Red Flags To Watch For When House Shopping
House shopping is the process of viewing homes for sale to find the right one to buy. You can view one house for sale before making an offer or many, but you might want to know a few red flags to watch for as you house shop. There are many things that you can view as red flags, but here are some of the top red flags to keep your eyes open for as you tour houses for sale.
Strong Smells
When you enter a house, it will have a scent, as all homes do. If you smell really strong smells of any kind, you might want to view it as a red flag. The strong smells might be odors that are not pleasing to your senses, but they can also be pleasant-smelling things. Bad odors can be hard to eliminate when you purchase a home, and they can indicate problems. For example, smelling mildew in a home might mean that the home has moisture issues.
Smelling strong candles or air fresheners might be a sign that the homeowner is trying to cover up some bad odors. You can often detect these types of odors as soon as you enter a home.
Signs of Water Damage
You should also keep your eyes open for signs of water damage. Water damage can devastate a home's structure. It can lead to mold developing in the house and many other issues. You can look at the walls and ceilings to see if you can see water spots. You can also look under and around plumbing fixtures to spot signs of water damage.
Signs of Lack of Maintenance
When you walk into a home, you can usually tell right away if the homeowner has properly maintained the house. If you see signs that they have not maintained it, you might want to view this as a red flag. Failing to maintain a home might indicate that the home has more problems than you can even see.
Windows and Doors That Do Not Work Properly
You might also want to test the doors and windows in the house. If they do not open and close easily and properly, the home might have some foundational issues.
You can use your senses to judge a home's condition when touring houses for sale. If you have questions about a home for sale, talk to a real estate agent today.