4 Red Flags All Home Buyers Need To Look For

Buying a new home is a huge undertaking that can change lives for better or for worse, and buyers need to be on the lookout for things that can potentially harm them so they can protect themselves from a bad deal. Knowing the different red flags can help buyers decide if the home they’re looking at is the home of their dreams or if it’s actually a nightmare in disguise. Here are some of the big red flags all home buyers need to be looking for when attending home showings so they can protect themselves from a bad investment.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed real estate professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

1. The Listing Has Few or No Photos

Photos are extremely important when trying to sell a home. A buyer’s first impression of the home is going to be because of these photos, and most sellers are going to put a wide variety of photos in order to give buyers the best impression possible and convince them to come visit the home in person. If a home listing only has a few or perhaps even no photos, it can mean that the homeowner is trying to hide something from buyers. Be wary of homes with listings that don’t have photos, because they may also be lacking important information.

2. Some Areas Have Fresh Paint

A lot of homeowners will choose to freshen up their home’s paint as preparation for selling, and this is normally a good thing. However, the problem comes in when it appears that the homeowner has chosen to paint the walls in order to hide something. If just one wall is painted or just a certain section, be sure to slow down and ask why the homeowner would opt to only paint that one area and not the entire room. The answer may be in order to hide something like water damage or another problem that could come up again later.

3. The Home Smells Like Artificial Perfumes

It can be extremely difficult to get bad smells out of a home. Once they get into the carpet or the walls, homeowners can feel like the only way to get rid of them is by doing some intensive cleaning or replacing. However, this can be expensive and time consuming, and some homeowners may opt to just cover up the bad smells and hope the buyers don’t notice anything. No one wants to move into their new home and discover it smells like cigarettes, so buyers need to be aware of the tactics that may be in use. If the home smells strongly of air fresheners or another strong scents, there’s a chance that it may be intentionally trying to mask something else.

4. The Price is Too Good To Be True

Everyone knows the warning: if something is too good to be true, it is. The same warning also applies to buying a Bayfield CO new home. Sellers may try to draw in buyers by lowering the price of their home drastically knowing that very few people can resist a great bargain. However, this sort of price drop can mean that the seller is desperate to get rid of the home, and if the home has been on the market for a long time before the drop, it can mean that something is wrong enough with the home that it’s turned away every buyer thus far. If intentionally looking for a fixer-upper, this might be something to look into; but if not, look at these homes with extreme scrutiny. 

Knowing the different red flags is an excellent way for home buyers to protect themselves from making a bad deal. With the help of an experienced real estate agent and a home inspector, buyers can find the home that’s right for them without having to worry about surprise problems later.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed real estate professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.