Buying a used house in Minnesota? Here's a rough timeline of potential problems to look out for. It's impossible to make a perfect chart like this because so many of these things are generalities, but I think this chart is a great starting point to knowing what types of issues to look out for. These are definitely age-related items that I look for as a home inspector. Click on the chart for a larger view.

While we have a lot of homes in Minnesota that were built before 1900, the issues with those older homes are the same, so I didn't go back any further in time. Also, you'll surely have questions about why I chose the dates that I did, so I've included some brief explanations for each item below. This timeline provides good estimates, but as I mention in the video below several times, there are always exceptions.
9x9 floor tiles, pre-1980s: It's safe to assume that all 9"x9" floor tiles contain asbestos, as well as the mastic that holds them in place. The good news is that the health risks posed by 9x9 floor tiles are essentially none. The only reason I mention it on this list is that big-box retailers are unwilling to install new flooring over this material, so we typically point that out during our home inspections, simply as an FYI.
Aluminum branch circuit wiring, 1965-1975: The really bad stuff was used up until 1972. There was some other aluminum branch circuit wiring with a less-problematic alloy used for several years after that, but as a home inspector, I don't make any attempt to figure out exactly which alloy was used. When I come across aluminum wiring, I recommend getting an electrician in to inspect it and to make repairs. Experience has taught me that many electricians aren't aware of the difference in alloys, and they deem all aluminum branch circuit wiring to be hazardous.
Asbestos, pre-2000: This is a generality. Asbestos still hasn't been officially banned today, but it's highly unlikely that you'll find asbestos-containing materials in modern homes. So where can you find asbestos in an older home? Just about anywhere. As I mentioned in my blog post on asbestos, if a material isn't made from wood or metal, it might contain asbestos.
Attic bypasses, pre-1993: You'll still find attic bypasses on many brand new homes built today, but it's pretty much a guarantee you'll have them everywhere on older homes. Up until about 1993, there wasn't even a concept of an attic bypass, so there was never any attempt to seal them.
Buried fuel oil tanks, pre-1980: According to the fine folks at Dean's Tank, Inc., houses built before 1930 will almost certainly have had a fuel oil tank. After that, the likelihood drops off, but you'll still find homes in the outlying suburbs with fuel oil tanks through the 1970's.
Federal Pacific Electric Stab-Lok panels, 1970-1987: I researched the last 100 buildings where we found Federal Pacific Electric Stab-Lok panels during our home inspections to get some good numbers for this blog post. Here's a breakdown of the age of buildings where we found these panels: