Are there higher risks or costs buying a (real) stucco home than brick or siding?
My father built a house with real stucco siding years ago in Western Washington State and it was problematic from many standpoints. 1) The stucco siding will crack from earthquake, home settling or just age and elements. Consequently this allows for water to get in behind the stucco and cause rot to the structure of the home. 2) Any place the stucco touches wood or vinyl used in windows or doors for example, you will tend to get cracking because the different types of materials expand differently in different conditions. 3) Cleaning it can be a pain. You can pressure wash it, but that can cause damage or force water into small cracks. You can paint it but you can guess how paint on concrete in a wet climate will hold up over time. 4) If for any reason you need to get behind the siding and have to pull off the stucco, getting new stucco to match the remaining siding is next to impossible. I would NEVER buy a stucco house in a wet climate like Western Washington State.
