You definitely have a good chance of finding cool, interesting, and even valuable things hidden in any property. The larger and older it is and the more prominent the former owner, the better your chances. However, it’s no guarantee that any and every old house is going to have a hidden treasure hoard.

Luck, as well as your curiosity and patience, all play a huge role here!

If you happen to have bought an older property and you’re a fan of antique hunting, you should take the time to go through the entire home, from the lowest creaky floorboard to the highest shingle.

The most obvious places where you’ll find valuable things are the basement as well as the attic. It makes sense because these rooms are usually meant for storage.

Meanwhile, you should also patiently go through every cupboard, drawer, and trunk within the house. You never know what unexpectedly impressive knick-knacks you’ll stumble across.

Even if you don’t find something that’s going to wow the crowds at Sotheby’s or Christie’s, you can get to know the house’s history much better. Photographs, ornaments, and journals can tell you a lot about the people who used to live there, what they did, and what happened to them.

In the meantime, think outside the box, too. The furniture inside the property may be incredibly valuable due to its age, make, and materials. You might have a potential gold mine right under your nose.

Especially if the fixtures are still in a good enough state. And if you can bear to part with them, you could potentially have enough money for a proper renovation or some other project.

There’s also a decent chance that there may be some lucrative items or jaw-dropping architectural features hidden beneath the carpets and floorboards, as well as within the walls. Though you’ll probably only uncover those if you’re knee-deep in renovating the entire place. 

Not to mention that the house itself, if it’s truly a historical and architectural marvel, can be incredibly valuable if you keep it as it currently is, without changing its unique details. In that case, it’s more an investment than a place that you might live full-time.

However, you'll have to put in the effort to maintain the property to preserve its legacy and significance.

According to 'Antiquing for Dummies,’ you can tell whether a particular item is valuable by remembering the acronym RADAR. It stands for rarity, aesthetics, desirability, authenticity, and really great condition. So, an item that is very rare, looks pleasing to the eye, and appeals to a lot of people thanks to current trends is worth a lot. If it’s confirmed to be authentic and has also been maintained well, this only makes its value go up.

On the flip side, if an antique is all scratched up, full of dings, chips, and cracks, its value drops.

Other things that detract from the overall worth of an item or a piece of furniture are if they’re discolored, have missing parts, or if they’ve been repaired unprofessionally. It’s nice that someone took the time to maintain an item. However, the reality is that if it’s done poorly, it really won’t help if you plan on reselling it.

The Lion and Unicorn Auction House stresses that valuable antiques are made from high-quality materials. It can be as simple as determining that an item’s been furnished with gold or silver instead of cheaper metals, for instance, brass or bronze.

It’s also essential to determine whether any jewels used to decorate an item are real or if they’re simply made from glass, which is far less expensive. Something that initially looks impressive might fool the untrained eye.

Aside from the materials used, you have to pay attention to the quality of the craftsmanship. If the antique is a very notable and sought-after brand or made by a reputable manufacturer, then you’ve hit the jackpot. However, unless you’ve got lots of experience buying and selling antiques, you’ll probably need to have your haul evaluated by a professional (or two!).

Which of these unexpected finds impressed you the most? What’s the coolest thing that you’ve ever found at any place you’ve lived in? Have you ever found any genuinely valuable antiques, dear Pandas? If you have some time, take a moment to share your thoughts in the comment section at the bottom of this post!

For some more surprising treasures that people came across completely by accident, feel free to scroll through Bored Panda's previous posts.