7 Home Buying Red Flags and How to Spot Them
Steer clear of costly maintenance by keeping an eye out for these key issues on your home buying search.
If you know the BRE team, you probably already know how we feel about the importance of a professional home inspection. However, we also strive to educate and empower home buyers to make informed decisions. Because at the end of the day, buying a home is one of the most important decisions a person can make in their lifetime, and it’s important that you know what you’re signing up for before you get the keys to the front door.
When it comes to making big decisions, we’ve all wondered, “Is this too good to be true?” or “What cons should I be aware of?” and lucky for you, we’re here to make sure you attend your next house showing prepared.
Neighborhood Neglect
When you purchase a home, you’re also investing in the neighborhood. Make sure you take some time to glance down the street and drive around the community. Here are a few guiding questions to ask as you are taking a look around:
Are a majority of the homes up for sale on your street?
Are there a lot of properties that appear vandalized or vacant in the area?
Are the surrounding businesses active? Or do a lot of businesses appear empty?
Although at the moment, you are only trying to picture yourself living in the home, make sure you keep an eye out for issues that could eventually affect the resale price in a negative way.
Mediocre Maintenance
If you notice visible signs of amateur repairs such as layers of roofing, or fresh paint used to cover stains, mildew or water damage, you might want to consider what else the seller has been neglecting while living there. Maintenance issues shouldn’t necessarily discourage you from considering the home, but they should encourage you to choose a professional and experienced home inspector to ensure all areas in need of improvement are recorded and addressed. Once the home inspection has been completed, your Realtor will negotiate on your behalf and ensure that large projects and repairs do not fall in your lap should you choose to buy the home.
Faulty Foundation
The foundation of a home is by far the most costly to repair. That being said, it’s important to take a stroll around the exterior and look for large bulges and cracks in the home’s foundation before you choose to move forward. Keep in mind that small cracks are common and harmless, seeing as most older homes will have minor fractures as they settle. If the home has an unfinished basement, it will be easy for you to get a clear view of the foundation. If not, any structural issues are sure to come up in your home inspection as well.
Overwhelming Odors
In most situations, if something smells fishy chances are, something's not quite right. Here are a list of smells to be aware of when you’re house hunting that could lead to large costs:
Cigarette smoke - This smell can be one of the hardest to get rid of and lead to the replacement of carpets, paint, and many more fixtures.
Sewage - Sewage systems in homes that are 20 years old or older can get clogged or damaged by tree roots. So if you smell sewage at your viewing, make sure to bring that up with your home inspector.
Gas - The smell of gas is always alarming, seeing as it can be a sign of a gas leak or other electrical issues.
Pet odor - Although most of these smells can be handled with a thorough carpet cleaning, it can take a lot of time and elbow grease to fully remove these odors from a home.
Mildew or mold - The smell mildew or mold indicates a two-part problem:
Removing the mold from the home
Repairing the fixtures that were letting moisture in to begin with
Keep in mind that a seller might be trying to cover these odors with candles, air fresheners, and other scented home goods.
Stained Surfaces
As we mentioned earlier, it’s better to be able to see stained walls, ceilings and surfaces rather than a clear attempt at a cover-up by the seller. However, the sight of stains are still cause for concern. Once your home inspection has been completed, you may find that the stain is from an issue that has already been repaired. If not, a repair such as a leak or plumbing issue could be grounds for negotiation.
Electrical Errors
We understand that you won’t have a chance to get a good look at the electrical wiring during a viewing appointment, and we don’t expect you to know how the symptoms of wiring problems look. That being said, you can get an understanding of how the wiring system is functioning by simply checking to make sure all of the light switches work and keeping your eye out for flickering lights throughout the home.
Pest Presence
Keep your eyes peeled for unwelcome creatures. Every homeowner experiences the occasional bug, but if you ever see groups of insects, powder post beetles or worst of all, termites, you might have a problem on your hands. If you see anything that concerns you, you can always consider a separate termite or pest inspection just to be safe.
The general rule of thumb is: If you see something, say something! It can be easy to fall in love with a home and become distracted from issues that could end up costing you thousands of dollars (or more) down the road.
Disclaimer: The items mentioned in this article should NOT take the place of a formal home inspection, but they are great guidelines to help you navigate through the home buying process and assist you in making educated decisions.
