The simple answer to the question is a home will last as long as the homeowner provides proper maintenance to take care of it. When the cost of maintenance exceeds the real value to the current homeowner, then it is time to move on.
Rule of Thumb: Tract homes will generally require more maintenance more often than a custom built home. However a custom built home may be more expensive when maintenance issues arise. A big factor in home maintenance is the climate the home is located in.
That being said.... I have found that most buyers are looking for homes that are less than 10 years old. By ruling out homes older than 10 years old, the potential buyer is probably eliminating many homes that would fit the criteria they want in a home. Inspection periods, help the buyer get a good handle on potential maintenance issues and can also lead to a renegotiation of the sales price.
As we have all seen, there are some homes that will fit the movie "Money Pit". This is the main reason there is an inspection period and buyers should take that very seriously.
A Realtor's ® job is to see that the buyer does their due diligence during that inspection period and has a good idea what to expect on the quality and maintenance of the home they are purchasing.
In other areas of the country, especially in the east, you can find homes that were built in the 1800's or early 1900's. It is not uncommon to find "old" homes that are still in use today. This leads to questions that may arise about the quality of homes that have been built more recently. You could argue that "cookie cutter" homes in subdivisions that have gone up quickly may be of a more inferior build than those that were built 75 plus years ago.
I contend that a well maintained home will last and last.
Here is a great link to help you with understanding the average lifespan of home materials.
