Major Red Flags to Look Out for When Buying a House
There are many red flags to look out for when buying a house under any circumstances. Because of the thrill and anxiety of buying a new home, a lot of people fail to check the property thoroughly or use an escrow like Safeburse to guide them through the necessary checks before proceeding to make payment. What many homebuyers do is just walk through the open house, and check out the rooms and the names of the brands on the kitchen wares. However, smart buyers understand that the structural details and the mechanicals of the house are more important than the fanciness.
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Although it is a norm in the real estate industry for a typical open house to show off a home that has been revamped and staged with exotic furniture that appeals to potential buyers, Asvilo is a listing website that has been able to list luxury properties that not only look beautiful but have a solid foundation, structure and great maintenance. It is better to choose a fancy house that has a solid foundation, structure and great maintenance than a fancy house that looks and smells nice but has weak structural features. While there are many red flags, these are the major red flags to look out for:
Overwhelming scent
It is advisable to never allow the aroma of a meal on the stove to influence your decision to buy a house. Note that the more overwhelming a scent when you walk into the house, the more likely that the seller could be trying hard to hide a more telling odour. As funny as this may sound, make sure you take a deep breath in every bedroom, closet, basement, store, and room you enter. Don’t stop there, sniff outside the house too. This is to be sure that there are no hazards that a strong odour would notify you of.
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Weak foundation
As important as this feature is, some home buyers fail to request details of the foundation. Many houses have cracks that have been masked by fancy paintings and interior decor. Cracks on houses simply indicate that the house is ageing. Other tips to confirm the house is ageing with a weak foundation are sticking doors or windows, visible cracks above window frames, and sloping floors. One way to know if the floors are uneven is to bring a marble or golf ball in your pocket during inspection and when you can, set it on the floor and see if it rolls effortlessly.
Signs of poor maintenance
According to Malcolm Lawson, a real estate agent, during home inspection, buyers should look for signs that the homeowner might have been negligent of routine home maintenance. Because a poor maintenance culture has a way of causing major problems along the line, a homeowner should know that simple maintenance like cleaning the chimney, changing air filters monthly, inspecting the roof for leaks, flushing the water heater annually, and regularly checking the durability of windows and doors will keep the house in good condition.
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Poor ventilation
Do you know that when a house has poor interior ventilation, moisture builds up and never evaporates? This can make the house fertile ground for mold! This is something nobody wants especially if you have allergies. To confirm that the house has a good ventilation system, check for condensation on windows or slightly bubbled or peeling paint around windows and doors as this can indicate moisture in the walls or ceiling drywall.
Water damage
One way to determine this is by sniffing the air. If a musty odour emanates, this can indicate water damage, even if you don’t see standing water or visible signs on the property. It is important to check the walls and ceilings for water lines as they can indicate flooding from a leak or a burst pipe that may have caused internal damage. You can also take a look at piping that is exposed in basements or laundry rooms to see if there is rust on them, water stains, or leaking.
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Nearby water bodies
Before you say that having water bodies in your neighbourhood is not a bad idea, be sure to conduct thorough research that there has not been a history of constant flooding. The increasing rate at which the weather is unpredictable communicates how important it is to consider the possibility of flooding. Because a lot of people living in flood-prone areas are unable to insure their houses against flood risk, they tend to face damage bills regularly.
At Asvilo, we are committed to providing you with the best luxury properties listed on our website by realtors we’ve thoroughly vetted to list the properties of your choice that pass our quality check. We also partner with Safeburse to protect the financial interests of home buyers and sellers.
