inspections happen?
In the Florida Realtors/Florida Bar AS IS contract, the buyer has an inspection period, 15 days after the contract date unless another number is filled in, for any inspections the buyer chooses, with a right to cancel before it ends.
How was this counted?
Counted from the same MLS data as every figure on this site, for the stated window and boundary. Medians are withheld below 5 closings.
Canonical facts: Boundary