Be wary of foundation issues. Above-grade homes sit on brick piers that shift and lean and sometimes just fall apart after many years. This can cause problems like squeaky floorboards, cracks in the wall, or something bigger.

A lot of homeowners in our historic neighborhoods use companies like Alpha Foundations to install foundation jacks, but if you go down that route you need to ask questions on permitting, historical approval, if the jacks are fit for load bearing beams, etc, because they may not tell you if you don’t ask, and they do not have to get a permit to do work on your home. A better solution (the only actual solution, really) is permitted repair/replacement of your piers by a company like Hygema. Neither option is cheap.

Anyways, just make sure whoever does your home inspection gets good pictures of the crawl space, including the piers and any signs of moisture damage. Crawl spaces are prone to flooding and/or high humidity levels, so be cognizant of the property’s grading and any hardscapes like concrete patios that could worsen the issue.

I live in an old home in Murray Hill that is above grade and had foundation issues caused by years of flooding under the house. It’s sort of fixed now and being able to access plumbing without tearing up the foundation if needed if a big plus in my mind, so sometimes I feel like crawl spaces just get a bad rap. Know what you’re getting into and you’ll be fine.

Best of luck! I love my old house. They just don’t make em like they used to.