Buying A Home? 5 Things To Watch For In The Purchasing Process

Buying a house can be an exciting life event, but it can also be a stressful time. You can never be too sure if you’re getting the deal of a lifetime or getting hooked. Here are five things that will help you get ahead of the game and give you a better chance to finally get your dream home.

Sweet Smells Hide Sour Odors

Imagine you’re attending an open house. There are freshly baked cookies for the guests, plug-in air fresheners in every room, and scented candles burning in high traffic areas. Individually, these scents are pleasant and welcoming, but an overkill of flowery smells may indicate something unpleasant. The owner may be trying to hide a foul odor.

Has The Home Been Neglected?

When people browse through homes, they often focus on what they love about each place -hidden nooks, a kitchen stocked with state of the art appliances, or the perfect home office. A deeper look is often called for, however. Spotting signs that minimal home maintenance has been neglected can be a warning sign of deeper problems. Things to look for include burned out light bulbs, overgrown grass, chipped or peeling paint, and leaky faucets.

Check The Tiles

While you’re in the kitchen, look down at the floor. Poorly matched tiles or uneven edges indicate a do-it-yourself job. If the tiles were poorly installed, other repairs or renovations may have been done with equal haste.

A Room With A View

Check the windows throughout the house to make sure they were installed evenly and can be opened without extra effort. Problems in this area can be an early warning sign of foundation problems. Whatever the cause, replacing faulty windows can be a costly and stressful situation.

Poor Ventilation

A house with poor ventilation can lead to the development of mold and can wreak havoc with sufferers of seasonal allergies. Indications that the home has poor air circulation are condensation on the windows and peeling or bubbling paint near windows, doors, and vents.

These are just a few things you can spot on your own in an initial walk-through, even before you involve your home inspector. While there are many more signs to watch for, these tips will help you avoid a few of the common pitfalls in home buying. Keeping a watchful eye and knowing what to look for can save you headaches and financial nightmares down the road.