For anyone that rents an older house in Houston…how often does stuff break down for you?

I am deciding between renting a house and an apartment…I have the funds to get a house but everything in the loop is built in like the 1930s. I'm worried about dealing with broken a/c, roof leaks, etc in such an old house. I know the landlord would be responsible but it's still a damn headache. Anyone have any experience with this and have any insight?