There are many old wood houses around Boston built in the 1900s. When maintained (The roof and siding are renewed to prevent water damage and termite prevention) their frames seem to hold up well.

Is your 50 years a guesstimate or do you have a source for that?

It is interesting why brick or concrete - preferred materials in other parts of the world, are not so common for residences in the US.

To me wooden houses have a charm that concrete or brick construction does not. Also, I feel that I can fix/update things in a wooden house more easily than in a brick or concrete house because of the drywall construction.