Real Estate Red Flags: What to Watch Out for When Buying a Home

 

Buying a home involves much thinking, excitement, and anxiety. Excitement because why not? You will buy a house, which is a milestone in any person's life. Anxiety is caused by the question of what kind of house you will get. When a person is eager to sell a home, he will always point out the good things, and those words will be enough to create a picture of your family already living in that house. That house will become your house of dreams, but looks can be deceiving. We are going to describe some things you should keep in mind when buying a home; here are 

Real Estate Red Flags: What to Watch Out for When Buying a Home.

 

1. The Neighborhood: When buying a home, your inspection must start before stepping on the property. The neighborhood can tell you all about the locality. If there are a lot of properties on sale, this could be a red flag. Unless the house community or the society is recently built, multiple "For Sale" signs are a massive red flag. There could be multiple reasons for this:

• Diminishing work opportunities.
• Decreasing school quality.
• Increasing crime.
• Unpopular property developments.

 

2. Cracks on Foundation: Cracks can mean much more when found in houses. They can be destructive and affect a house's overall health or upcoming health. Inspect everywhere closely; if they appear on concrete, then it means that the house's structural integrity is not good and may cause the house to lean or tilt in the future. There can be multiple reasons for cracks:

• Weather changes.
• Natural disasters
• soil creeps
• Bad drainage

 

3. Termites: When checking a property, check on the wooden floors, walls, and even the ceilings. The worst thing about Termite damage is that they look similar to water damage, but termites chew and hollow out the wood structure, so by this, they can be judged. They thrive in warm and humid environments, so they are mostly found in hot regions. Some signs for termite damage can be:

• Wood-colored termite waste.
• Bubbles in wood or paint.
• Discolored paint or wood.
• Mud tubes look like hollow tubes underneath wood or paint layers.
   

4. Condensation: It is a big red flag if the windows are foggy or moisture is trapped inside them. Moisture means a failed seal. If windows are not sealing properly, moisture will keep appearing and damage the other furniture and walls. Sliding windows are likely to have failed seals, but they can be replaced with alternatives, so they are not a major threat. 

 

5. If doors are not closing: If doors are not closing, it means either the frame is damaged or the framing joints are shifted; in either case, it's a red flag. The future owner will have only two options: first,  he can cut the door's top or bottom to shut it forcefully, or he will have to get a new door. Check the house carefully if you see a door with an unusual chop mark, it means the past owner must have faced the issue. But just like the windows, it is not a significant issue. Modern fiberglass doors can replace the old doors. 

 

Conclusion

When on a quest to buy a home, you should not rush at all. This is the place where you will spend the rest of your life, most probably. So, without a thorough top-to-bottom check, you should not sign on the dotted line because everything may seem great at first sight. Still, the possibility is you might regret it later, so instead of having regrets, inspect the house or hire a reputable inspector.