House Hunting? Keep an eye out for these 4 “Red Flags ”

Signs of a cheap flip—Ahome that’s been “flipped” has been purchased at a low price, remodeled and updated, and then sold for a profit. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and can result in an attractive property with new fixtures, appliances, and aesthetics. But if the flippers cut corners, this could lead to a property that has big problems underneath the fresh paint. Help buyers look out for poorly installed fixtures, floors, cabinets, and doors, or repairs that were needed but not addressed by the sellers. Ask questions about the electrical wiring,plumbing, and HVAC, and keep an eye out for serious issues like signs of flooding, which might have been painted over or covered up if the home has been recently remodeled.Trust your nose—It’s common for seller’s agents to freshen up an open house or home showing with some scented candles or diffusers, but a strong scent could cause you to miss odors that are warning signs, like the smell of mold, sewage, or smoke. Look for signs of water damage, which could be a sign of a mold problem. If the home was owned by smokers, you may notice nicotine sweating through a new coat of paint, or you can get up close and personal to sniff furniture or curtains, which can hold onto the smell of cigarettes for a long time.Uneven features—If the floors seem slanted, doors or windows stick when buyers try to open them, or there are visible cracks, the property could have problems with its foundation. Settling is a fact of life for most older homes, but only your inspector will be able to tell you if those sloped floors are part of the early 1900’s charm, or the sign of a bigger problem. Large trees with big roots too close to the house could also create foundation issues. While some foundation repairs may only cost a few hundred dollars, others could cost buyers upwards of ten thousand dollars once the problem comes to light.Staging tricks—Tryto see past clever staging and pay more attention to the structure of the house underneath the trendy furniture and attractive paint job. Fresh paint could hide signs of water stains, and a nice rug could conceal flaws in a hardwood floor. Staged rooms are often missing important furniture that you might want to have when you live there, so remind yourself that even though rooms might look large and open now, they’ll feel different when they have dressers in the bedrooms, a television in the living room, etc.We don’t just want you to enjoy your home in the moment, we want you to enjoy it for years to come! Plus, if you make smart decisions NOW, you (and I!) will have the peace of mind knowing when it eventually comes time to sell it will be smooth sailing!

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