Buying a home is full of challenges, and the one that might be the most frustrating of all is finding out therersquo;s something wrong after yoursquo;ve already closed escrow. In many cases, you may have recourse against the seller if there is an issue that wasnrsquo;t disclosed, or against the home inspector if he or she missed something serious. But even recompense, yoursquo;re still left with a problem you have to deal with when all you want is to be enjoying your new home.nbsp;nbsp;
Here are eight things to look for before signing on the dotted line.
If you tour a home on a rainy day, donrsquo;t automatically think that the moist smell is because of the weather. If it smells moist inside, yoursquo;ll definitely want to make a return trip when the rain has passed to make sure therersquo;s no moisture issue in the house.nbsp;
That could mean damage to carpet or floors. It might be something you can work out while negotiating, but you definitely want to be aware of what yoursquo;re dealing with so that there are no surprises later on, like pet urine that has seeped down through the wood floors into your sub floor, costing you thousands.
Maybe therersquo;s more crime than yoursquo;re comfortable with or too much of a commercial presence. Itrsquo;s all about whatrsquo;s acceptable to you.
If yoursquo;re not looking in an area that has a homeownersrsquo; association, pay special attention to what the neighborsrsquo; homes look like. If yoursquo;re seeing curious paint choices, cars on the lawn, and grass thatrsquo;s waist-high, you might want to think hard about whether this is the neighborhood for you. Some buyers appreciate the character of a neighborhood but doesnrsquo;t have the strict rules governing what they can and canrsquo;t do. But a neighborhood without an HOA can also have issues when neighbors donrsquo;t take care of their homes, and this can affect your property values.
Have a serious conversation with yourself about how much is too much when it comes to the commute. If it took you an hour and a half to get there from work, is this something you can live with every day?
There are times when a home goes in the market and itrsquo;s clear the seller didnrsquo;t make the effort to get it in shape prior to listing. Itrsquo;s not just about a lack of updates but a lack of upkeep, as well. While you may not know the circumstances behind the home, and while it may seem like a great deal if you can get it for a good price, be cautious. A home that is in bad shape on the surface may have a bunch of issues you canrsquo;t see.
Sellers will typically open up all shades and blinds and turn on all the lights for showings, but nothing is stopping you from flipping those light switches off to see what the natural light situation is really like. If the place is dark even with all the blinds open and lights on and natural light is really important to you, it might not be the house for you.nbsp;
A home thatrsquo;s really well staged can look super appealing. But buyers have to train themselves to look at the home, not the furniture and furnishings. What will the house look like without that staged furniture? Does the floorplan work for you? Are the pieces scaled for the room or for real families? Are there any curious configurations like a chair blocking access to a fireplace. Getting past the stagerrsquo;s tricks to see the house for what it is will help you to decide if itrsquo;s really for you.
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