Buying a home is an exciting, stressful, and can be a fun process. What are some important things that all buyers should pay attention to and look out for while shopping for your home? Here is a list of ten red flags to look for when buying a home.
Too Much Scent
While looking at home you may walk into a home that smells like air freshener. Every where you walk in the home you see another plug in or sent producing product. This is a red flag and the owner of the home could be covering offensive odors.
Red Flags When Buying A Home: Poor Tile Work
Sometimes home owners take on projects that they know nothing about and they struggle to complete these projects. Tiling can be a project that looks so easy on the home improvement shows. Bad tiling can cost a lot to un do and re do. Check grout lines, and tile alignment. Cracked grout can be a sign of major issues. It won’t be long before these tiles start coming loose. It may also be a sign of water damage underneath the tile. Misaligned tiles are indicative of a home owner completed job and should give you pause. Best case scenario the tile will always be crooked. Worst case, a much shorter life span for your tile.
Foundation and Maintenance Issues
These problems can show up through uneven floors, cracks in walls, sticking windows and doors and gaps that can be found around doors and windows. Poor maintenance in the home can indicate that the seller has ignored other issues. Poor maintenance can also shorten the life of furnace and a/c units.
Red Flags When Buying A Home: Beware of Water Nearby
Water front property is beautiful but can mean more expense to you as the buyer and additional problems. Water front property can indicate that there is a higher chance of flooding. The property may also require flood insurance.
Beware of Water Inside
Water can also cause problems inside. Mold is a four-letter word in real estate. A small bit of mold can cost thousands of dollars to address. Make sure that bathrooms are inspected for mold. Check under sinks in kitchen and bath for small gray or black spots. Look for water damage. Musty odor can indicate that you should check further to ensure that the home that you would like to buy does not have water damage. Check ceilings for water damage and even make sure that your inspector checks the attic too.
Cosmetic updates can be the reason that you fell in love with the home. Beware and make sure that those great updates are not hiding something that could be a deal breaker if you knew about it. Bad ventilation can allow moisture to stick around and create mold. Make sure that bathrooms have working vent fans.
Red Flags When Buying A Home: Wonky Windows
Another important thing to watch for is wonky windows. What is a wonky window? That is a window that does not open smoothly. A wonky window can signal foundation issues. Moreover, windows are pricy to fix and repair.
Buying a home is exciting. It is important to know what you are buying. Watch out for these red flags when buying a home. Get the home inspected to ensure that you are not taking on more than you can handle. Some of the issues listed above are not quick or inexpensive fixes. You should enjoy home ownership and not feel burdened with a problem that costs thousands to correct. Your inspector should be able to find issues like those listed above. Then you can make an educated decision to buy. Let us be your guide through the process. Contact us today.