7. Don't be too much of a purist

Granted, in this what-the-hell age, purists are a pretty small group.

But if you're the type that fixes up old houses, odds are you've got a perfectionist streak. Just be sure that in your drive to do things right, you understand what you're signing up for.

I own an old house sided in wood. I have half of it painted every four years. This costs me $12,000. You can vacation in Italy for that kind of money.

Does my house look gorgeous? You bet. Would I ever consider siding it in vinyl? Feh. But I'm redoing the rear porch now (see above), and composite wood/plastic decking is starting to look pretty good.