The process of buying a home can be fascinating for the buyer; since a lot of the time, that is usually their first home, or perhaps they just started earning more money. Regardless of what the reason is, a home buyer can very easily ignore some of the warning signs that pop up during the home inspection process.
Buying a home is like making a lifetime contract or at least a long-term commitment to remain in an area for a while. Therefore, as a home buyer, you need to treat the home buying process with delicacy, attention, and caution. Oh, and a little bit of excitement, of course.
Here are a few red flags to look out for when buying a home:
Multiple Home Sales in the Same Neighborhood:
The house you are making a bid for might be in perfect condition. However, it’s a good idea to inspect the neighborhood in general and look out for any other houses on sale. If you discover that there are several other houses on sale at the same time in the particular area where you want to purchase a home, this could be a red flag.
If you notice multiple home sale in one area, you should ask about recent activities in the neighborhood. Remember, you probably intend to live here for a while, so you need to be sure it is safe.
A Ridiculously Amazing Price
Yeah, of course, everyone loves a bargain. Therefore, it is human nature to want to jump at any opportunity to save a few bucks, or in this case, a couple thousand dollars on a home.
During the process of buying a home, if the price of the house you are trying to purchase is way lower than what a similar house in the same area should cost, this might be a red flag. Our advice is that you should get a professional house inspector to inspect the home for any mishaps. Also, you can talk to the homeowners about the reason for the sale of their house.
Bad Smell or an Attempt to Mask Bad Odor
If a house smells good during inspection, then you would definitely be drawn to it. You are likely to make a purchase if other factors are to your liking.
However, if a house smells good mostly because there are scented candles and air fresheners strategically put in various parts of the house during inspection, you should inspect very carefully. While, of course, many home selling put up scents to make their house more appealing during the home inspection process. Some homeowners actually use a pleasant smell to mask bad smell resulting from the growth of mold, bad drainage or sewage system, and more.
Therefore, our rule of thumb is that if a home smells too good to be true, we should definitely check the water supply, drainage, and roofing systems to be sure that they are no leakages.
Fresh Paint in a Certain part of the house
It is okay for homeowners to repaint the interior and even the exterior of their house during home selling process. During the inspection process of buying a home, if you notice that there is fresh paint in an isolated part of the house and not the rest of the house, you should ask why. Apart from asking why, take the time out to inspect the area yourself. Also check for damages due to water leakage, foundational cracks, or bowling balls (hey, anything is possible).
You can also pay a professional home inspector to help with inspecting the house. This will give you that extra guarantee you need.
Recent Renovations
Sometimes renovations are done in houses to repair certain damages due to structural wear over time. Renovations can also be done because the old structure was no longer appealing. The only problem with recent renovations to houses that have been put up for sale is that it could be an attempt to quickly fix a structural problem. Therefore, if while inspecting a home you are trying to buy you find a newly renovated area, you should check it properly and ask questions about it.
Make sure that any of the renovations done do not compromise the structural integrity of the house.
Conclusion
In the end, Its best to get a professional home inspector to inspect any house you intend to buy. This might seem like a lot of money upfront, but this would save you a lot of money after the purchase of your new home.