My wife and I are about to purchase a home with an old (40+yrs) oil boiler. It is our understanding that a replacement will cost us about $3500 (hopefully the sellers will kick some in). I also understand that a new furnace would cost about $2500. The home is a ranch with a full basement.

Would it be more cost effective to convert to a forced air furnace rather than keeping the baseboard boiler system? In the future, we may like to put central air in the house.

Thanks,

Mike