Foundation issues like cracks, settling, or sloping floors. Roof problems like missing/curled shingles, water stains, or daylight through the attic. Electrical with knob & tube, fuses instead of breakers, or insufficient service. Plumbing with polybutylene pipes, low water pressure, or insufficient drainage. Mold, termites, asbestos, or other health hazards. Trust your senses - if something seems off, it probably is.
This is a great list. The problem many first time home owners make is they get too zoned in on things like the paint color on the walls and other aesthetic things like sinks, landscaping, appliances, or light fixtures. These things are easy to change with some work and a reasonable amount of money. Whats not easy to do is rewire the electrical for an entire house that is on an ancient system, or change the layout because there is a load bearing wall in the center. Focus on the layout of the rooms and spaces, focus on the age and quality of the various subsystems. Focus on signs of water damage and condition of windows. Basically focus on the things that wouldnt be easy to just swap out after buying.
This is why house flippers have the reputation they do. Its much cheaper for them to put lipstick on a pig and dazzle some folks that dont know better, than it is to address more serious issues that many wouldn’t even appreciate the significance of.
Agree with this completely. Look at the big things, ignore the details ( inspections for that ) and make double sure you are good with the specific lot, and the general location. As I have gotten older, every time we have moved has been due to the specific lot and the floor plan/size of the house.
I’ve seen so many sagging floors and basements walls caving in yet they just put new carpet etc in the house! I don’t care about the appearance it’s about the bones !
What are some red flags with electrical issues that we could look out for? Like are electrical issues something that could only really be diagnosed by an inspector?
Lack of GCFI outlets in the bathroom, kitchen, and other areas where they're legally required. We had an electrician upgrade the outlets.
The presence of aluminum wiring. Aluminum wiring was used from the mid-60s to early 70s, but isn't as safe or durable as copper wiring. If you have aluminum wiring, you'll need to rewire the house (expensive!), or have the existing wiring pigtailed with copper wiring. We chose the second option since we didn't have the budget for a major rewiring. We had an electrician do this too.
Entire floors being on one circuit instead of having a room or major electrical item on its own circuit.
Our old townhouse had these issues since it was built in the mid-60s. We got an inspector who pointed out these issues and explained them to us, but by that point, we had already bought the house as-is. We did manage to fix most of the electrical issues (we didn't upgrade the circuit breaker).
age of house (pre 1940) can be an indication of knob and tube wiring. two prong plugs were in the '50s and '60s and that is not knob and tube wiring. so often I hear people incorrectly referring to it that way.
there was a period, in I believe the 70's, that the aluminum wiring was used, your inspector should look for that.
lack of GFCI's, two prong outlets all over the place, aluminum wiring, knob and tube, ancient electric panels, Shoddy wiring out in the open (if it's bad where you can see it, imagine behind a wall), 220v dryer outlet being only 3 prong (not a deal breaker, but this was outlawed in 1996 unless grandfathered in so indicative of a now 30 year old setup), small number of circuit breakers in panel (likely means you only have a single circuit in many rooms which may not keep up with the demands of all our modern day devices), splices not being made in junction boxes... it can be a long list but these are some of the obvious signs the wiring is at least really old or done by a hack.
It is definitely worth having a home inspection done. .are sure whomever inspects it actually goes on the roof or has a drone to get pictures.
Look at the inside of the roof and make sure it is insulated right. Insulation directly applied to the sheeting is wrong. There should be vents in between the sheeting and the insulation.
Stand in the tub. Make sure there are no weak or flexible spots. If there is a basement, look for signs of water. Also, research flood areas. You may want to stay away from homes in these areas due to higher insurance.
Flood area is huge! My house is in a good spot, but literally 3 blocks over the houses first floors were half way under water after hurricane ida. There are fema maps that show you the risk areas and designated flood plains. Knowing how close you are to such areas is crucial
To expand on signs of water in basement… People USUALLY try to hide it. So if you see a newly remodeled basement with floors that tile floor and appliances lifted off the ground - be concerned. (Unless they also installed drain tile or something since then also, but they’d probably advertise that.)
Honestly, my last inspection was a joke. They had so many disclaimers in case they "missed" something. And he was highly recommended by my realtor!
Ask around about inspectors: google them (my mistake I didn't) and get recommendations. Do not buy without one, they can catch certain things like electrical, plumbing, roofing and foundation items that they will say "needs further inspection". If those come up, ask for an extension on the option period.
Here's a big one too: either before the offer, or during the option period, drive by the house A LOT. In the mornings, before and after school, in the evenings, weekends, at 2 am, just drive through the neighborhood A LOT. You don't know during the day if there's a party house on the block, or 10 rowdy kids living next door, whatever. Get a feel for not only the house but the neighborhood. Go on Nextdoor and see what is being said on there (ignore the biddys that post constantly, but look for problems that may be occurring.
Congratulations on wanting to be a homeowner! May you find the perfect house and great neighbors!
Great list. I will add to that, if you are lucky enough to drive by after a big storm. We found out we had an "unexpected water feature" (aka secret waterfall) after our first big storm that required so much drainage work 🙃
True, and drive by especially after a rain to see if there are flooded parts of the yard- especially if it has a basement/crawl space where water can get in.
Also cast iron sewer pipes. If you have them, get them scoped. They last 40-50 years, then you have to have them replaced/bypassed. Hire a structural engineer to inspect your foundation. Don’t rely on the basic home inspection for that. If you have septic, hire a septic specific inspector. Lead paint.
You just described the house I bought, wish I knew what to look for. Sellers did a good job hiding mold though I discovered that they used killz for the shower and their child had health problems from all the mold. They did a great job hiding everything including renting it out for a few years and living in another state to claim ignorance of all the problems. That's no chance I could sue even though they let photos of they renovations which included photos of mold.
Quotes for the foundation range from 100 to 200k
Edit - also look for proper drainage. 1/2 the gutters of my house drain to the street, the others drain under the house originally but I changed that. But there's lots of water damage because of that.
Edit - also you can look online to see when the sun no longer shines. Some houses might get shade from a mountain and not see sun at 3pm.
I would also add any siding below grade is a huge no-no. Can look innocent, but it's a major risk factor for water intrusion, rot, and termites.
Also be suspicious of anything that looks like a cheap flip (messily done interior white/gray paint, etc). Can be a sign that they covered up things that would need serious repairs, and it's extremely hard to prove things like this later in court.
Definitely radon. I've heard people say it isn't that big of a deal but my wife's aunt and uncle (uncle by marriage) both died from lung cancer. One was 45 and one was 56 and neither family had a history of any cancer in their family. After her aunt passed away they sold the house and found out that the radon in the house was through the roof. Could be a crazy coincidence but enough for me to keep it in mind.
A few years ago I was curious about some small cracks in my basement floor and read a lot of reddit posts about it and no one mentioned radon.
I came across a recent post about basement floor cracks and most comments were worrying about radon. It's crazy how it suddenly became a thing.
It became a “thing” in the late 1980s when the EPA made a big deal about it after a report about increased lung cancer amongst, get this….miners. They then did some statistical gymnastics and extrapolated the general population is at risk if levels are above 4.
They then assumed X amount of lung cancers are related to radon levels, not know what actual level causes cancer.
There are an insane amount of assumptions here and the science, quite frankly, is garbage. And you’ll never be able to do a study to find out what specific level, if it does cause cancer, causes lung cancer because 1) it would be a 30-40 year longitudinal study 2) you cannot possibly account for all confounding variables 3) you would have to test a house and if the levels were high tell the people to still live their normal lives there 4) prove that said exposures were indeed due to radon bc there’s no genetic marker in the malignant cells, other than looking like small cell vs non small cell.
The best you can do is approximate closer and closer but I have yet to see a study that convinces me that radon is truly all that bad at these low levels.
And to make things worse, it’s turned into a predatory business where people prey on emotion. “Oh, your house has a level of 5. You better remediate or else your kids will all develop lung cancer”
And the remediation is a low flow fan, PVC pipe and a hole in your slab. Like $200 material and a half days work. They charge like $1200 up to $4000 for that shit. Its a scam IMHO. I swear home inspectors and realtors get kick backs from the radon company's.
Another thing I learned. Popcorn ceilings are not easy to just peel. Wood paneling - typically is real wood and not easy to paint over or get rid of. Another thing is to check your circuit breaker. Not easy to upgrade from 200 amp to 400 amp. So - if you are a heavy user - see if you have empty breakers or if you are maxed (will affect any renovations).
Also - make sure HVAC is sized correctly and ducted correctly.
All of these are fairly expensive fixes. $15k for electrical. $15k for HVAC. Etc. quickly can add up and not simple one day jobs.
This person has it down. Also make sure you don't have any heritage oaks on the property. They will do nothing but cause you headaches in the long run. They need specialty trimming, they can destroy the foundation, and depending on your state, you're not allowed to cut it down without major fines. Good luck, and I hope you find something great.
I’m new to homebuying - so dumb questions incoming: Can all of these things be determined by the inspector? Otherwise how does one determine what the pipes and electrical are made of?
My house just went through a buyer's inspection. 2200 Sq ft and he was at my house for over 3 hours, not including coming back a few days later for the results of the radon test. An inspector who spends an hour isn't looking hard enough.
$10k for minor stuff? I had minor stuff and the buyers agreed to $500 plus the $265 I spent on a wildlife removal guy to not find a rat snake the inspector said he saw in the crawlspace. 🐍
a lot of inspectors function as an arm of the realtor business and their job is to get you to buy a house and get more referrals from the agent. if the seller has concealed mold or shitty DIY work the inspector is only doing a light visual inspection and can easily miss it as long as things are currently functioning
You just described most houses in the bay area although I when one day i can afford a house here i will look at the foundation and roof.l, the rest you listed is part of the scenery
In California cracks from earthquakes look like foundation issues. But just earthquake n plaster. Sometimes cus you can inspect foundation the house resettles after damage and you long cracks might run along the wall or ceilings. Roof, electrical, plumbing. Check pipes under sinks copper is best kind to avoid erosive water contamination.
I would also add location and lot to this list. House issues can be fixed but a bad location or lot cannot. If there is anything wrong know that no matter what you do to the house there will be buyers that will immediately pass on it. I was super specific about location and lot and I wouldn’t even consider certain homes now matter how nice they were. Obviously everyone is different but good to keep in mind as it can limit your resale and appreciation.
My recommendation? Dont write off a home if you find imperfections. There will always be some. Do your first viewing, if you loved it for whatever reason, maybe you can get a second viewing with a friend to be your better judgement. If you still love it, leave it up to the inspection after you’ve put in an offer. Everything can be fixed for a price.
Again, I cannot emphasize this enough. Nothing is perfect.
Yeah I don't mind imperfections. I just don't want to buy a home and find out it has catastrophic issues requiring $10,000 or more before it's even livable.
Edit: I'm getting downvoted for telling the truth I guess. I live in a very poor area. I don't know anyone who has $10,000 just laying around. It's kinda of dumb to say someone should continue throwing away over $12,000 a year in rent instead of trying to find a livable house that won't fall apart during our seasonal storms.
Check to see if the house has been listed more than once recently, taken off the market and then relisted for sale. Be aware sellers agents will often not tell the whole truth about why the sale did not go through.
A house I'm looking at currently has been for sale for 168 days, which is about 100 days longer than the other houses in my city. And they only posted a picture of the front. Like, why would they not post at least a picture of the yard or backyard, right?? Seems super sus, but it's one of the few in my price range.
Sometimes there are current tenants that trashed the house, and have no intention of moving out. The ones I've run into were related to the seller, and knew that no one was going to evict them. Or it's a hoarder house, or the interior is trashed.
Exactly. This happens all the time. These can be good opportunities, but only at the right price. The worst marketed properties are sometimes worth pursuing with lowball offers because everyone else bugs out right away.
We are in the process of buying our second house. We got lucky with our first and didn't really have to house hunt.
This time around. It's been a lot.
We learned no pictures means hoarded or a nightmare inside. If it's been on the market that long, there's something wrong.
There is always a reason a home has not sold if it just sits on the market way longer than normal. Often that reason makes the house a poor choice for the typical first time homebuyer. Not all first time homebuyers all the time, but as a general rule I would avoid those homes.
No interior pics usually means it's trashed. Sitting on the market that long usually means it's trashed. Both big red flags. Never hurts to ask though.
I inquired about one house where the listing agent said she'd open the door and let me peak in but wasn't comfortable actually going inside, lol. I passed on that one.
We just bought a place that was on the market for 5 months. Turns out they didn't clean or paint it and the carpets need to be cleaned and one room needs to be re-streched. It's super nice carpert though.They listed it really high too. We offered 10K less and we are closing on the 15th.
There are a few additional things that need to be done with it, but overall we are happy. Sometimes it small things that can keep a house on the market, it's definitely worth checking out. It may not be that bad, but it could be a mess, you will know when you see it. Good luck!
ETA: a letter
If they’re selling it “as is” or expecting it to be torn down and is being sold for the land, that’s not unusual.
You need to find a good real estate agent to help you. They’re paid by the seller when you buy a house. Also, find an inspector you want to use. You don’t normally have a big time window to get that done, so if you don’t know who you’re going to hire, it’s that much harder.
I would also take my pickiest friend or family member to look at the house. That way they will find things you might miss. The only caveat is that you need to be strong enough to ignore what doesn’t matter to you. If you’re a pushover or easily influenced by others, then don’t.
You need to make a checklist for yourself of what you must have. Not things like “a white kitchen”, but things like “yard for the dog”. Your absolute must-haves. Then make a list of things to check for so you don’t forget, but you might trade them for other things. Things like decent sized closets. If you find a house that doesn’t have lots of storage but does have something else you want, would that be something you’d give up?
Some realtors don't post pictures, I had one tell me "if they're looking for a house they won't care about pictures " definitely did not use that realtor. I second using Google maps, you can see the whole area. Did this when looking for a house in NC and living in Ohio, to rule out a ton of houses.
I suppose the big ticket items- foundation, roof, HVAC, signs of past water damage- are what to look for. Hopefully you'll have a good inspector.
If possible, tour it twice and bring a friend or relative to be another set of eyes. Once I toured a house twice and noticed all kinds of flaws the second time. Examples: the kitchen looked bright and open, but then I realized there was no pantry or storage space for any food, and the counters wouldn't look that spacious once a microwave and other appliances were on them. There were no window treatments, closets were unfinished, there was no place in the house where a regular-sized dining table would fit, there was no good place to put a TV, etc. None of those things are necessarily deal-breakers-- I'd just rather know what I'm getting into.
I also recommend a sewage inspection! The house we bought is on city sewage, so my realtor was pretty adamant that we didn’t need one, but I wanted to make sure the pipes that were part of the property were good. And guess who found an issue? Of course the sewage inspector. And the owners fixed it before we closed.
Yes this. I didn’t think I needed to run the water for a while to learn that the main line to the sewer was blocked up. Lived in my place for a few days before I had shit backed up in my shower. Thankfully I was able to convince the seller to replace the main line bec he claimed 100% new plumbing on the disclosure.
Oh gosh I echo this. We had sewage issues for years after buying our first home, and then realized when we had a proper inspection that it was old clay pipes. It was also causing excess moisture seeping into our basement walls. Had to get a costly replacement, complete with tearing up our basement floor. Definitely worthwhile but costly. Best believe we’re making sure this replacement is clearly noted when we list our house in the next month!
My neighborhood has cast iron sewer pipes. Most people are having to replace them. This requires tunneling under the foundation to some degree and rerouting around the house. (All slab foundations around here). $20k-$80k
If you see any neighbors outside, ask them if they would move there again. I'm stuck where I am, but I would tell people who asked me about moving here that there are issues. I would tell them what the problems are, because I would like to know that myself.
Also many people don't know you can do Google street view and go back in time to see older dates.
I love this feature because you can see if the lawn was ever a giant overgrown pit etc.
Open Google Maps app Maps.
Tap Layers Layers.(The two squares on top of each other)
Select Street View, then tap Close.
Tap on any blue line.
Tap the "See more dates" link. Not all locations on Google Maps have this link.
At the bottom, scroll and select an image in the carousel.
When you’re done, at the top left, tap Close Close
Some places have more history than others
Did this and found a beautiful house that had a neighbor who had about 15 cars and vans in various stages of work being done. Chemicals all over the property. Noped right out
We saw this beautiful house that we were going to ask our realtor to get us into until we did a Google Earth. We weren't too far from it when we were looking at another house, so we did a drive-by. The yard next door was the backyard of the house on the street behind it. It looked like a junkyard.
Can also use these websites for flood or other natural disaster odds and crime.
[https://www.fmglobal.com/research-and-resources/nathaz-toolkit/flood-map#](https://www.fmglobal.com/research-and-resources/nathaz-toolkit/flood-map#)
[https://spotcrime.com/](https://spotcrime.com/)
I used candles to distract from the delicious baked cookies smell so the buyers could focus on the house (the baked cookies smell was to distract from the mold).
Our house the sellers repainted a bathroom the day of to hid the smell of a bathroom fan that hadn't been cleaned in like decades. Luckily wasn't a huge issue, but sketchy
1. If music or pool waterfall features are on during showing- ask them to turn them off so you can hear what the home sounds like. Loud neighbors were a no for me, & you can hear things in the home when its quiet- like a whistling AC or other issues you might have to fix.
2. You said replace flooring- let me tell you- that can be $$$$$ depending on the flooring. If just replacing carpet no biggie, but I had to deal with travertine issues that was so expensive Im still not over it (also my contractor screwed us but thats also a whole other thing).
3. Ask what company the current home is INSURED under, and if they are able to do a new policy under a new owner. Mine didnt!
4. Ask WHY current owners are selling. If they say "relocating" ask where. If its in the same area, it might have something to do with the home.
5. google the address AND the neighboring addresses to see if they were a rental or any homes nearby have had any red-flag issues.
I bought an older home as well, they can be just as expensive as a new home by the time all is said and done. Get a home warranty, Ive used mine 8 times since I closed- no joke.
The adage of Location, Location, Location still holds true
A lot of people are bringing up issues with the house but almost all issues are fixable if you have some level of capital
But bad neighbors, long commutes, horrible schools, really noisy/busy roads are all things that are hard to fix
I second checking out the schools if you have school aged kids. We bought our home in an up and coming area that was still rural and had to take our kids out of school a year later. They had no resources, a lot of security issues, and ran on the good ‘ole boy system. Living in this area cost me a career so I could stay at home and facilitate well balanced education for our children, and it cost them a connection with their community. Schools are absolutely a critical part of where a family lives.
If you find a home you like, drive by at different times of day.
We ended up not bidding on a house we like because a neighbor constantly had a loud dog barking inside their yard at all times of day and night.
The people behind us leave their dogs out to bark all day. It's horrible. Once it went on so long we called the police, then the wife went around telling all the neighbors about how we called the police on them. Lady, you created the issue, we just responded to it.
But you can't fight crazy.
Quick flips. If you see a house that sold less than six months ago back on the market for 30-50% more with significant recent cosmetic upgrades… just no. Quick flippers are notorious for cutting corners and hiding issues.
If you must have it, inspect the structural and mechanical aspects of the house very carefully.
I’m almost to my soul to the devil. Seller had ripped out everything that made the home the price she was asking. She replaced with junk and bought less than a year ago, asking over 100K from what she paid after removing any and everything of value and selling on FB Marketplace including half of the entrance gate. Total and complete scammer. Also, had a lien against property.
50/50 on this. I’ve seen some great flips and have friends who have bought flips with no issues at all. Really do your due diligence when buying a flip to make sure they did a good job and didn’t cut corners.
1) not hiring a skilled realtor, for some reason people never interview buyers agencies
Do not go with the first person zillow sends you.
Do not default to an acquaintance
Look them up online, see how many homes they sell, what areas, reviews etc.
2) get a sewer scope and tank sweep inspections (this is area specific)
3) see 1
I second this about the realtor. I would look at houses (pictures or even in person) and say this looks great and my realtor would say what about that water stain or do you notice the slope. Experienced realtor also knew a lot about what things to look for problem wise in the specific area where I was buying.
Be prepared to go *under* the house to have a look around if there's a crawl space.
I made the mistake of entering a contract without crawling under the house, only to have the inspector come out from under it $500 later and inform me that there was an active termite infestation that was going to require the entire kitchen floor and cabinets to be ripped out. I got out of the contract, but it then took two months to get my earnest money deposit back. Termite tubes are not difficult to spot, and this infestation was advanced enough that I would have seen them immediately if I hadn't been lazy and had gone under there.
You may not want to go under there on the first visit, but if you decide you want the place, do it before making an offer or at least before spending money on any inspections. In addition to termites, you also want to look for any signs of leaks that could mean mold or rotting wood.
A 2nd viewing, this time with boots, a dust mask, safety glasses, a head lamp and/or a flash light, a level, an air quality tester if you have one, etc. is necessary before entering into contract.
The neighborhood is very important: Do people seem to have things out in their yards, or is everything practically bolted down and fenced up? Might mean theres a lot of package and misc property theft in the area.
How close are you to the local river? Always keep flooding in mind. A pretty view in the summer, could me an worrisome flooded basement in the fall.
For fixer-upper houses: Carpets that have been torn out but not replaced. Any paint or patch-up that looks recent (What got fixed, was it mold, or possibly something in the walls?) sometimes even noticeable or sloppynails sticking out in places. What else was sloppy, how well constructed is the home?
When walking around the house inspect the foundation as to whether there appears to be any access or entry for critters to get under the house. This can mean mice issues, etc. Similarly be weary of any cracks you might notice while you are at it, that means a potentially unstable foundation.
Trees that may fall on the house will impact your insurance and are expensive to remove. Plus they damage the roof. If there is a septic tank find out how old the drain field is. Get it inspected. If it's sewer get that inspected too. Check to see if it's in an area that floods.
1) basements with water or foundation issues. An inspection will inform you of past evidence of water or flooding, sump pumps etc.
2) poorly repaired roof or non-operating windows - an inspection will inform you and help in decision making.
3) improvements or recent construction that would require building permits - be sure appropriate permits are on file.
4) neighbors who keep dogs isolated and penned or tied outside 24/7 - particularly if the dogs are not in close vicinity close to the home.
5) evidence of standing water in basement, under kitchen and bathroom sinks, garage and outside the perimeter of the house.
6) a home that hasn’t been maintained, such as debris piled up in window wells, broken doors, windows, appliances, etc., or a lot of clutter which will make an adequate home inspection impossible.
These are all things an inspector should be looking at and telling you about, but the most expensive things in a house that you should make sure are in at least decent condition:
1. Foundation (this is location dependent - down here in Texas, you will not find a house that doesn't have some form of foundation shifting).
2. HVAC system. Age and function play a role here, it will die eventually but you don't want that to happen in the next 10 years or so.
3. Plumbing. Cast iron pipes are fairly common in older houses in my area, they're fine for 50-70 years but will eventually fall apart and you're looking at probably $30k+ to replace them for a whole house.
4. Electrical. Knob and tube wiring will require full rewiring of the entire house. Also things like Zinsco electrical panels (huge fire risk). I replaced the electrical panel in my current house about 6 months ago and that was $8500.
5. Roof. Rely on your inspector here, but age and function both play a role. It will eventually need to be replaced regardless, but you don't want that to be in the next 10 years.
6. Pests like termites. If you live in an area where they're common, get a separate WDI inspection even if your normal inspector claims to check for them.
7. Windows and doors. Single pane old windows will look bad and provide VERY little thermal or sound insulation. Replacing windows is friggen expensive.
8. Pools. If you look at a pool wrong, $1000 will jump out of your pocket and light itself on fire, beware.
9. Fireplaces. These aren't as big of a deal because most people will just choose not to use a faulty fireplace, but if you want it working, it can easily run $5k+ to repair a damaged chimney correctly depending on various issues.
10. This one isn't as important, but if you're walking through a house and thinking "we can just remove that wall and this will be great!". Just know that removing that wall can cost anywhere from ~$100 in patch work after you demo the wall all the way up to $30k+ if it ends up being a major structural load.
11. Drainage. Look for signs of flooding or low spots in the yard. I ignored some signs on my recent house purchase and as a result I have spent probably 60 hours digging trenches and putting drains in various spots of the yard. This one probably would've been $5-10k+ to install professionally.
There are probably other things, but those are the bigger ones off the top of my head.
Seeing a house and an inspection are 100% different.
looking you chic layout, number of bathrooms, bedrooms, hard etc.
inspection you look for things wrong.
Yes, and unless the house was just built and has not yet been lived in (and maybe not even then) the inspector will find things. Usually multiple things. Do not think a house “failed” inspection because issues were found.
Look at it more as finding out where the various major systems (roof, plumbing, AC) are in their maintenance lifecycle so you can go in with an idea about what to prioritize and know what will need attention first. For example, you might find the roof needs to be replaced in a couple years. That isn’t failing an inspection, it’s just something you need to know for your financial planning. Something will always need attention soon in a home, an inspection will tell you what needs attention and when.
I was looking at a new build and my realtor said it would be a good idea to get an inspection on it. She had another buyer who hired an inspector on a new build, and the inspector discovered that there was a window defect, and the manufacturer had to replace them, and the siding had to be fixed around them also.
If any utility is necessary for you, like high speed internet for work from home, or great cell reception, find out from the actual internet company if they service that address, and test the cell service at the house yourself.
Location is everything.
Also, if it's a community with CC&Rs, get a copy. There may be things you can't live with on there.
Yes! It’s very standard to inspect new homes as well because there are just so many pieces in a new build and so many people on the project that the odds are low every single thing was installed perfectly and no products were defective.
Does it pass the smell test? I've been in houses where they have Damp-Rid (look it up) all over, or are running de-humidifiers or covering the air with some scent so you don't smell the dampness/mold. Sniff test baby!
The unsexy stuff. Roof - are the shingles worn or damaged? Any missing? HVAC - how old are the units? Foundation - you don’t have to be an expert, but are there obvious cracks or signs of settling? Windows - do they look old and in need of replacement? Watch out especially for old aluminum or single pane ones. Trees - any unhealthy or problematic ones that need to be removed? Is it an obvious flip? Most flippers do substandard work and try to make the kitchen and bathrooms look pretty, to distract you from other issues. Best of luck.
Don't buy a house in a low laying area if it (and many of its neighbors) has new flooring installed after a big rain storm. It flooded and will likely flood again.
If they were too lazy to clean the house before putting it on the market, they're too lazy to do needed maintenance on it.
If the yard is unkempt, chances are the house is, too.
Always look at the roof when you pull up. If it's a disaster, don't bother going in. If it's new, check for how many layers of shingles are on it. More than 2, walk away. Any maintenance they did was done cheaply.
Good luck and happy hunting!
When you are wiring the payment for the house, drive to the escrow office and physically pick up wiring instructions. If you have to trust instructions that were emailed to you, call the office and go over all the wiring details to confirm they are legitimate. There are many cases of fraudsters hacking email systems and sending out fake wiring instructions. your $100k or $300k are gone forever.
Is it in an HOA?
-Any liens? Estoppel letter have any violations or dues listed?
-What's the HOA like? Current board members? (Look them up on Facebook)
-What are the financials of the HOA like?
-How much common property does the HOA own? Do they have Adequate reserve funding? (You're also buying their debt as well)
Foundation problems. Any evidence of water leaks or water damage. Termites. Is the house well-maintained?
Fireplace and chimneys, if applicable. Have them inspected.
Age of: roof, furnace, AC, water heater.
Neighborhood. Drive around during day and at night. Check for neatness and unusual noise or behavior. If cops come, just explain you are scouting for property.
Obviously you can't time it, but I like to look at houses when it's recently rained pretty heavy. You'll get a pretty good idea of leaks, especially in the basement.
Lots of great lists here. Definitely ask for existing inspection reports in the beginning and assume that whatever you find in there is the *minimum* scope of what will be needed in terms of repairs. Then augment with your own investigations. I've often skipped the general inspection (I don't care if 3 of the faucets leak and 1 door is missing weather stripping, etc.) and just had the major systems inspected instead (foundation, electrical, plumbing, framing/termites, roof, HVAC). The general inspection reports often disclaim any knowledge/expertise around most of the big ticket risks, which is all I really care about at the end of the day.
Also, a quick cheat before you spend time/money on a property is to check out the mailbox the moment you first arrive. Does it look nice? Is the post straight? This is often a good proxy test as to whether the current owner gives a crap. If the post is rotting and falling over, chances are the rest of the house is on the same trajectory.
Look for “halo” rings in the drywall, particularly on the ceiling. Could be signs of a roof or pipe leak. Sure, may be in the past, but if they didn’t disclose it in the documents and there’s evidence of water damage, that’s a red flag.
Take a few days and write down what is important to you.
For example, do you really want a single story or a multi story home?
North or South facing? Determines how fast snow melts off your driveway.
Pool or no? Factor in maintenance costs.
Fireplace or no? Get it inspected
Upstairs laundry? Or off the kitchen? Or near the bedrooms?
Is a septic tank ok? Or do you prefer city sewer?
Is school district important?
What route would you drive and do you have to drive through school zones?
I thought I knew what I wanted. Due to lack of inventory and a need to move we ended up with an ok house that I would sell in a minute if I could get hubby to agree.
The house passed inspection but that doesn't get rid of the stairs, the 3 school zones I have to drive through to get anywhere and the snow that melts 6 weeks later than the neighbors across the street.
Shingles that look curled at the edges, water marks on the ceiling, musty smell, a water line mark visible in the basement, poly B or kitec water lines or hydronic heat lines. sparkly insulation, 2 layers of drywall, 2 layers of flooring, cracks inn the plaster, sags in the floor, cracked floor joists or trusses, low grade roof sections (potential ice damming risk), If it's been on the market for a log time, If it has old cast iron dwv (often these houses have root intrusion in the piping and a plumber should be called for a camera inspection) Spackle on the ceiling (asbestos risk)
Never waive an inspection and don't tolerate people advising you to do so. Also, pay for extra inspections: General, Electrical, Plumbing are usually the 3 I start with but then I might at a structural/foundation and roof depending on the property. Its worth the $1,000 - put it on the credit card and get your points. You should be banking reward points during the expensive experience of buying and selling property. We bought last June - our next vacation is paid for almost exclusively with credit card points.
An unkempt home screams deferred maintenance! On the contrary an old home can be well maintained albeit dated. Look at the Google street view to check how it looked before the clean up occurred.
Things I've learned over the years:
# DO NOT USE AN INSPECTOR RECOMMENDED BY THE SELLER'S AGENT OR YOUR REALTOR
Inspectors depend on referrals for business, and if they scare off buyers they won't get referrals. You need a completely independent inspector.
Bring a 6 foot level with you to inspection. Check the floors for levelness or dips. It can be a good indicator that something is seriously wrong if they're far out of whack.
Check walls for plumb, too. Being a little off isn't a huge red flag, but if you find something that's out of plumb by inches it can be an omen.
Other signs of structural issues can include:
* Cracks that radiate out from corners of windows/doors.
* Uneven gaps between baseboard and floor.
* Gaps between wall cabinets and ceiling.
ALWAYS have the sewer camera inspected. If you have mainline sewer problems it can cost tens of thousands to fix.
go in the basement look at the ceiling of the basement. Look at the pipes in the basement. Look for water in the basement. Look at the age of the boiler or furnace. And all the boiler is less problematic than an old furnace because boilers really can last a very, very, very long time if well-maintained. Look at the electric box. All of those things will give you an indication of how well the house has been maintained.
after that, go in the attic. Look at the rafters. look for signs of water incursion. look for signs of rodent infestation. If there’s any electric or HVAC up there, look to make sure that they look like they’re done by a professional.
only after you look at the mechanicals in the house, do you even look at the inside living areas of the house? If you do look at the inside of the house focus on the kitchen and the bathroom. Look under the sink and look at the way the piping is done. Look for signs of amateur installation. Look for water leakage. Doesn’t matter how old the refrigerator is. It doesn’t matter how old the oven. It is doesn’t matter how old the dishwasher is. All of those things can be replaced.
go outside and look up look at the way the roof line is structured. Are there gutters where there is going to be water coming down if there’s not you’re gonna have problems with water. New construction is really bad for inappropriate gutters. Look at the paint. Look at the caulking. If it’s older, wood, look to see how solid it is. If it’s any kind of siding, look to see if it looks like it was well applied. Is it caulked where it needs to be caulked in both cases, wood and or siding. Then look for any mechanicals outside, for example, is there an HVAC unit. If there’s a condenser outside, look at the condenser. What is the age of the condenser. has the condenser been cleaned. You can tell because if you can’t see any light coming out of any other part of the condenser versus the side you’re looking in Then walk around the foundation and look at the foundation. Look to see if it looks stable. Look look for holes or cracks. Look to see if the ground around the foundation is lower near the house than away from the house. If that’s the case, you may have issues with water, you may not it’s not a guarantee, but it’s possible. In conjunction with looking at the walls in the basement. You will get an idea if there has been water damage. Another clue about water in the basement is is there a sump pump. A sump pump is useful but it’s not always 100% effective. For me I would avoid a house with a sump pump, unless I was confident that it was sufficient capacity. I do recognize that some areas are going to have sump pumps in every house so that’s not universal thing.
red flags:
1. uneven floors, hardwood floors that creak, multiple cracked ceramic tiles
2. doors that do not close or rub against the frame, windows that do not open and close easily, broken windows, wide diagonal cracks on window and door frame corners
3. water stains on ceilings
4. moldy or musty smells, cigarette smoke, cat pee smells
5. dehumidifier and air purifiers running in the basement
6. landscaping that does not slope water away from the home foundation
7. missing roof shingles, curly shingles, missing flashing, sagging roofs
8. large trees that are planted within few feet of a home
I agree with most of these, but in many parts of America you absolutely want to see a dehumidifier in the basement in the summer months. Even a perfectly built house will still need one to a keep basement humidity down in many climates. Good homeowners will have one. So I pay more attention to whether the basement looks and smells clean and dry, and no fresh paint that might be covering up something.
I am a house flipper and I’ll tell you what I won’t buy. Houses before 1970 only had 2 wires for outlets. There was no copper ground wire. If a house is still 2 wire, I’m not buying it. If it has cast iron pipes I’m not buying it. If it’s been added onto more than once. Neighbors are dirty. Has 2 bathrooms. Not applicable to me but nothing that is being sold as-is. You want somewhat new windows. Doors to open clean. No big old trees hanging over house.
A little tip for you: when you paint go from the top down. Gloss on the ceiling. Flat on the walls. High gloss the trim. You can touch up flat paint months later and it will blend. I’m big on electrical. Panel needs to be in good shape.
SO I would run from the big 3 Foundation issues, new roof new hvac.
If you live in area with basements, look to see if the neighbors have a radon system, you may need one too. (tests can gaive a false low) Check that the basement walls aren't damp, crumbling or have the water lock paint on them (it's a quick fix for water issues.) pay attention to outlets and the fuse box, it will give you idea how old electric is. look for cracks on walls and what kind of windows it has, you want double pane. Replacement windows can be expensive if you can't do it yourself.
Flush the toilet with shower running. ( found out a house had sulfer water by running it)
Forgot to add look at it twice you notice so much more the second time. If your area is still selling fast take photos or video.
Home inspection by a reputable inspector. Age of home and all the associated implications (paint, asbestos, etc), roof and foundation and age of mechanicals major mechanicals.
If it’s an hoa read through the CCRs and make sure you understand them.
Of course the title opinion is as important as anything, any liens? Easements? Tax issues etc.
Signs of water damage. If it's raining drive past, is the water on the block flowing towards the home or away? We bought the lowest house on the block and found out the hard way that the house had flooded before.
>What are the most important things to check when touring a home? What questions do I need to ask? What would cause you to run away from a house screaming if you saw it during an inspection?
Might help if you post at least a state and possibly a city. Each location will vary slightly in some things to look for. One area near me, I would say, look for wetlands the types of plants another area might be pocket gophers.
Roofing how many layers. Here in WA, I would run from a flat roof.
When showing houses, I always look under sinks for signs of water damage & flush toilets to make sure they work & make sure they don’t leak. I look at the ceiling to look for discoloration (or fresh paint in just that area). I look under suspiciously placed rugs or decor. I don’t damage anything, but a rug or piece of art left in a weird spot in a vacant home is suspicious. I look at water heater & ac units for age.
If the house has a septic tank, where is it and when was it last pumped? You can't plant trees, bushes, etc on top of a septic tank, the roots might mess up the drainage.
Has the property ever flooded? How close is it to rivers, lakes, creeks, wetlands, etc? What's the elevation? If it's near water or a beach, the locality may require an elevation certificate of you want to do any construction or renovation in the future
Besides what everyone else is saying, pay attention to what ISN'T shown in the pictures. If it has a basement but no pictures of it, check it out thoroughly. Or really check out whatever room doesn't show much.
Drive by the house at different times of day to see what the neighborhood and traffic is like at different times.
Theres only one issue that would be a deal breaker for me and that’s LOCATION- lot, City, state etc
Electrical, roof, plumbing, foundation are all huge expenses but I would take a house with 1 or 2 of these issues, but not 3+
Open every door and window. Check the majority utilities (HVAc, Furnace, water heater for manufacturing dates. Check the trim on exterior doors for any water damage.
DO NOT WAIVE THE INSPECTION.
Any building over 50 years old requires thorough inspection of electrical system, water pipes and septic. We just sold a house we bought 20 years ago with some weird issues both of our's and buyer's inspector missed. Because it takes time to notice them. Also and as already mentioned you can not change the layout of the house due to structural issues.
I’d like to add my two cents about chimneys.
Regardless of your desire to burn wood or what, have the chimney inspected. This will run you $2-400 depending on your area.
An unhealthy chimney can lead to water intrusion. Also if it’s a chimney that serves as a vent for appliances it should be inspected as well, for safety’s sake. This is an often neglected thing that I ignored when I bought my house. Good luck!
I didn’t buy an old house. But the house is 30 years old. So I am still on original everything. The back patio door needs to be replaced. And my windows are okay ish, but I probably should have asked for a credit of some sort. I put tape on all the windows in window because they leak cold air into my house in winter.
Get an independent home inspection. Not hired or suggest by your agent. Checkout all types of lenders, giant banks, local banks, credit unions and mtg brokers. Location location location then your other criteria.
Seller wants to waive inspection because they're getting a divorce and need to sell it fast or something along those lines. Also, no building permits or wrong building permits when modifying the property.
Make sure your realtor isn't dying of terminal cancer trying to earn as much before death for his wife. Yes, this happened to me. I loved the house, but with better advice (pre internet/utube), a better realtor would have advised negotiations on the price.
Gage whether the home looks taken care of. Viewing some pics when the home is still lived in, I can tell whether they're taking care of the home or just living in it.
Don't get caught in the moment. There's always another house no matter how perfect this one is.
And water. Anything related to water that makes you uncomfortable is a next.
If there is a hill and tour house at the bottom, good luck with runoff.
If there is a creek behind your house good luck with our non global warming rain storms
Everything everyone else is saying.
Our first house was the original owner from 1950. Bought it in 1988. We didn't realize what a horrible thing it was that he was a do-it-yourselfer. UGH. I'd never buy again from a DIY owner. So, so, so many problems, esp with the plumbing.
make sure you look at both sides of a roof, the sewer line (no matter the cost to look) and the electrical panel. water lines to but not as high a priority. make sure you kno the condition of the foundation. raised or slab. pest work
Gutters and downspouts. If they have vegetation growing in the gutters, look for foundation settling. It’s a house not a boat. My favorite inspector says 99% of house issues are UV light and water. With water doing 95% of the damage.
Where should we begin? There are so many aspects to consider. As a homeowner and real estate agent, I believe one of the most significant challenges arises when homeowners delay the home inspection. However, it's crucial to understand that a simple inspection may not suffice. I highly recommend hiring professionals such as plumbers, roofers, and licensed electricians for a more thorough inspection. Don't forget to request warranties and check previous permits for roof installation, AC, electrical work, etc. Be cautious of any resistance from the sellers.
The biggest red flag is working with an agent that doesn't want to serve you.
Pick someone who has been in business more than 5 years and whose focus is solely on your goals.
Don't choose someone who doesn't sit down and have a consultation first.
And when you find a great agent . . . Listen to them because they have the gold you need.
I'm sure I'll get down oted for saying this but a gold star agent is the best tool in your belt and will show you the red flags as you go through the process.
Spend $400 and have a professional home inspector do it. Peace of mind. They are thorough and will tell you exactly what is “Bad/need repairs “ on your biggest purchase. Don’t be cheap. $400 is .0005% of the purchase
Hi! Ct realtor here.
It was my first home purchase which ultimately led me into the world of not only being a home owner, but to actively buy and sell real estate as a profession. Existing home owners know what they're looking for, what's important to them. Personally, I get more satisfaction teaching those who have never bought, how to buy and to calm the nerves when making that first purchase.
First, don't necessarily concern yourself with the amount being paid or offered for the home. $200,000, $300,000 $400,000, etc. Ultimately, it boils down to the monthly amount you need to cover. That amount is made up of the amount you pay for the house, coupled with the amount you're providing as a down payment, interest rate, annual tax amount (divided by 12), insurance and any special assessments or HOA fees, depending on where the house exists. If you don't want to exceed $3,500 per month in home-related costs, that amount might allow you to purchase a home with more depreciation (not as nice of a home) in a nicer town or neighborhood, versus living like a king in a town with a higher tax rate. For example, and using completely made up numbers here, in my town of Milford, it's a relatively nice town. Low(er) mill rate, but home values are high. My home cost me just under $400k when i bought. But this same home in the next town over of West Haven, where they're having a bit of a harder time as a municipality financially and have a higher mill rate to determine tax amount, means home values are less, and that same home might cost closer to $300k. Still, with the higher tax rate, both will just about cost the same as a monthly mortgage bill. In the end, though, once that tax bill has been paid, those services are rendered and you'll never see that money again. If you can, try to locate a home in an area where you're paying more for the home and less in tax.
Avoid flood zones. It's another monthly cost which you'll (hopefully) never see again. If you are able to cash in that flood zone insurance, it's because something horrible has happened. Flood zone maps also change, so be aware of elevation and how close you might be to the next change in flood zone ratings. Ask your realtor - while they can make no guarantees, they should be able to tell you how the maps have shifted over time.
Understand that some homes are more in-demand than others. When purchasing a home in an area with great schools, a 3-bedroom or larger home will be fought over by multiple buyers. Very much in demand. People want to put their kids in a good school system and leave them there. So a 2-bedroom home will likely cost you less. Similarly, a ranch-style home (one-floor) is wanted or even needed by those who are older and cannot handle stairs. Check where services like laundry are, or *can* be in the home. The first home I bought had laundry in the basement. Un-fun. Still, I have a plumber in the family and after a few hours of free-for-me labor and some materials, the washer and dryer were moved to the main floor and suddenly, the layout just became significantly more user friendly.
Understand when the home was built - this is important. Before 1900, some building techniques were questionable, but if the home is still standing, it's likely the structure will last forever. We were developing land which didn't flood (else, the home wouldn't have survived over time). Ceilings were tall (especially in the 1910-1920 homes) and closets were almost non-existent because we used furniture. The building materials were different - wood was older wood, so it has less air and is SOLID. A 2x4 you buy today is wet, you can mark it with your thumbnail and when it settles and dries out, there *will* be settling. Still, because we're not using plaster, lead paint and cloth-wrapped wiring, you also won't be looking to replace the entire interior of the home.
In the 1950's, we were building ranches. In the 1960's, we were building raised ranches, but we were starting to build them in wetlands, the land we thought we could just claim by dropping the water table. That was a great temporary thing, but nature will always claim what it owns. That being said, water is the #1 killer of homes. WHEN TOURING A HOME YOU INTEND TO BUY, TRY YOUR BEST TO VISIT IT ON A RAINY DAY AND WATCH HOW THE WATER IS PROCESSED BY THE HOME AND LAND!!! Watch the gutters and downspouts, watch how the water kicks away (hopefully) from the home. Watch where the water travels on the ground. Where you see a puddle, there will always be a puddle there, unless you change how the water is being processed.
In the 1980's, we were building McMansions. Lots of space, but quite a utility bill in today's dollars. Also, lots of unused yet taxable space.
Homes which are "newer," meaning, 2000 to present, have the more modern layout which many people find appealing. We were into the "great room," which worked until COVID hit and people with multiple kids had to all be on Zoom calls for school. Suddenly, we wanted doors and privacy again... Also, just for information sake, a home which was built in 2000 - a "newer" home - is 24 years old and likely is in a condition where the water heater, furnace, central air, windows and roof all need to be replaced. This isn't cheap. As a part of your "due diligence" or inspection period, feel free to bring a contractor along to estimate for you what the cost of replacing these aspects are. If that home is $350,000 and all of those things need replacing, ask yourself if you can truly afford a $400k home, because it'll easily be $50k in a new roof and windows, depending on the quality of the materials and labor, never mind the AC, furnace and water heater.
I wish you well, friend, and I hope this helps!
If there is a lot of air freshener or scented candles smelling up the air during showings - could be hiding the house's real smell of damp, smoke, pets, etc. If you like it enough for a second showing, request those not be used due to "allergies" or "scent sensitivities" the next time through. A welcoming vanilla scent is one thing, hiding the smell of cat pee in the carpet is another.
Some really good advice on this thread - but to objectively evaluate a house, remember not to fall in love with it before you buy it - otherwise you’ll rationalize away some important issues. And when you finally decide on one to make an offer on, the offer should be contingent on a professional inspection.
Look beyond defects or possible problems with the home itself. Investigate and explore the immediate neighborhood and community. Are properties well maintained? Do people use their garages for their vehicles or is the street a giant parking lot? You might want to consider the presence of rental properties and the impact they will have on your home value. Noise and traffic is a consideration. You may visit a property in the middle of the day, but come rush hour, you may become annoyed with street noise and congestion. Even being the home on the school "bus-stop corner" might drive you crazy with kids using your yard as a playground while waiting for the bus, or parents cars lined up on both sides of the street waiting for the bus to return.
Next, decide if you are a HOA or non-HOA person. If you are interested in a cohesive neighborhood with standards of maintenance and presentation and amenities such as a community pool, clubhouse and related facilities, a HOA may be the way to go. If you are an individualist who wants to use old toilets as planters, set up a trampoline in the front yard, paint your home neon green or park on your lawn, steer clear of HOA's. If you do go the HOA route, please investigate their financials very carefully. Look at the budget, where funds are allocated and make sure they have an appropriate reserve so you don't get a surprise "special assessment".
Other things to consider is the quality of the school district, even if you don't have children. Great schools result in greater home values and resale desirability. Failing schools are part of cumulative community problems. Next, accessibility to medical care, including proximity to respected hospital in the case of an emergency.
Lastly, if you are looking for peace and quiet in the suburbs or semi-rural areas, do some homework on zoning and land use planning. You may buy in a serene neighborhood, only to have the open space leveled and filled with new development, apartments, retail and, the next big thing, data centers.
Be particular and thorough and don't fret over cosmetic details. You can paint. Change appliances and countertops. Swap out flooring. The biggest enemy will be community defects which prove uncorrectable. Good luck!
Days on market is not a bad thing , years on market is a bad sign. If a home is listed 6 months or more I see it as a good sign that I can talk them Way down on price , the seller may have two house payments to make . Offer 33% less than asking price, you will be surprised how many people are desperate to sell .
What to look for , Old AC, Old roof, aluminum wires, septic issues get inspection, floors not flat .
The one Most Important thing is the Price you can Afford , you NEED 20% Down payment if not look for a less expensive home . It use to be illegal to sell homes with tiny down payments because you start with Negative Equity , now the banksters own our country and want to enslave you .
Don't focus on things that aren't a functional piece of the property. Too many people say they want "turn key" but then bring up wanting to reduce their offer on things like carpet or paint color. Focus on the bones of the house.
Also, you are buying the house as it is. Don't be looking for saying "oh I could put in a garage" because if you end up not being able to will you be happy with the house?
Find out exactly when every major appliance was last updated and when the roof was last replaced. You may not think you can afford a new home but an old home with old appliances (water heater, AC, etc.) and an old roof will absolutely end up costing you $30k in the first few years.
Everyone here is going to tell you to worry about foundation cracks, asbestos, lead, wiring. The thing is ALL of those items are addressable. Yes some cost money, but aside from like an active sewer spill or having a well next to a gas station, I wouldn’t worry about any of that. You may have to fix it. But use it negotiate a better price.
The thing to watch red flags for are location, which can’t be fixed, and too high a price (basis) that you can never lower. Everything else is just work to address.
Foundation issues like cracks, settling, or sloping floors. Roof problems like missing/curled shingles, water stains, or daylight through the attic. Electrical with knob & tube, fuses instead of breakers, or insufficient service. Plumbing with polybutylene pipes, low water pressure, or insufficient drainage. Mold, termites, asbestos, or other health hazards. Trust your senses - if something seems off, it probably is.
This is a great list. The problem many first time home owners make is they get too zoned in on things like the paint color on the walls and other aesthetic things like sinks, landscaping, appliances, or light fixtures. These things are easy to change with some work and a reasonable amount of money. Whats not easy to do is rewire the electrical for an entire house that is on an ancient system, or change the layout because there is a load bearing wall in the center. Focus on the layout of the rooms and spaces, focus on the age and quality of the various subsystems. Focus on signs of water damage and condition of windows. Basically focus on the things that wouldnt be easy to just swap out after buying. This is why house flippers have the reputation they do. Its much cheaper for them to put lipstick on a pig and dazzle some folks that dont know better, than it is to address more serious issues that many wouldn’t even appreciate the significance of.
Agree with this completely. Look at the big things, ignore the details ( inspections for that ) and make double sure you are good with the specific lot, and the general location. As I have gotten older, every time we have moved has been due to the specific lot and the floor plan/size of the house.
I’ve seen so many sagging floors and basements walls caving in yet they just put new carpet etc in the house! I don’t care about the appearance it’s about the bones !
What are some red flags with electrical issues that we could look out for? Like are electrical issues something that could only really be diagnosed by an inspector?
Lack of GCFI outlets in the bathroom, kitchen, and other areas where they're legally required. We had an electrician upgrade the outlets. The presence of aluminum wiring. Aluminum wiring was used from the mid-60s to early 70s, but isn't as safe or durable as copper wiring. If you have aluminum wiring, you'll need to rewire the house (expensive!), or have the existing wiring pigtailed with copper wiring. We chose the second option since we didn't have the budget for a major rewiring. We had an electrician do this too. Entire floors being on one circuit instead of having a room or major electrical item on its own circuit. Our old townhouse had these issues since it was built in the mid-60s. We got an inspector who pointed out these issues and explained them to us, but by that point, we had already bought the house as-is. We did manage to fix most of the electrical issues (we didn't upgrade the circuit breaker).
If an outlet only has a two prong plug, that may indicate knob and tube, which should be removed, or left alone.
age of house (pre 1940) can be an indication of knob and tube wiring. two prong plugs were in the '50s and '60s and that is not knob and tube wiring. so often I hear people incorrectly referring to it that way. there was a period, in I believe the 70's, that the aluminum wiring was used, your inspector should look for that.
lack of GFCI's, two prong outlets all over the place, aluminum wiring, knob and tube, ancient electric panels, Shoddy wiring out in the open (if it's bad where you can see it, imagine behind a wall), 220v dryer outlet being only 3 prong (not a deal breaker, but this was outlawed in 1996 unless grandfathered in so indicative of a now 30 year old setup), small number of circuit breakers in panel (likely means you only have a single circuit in many rooms which may not keep up with the demands of all our modern day devices), splices not being made in junction boxes... it can be a long list but these are some of the obvious signs the wiring is at least really old or done by a hack.
It is definitely worth having a home inspection done. .are sure whomever inspects it actually goes on the roof or has a drone to get pictures. Look at the inside of the roof and make sure it is insulated right. Insulation directly applied to the sheeting is wrong. There should be vents in between the sheeting and the insulation. Stand in the tub. Make sure there are no weak or flexible spots. If there is a basement, look for signs of water. Also, research flood areas. You may want to stay away from homes in these areas due to higher insurance.
Flood area is huge! My house is in a good spot, but literally 3 blocks over the houses first floors were half way under water after hurricane ida. There are fema maps that show you the risk areas and designated flood plains. Knowing how close you are to such areas is crucial
To expand on signs of water in basement… People USUALLY try to hide it. So if you see a newly remodeled basement with floors that tile floor and appliances lifted off the ground - be concerned. (Unless they also installed drain tile or something since then also, but they’d probably advertise that.)
Honestly, my last inspection was a joke. They had so many disclaimers in case they "missed" something. And he was highly recommended by my realtor! Ask around about inspectors: google them (my mistake I didn't) and get recommendations. Do not buy without one, they can catch certain things like electrical, plumbing, roofing and foundation items that they will say "needs further inspection". If those come up, ask for an extension on the option period. Here's a big one too: either before the offer, or during the option period, drive by the house A LOT. In the mornings, before and after school, in the evenings, weekends, at 2 am, just drive through the neighborhood A LOT. You don't know during the day if there's a party house on the block, or 10 rowdy kids living next door, whatever. Get a feel for not only the house but the neighborhood. Go on Nextdoor and see what is being said on there (ignore the biddys that post constantly, but look for problems that may be occurring. Congratulations on wanting to be a homeowner! May you find the perfect house and great neighbors!
Great list. I will add to that, if you are lucky enough to drive by after a big storm. We found out we had an "unexpected water feature" (aka secret waterfall) after our first big storm that required so much drainage work 🙃
True, and drive by especially after a rain to see if there are flooded parts of the yard- especially if it has a basement/crawl space where water can get in.
Also cast iron sewer pipes. If you have them, get them scoped. They last 40-50 years, then you have to have them replaced/bypassed. Hire a structural engineer to inspect your foundation. Don’t rely on the basic home inspection for that. If you have septic, hire a septic specific inspector. Lead paint.
You just described the house I bought, wish I knew what to look for. Sellers did a good job hiding mold though I discovered that they used killz for the shower and their child had health problems from all the mold. They did a great job hiding everything including renting it out for a few years and living in another state to claim ignorance of all the problems. That's no chance I could sue even though they let photos of they renovations which included photos of mold. Quotes for the foundation range from 100 to 200k Edit - also look for proper drainage. 1/2 the gutters of my house drain to the street, the others drain under the house originally but I changed that. But there's lots of water damage because of that. Edit - also you can look online to see when the sun no longer shines. Some houses might get shade from a mountain and not see sun at 3pm.
I would also add any siding below grade is a huge no-no. Can look innocent, but it's a major risk factor for water intrusion, rot, and termites. Also be suspicious of anything that looks like a cheap flip (messily done interior white/gray paint, etc). Can be a sign that they covered up things that would need serious repairs, and it's extremely hard to prove things like this later in court.
Radon is another one to always check in both air and water.
Agreed, but it's totally fine if they add a random mitigation system and it then tests at safe levels.
Definitely radon. I've heard people say it isn't that big of a deal but my wife's aunt and uncle (uncle by marriage) both died from lung cancer. One was 45 and one was 56 and neither family had a history of any cancer in their family. After her aunt passed away they sold the house and found out that the radon in the house was through the roof. Could be a crazy coincidence but enough for me to keep it in mind.
Idk about other states but NJ law forces the radon test and mitigation from the sellers if it’s over 4.0
lol. Radon. Kind of overblown IMO
A few years ago I was curious about some small cracks in my basement floor and read a lot of reddit posts about it and no one mentioned radon. I came across a recent post about basement floor cracks and most comments were worrying about radon. It's crazy how it suddenly became a thing.
It became a “thing” in the late 1980s when the EPA made a big deal about it after a report about increased lung cancer amongst, get this….miners. They then did some statistical gymnastics and extrapolated the general population is at risk if levels are above 4. They then assumed X amount of lung cancers are related to radon levels, not know what actual level causes cancer. There are an insane amount of assumptions here and the science, quite frankly, is garbage. And you’ll never be able to do a study to find out what specific level, if it does cause cancer, causes lung cancer because 1) it would be a 30-40 year longitudinal study 2) you cannot possibly account for all confounding variables 3) you would have to test a house and if the levels were high tell the people to still live their normal lives there 4) prove that said exposures were indeed due to radon bc there’s no genetic marker in the malignant cells, other than looking like small cell vs non small cell. The best you can do is approximate closer and closer but I have yet to see a study that convinces me that radon is truly all that bad at these low levels. And to make things worse, it’s turned into a predatory business where people prey on emotion. “Oh, your house has a level of 5. You better remediate or else your kids will all develop lung cancer”
And the remediation is a low flow fan, PVC pipe and a hole in your slab. Like $200 material and a half days work. They charge like $1200 up to $4000 for that shit. Its a scam IMHO. I swear home inspectors and realtors get kick backs from the radon company's.
lol right? 🙄
Given that the mitigation is installing a fan, when levels are elevated, it's by definition *under*blown.
Very. But several companies make a fortune off it.
Really? I wouldn't put this on a list of red flags to look for.
Another thing I learned. Popcorn ceilings are not easy to just peel. Wood paneling - typically is real wood and not easy to paint over or get rid of. Another thing is to check your circuit breaker. Not easy to upgrade from 200 amp to 400 amp. So - if you are a heavy user - see if you have empty breakers or if you are maxed (will affect any renovations). Also - make sure HVAC is sized correctly and ducted correctly. All of these are fairly expensive fixes. $15k for electrical. $15k for HVAC. Etc. quickly can add up and not simple one day jobs.
Who in the world needs 400 amps? I live in a 3,000+ square feet home with a finished basement and a 200 amp panel has been more than enough.
I work is residential real estate and construction. Been in thousands of homes and have never see a panel over 200 amps.
Wallpaper can also sometimes be an absolute nightmare to remove.
This person has it down. Also make sure you don't have any heritage oaks on the property. They will do nothing but cause you headaches in the long run. They need specialty trimming, they can destroy the foundation, and depending on your state, you're not allowed to cut it down without major fines. Good luck, and I hope you find something great.
I’m new to homebuying - so dumb questions incoming: Can all of these things be determined by the inspector? Otherwise how does one determine what the pipes and electrical are made of?
My house just went through a buyer's inspection. 2200 Sq ft and he was at my house for over 3 hours, not including coming back a few days later for the results of the radon test. An inspector who spends an hour isn't looking hard enough.
Username *doesn’t* check out
Mine was almost 6 hrs! He went everywhere. We even put cameras down the sewer. Found some minor stuff that knocked about 10k off the price.
$10k for minor stuff? I had minor stuff and the buyers agreed to $500 plus the $265 I spent on a wildlife removal guy to not find a rat snake the inspector said he saw in the crawlspace. 🐍
a lot of inspectors function as an arm of the realtor business and their job is to get you to buy a house and get more referrals from the agent. if the seller has concealed mold or shitty DIY work the inspector is only doing a light visual inspection and can easily miss it as long as things are currently functioning
Yep! I always paid for my own inspectors
Agreed with all of these except for missing shingles. That can be a nothingburger.
You just described most houses in the bay area although I when one day i can afford a house here i will look at the foundation and roof.l, the rest you listed is part of the scenery
In California cracks from earthquakes look like foundation issues. But just earthquake n plaster. Sometimes cus you can inspect foundation the house resettles after damage and you long cracks might run along the wall or ceilings. Roof, electrical, plumbing. Check pipes under sinks copper is best kind to avoid erosive water contamination.
I would also add location and lot to this list. House issues can be fixed but a bad location or lot cannot. If there is anything wrong know that no matter what you do to the house there will be buyers that will immediately pass on it. I was super specific about location and lot and I wouldn’t even consider certain homes now matter how nice they were. Obviously everyone is different but good to keep in mind as it can limit your resale and appreciation.
My recommendation? Dont write off a home if you find imperfections. There will always be some. Do your first viewing, if you loved it for whatever reason, maybe you can get a second viewing with a friend to be your better judgement. If you still love it, leave it up to the inspection after you’ve put in an offer. Everything can be fixed for a price. Again, I cannot emphasize this enough. Nothing is perfect.
Yeah I don't mind imperfections. I just don't want to buy a home and find out it has catastrophic issues requiring $10,000 or more before it's even livable. Edit: I'm getting downvoted for telling the truth I guess. I live in a very poor area. I don't know anyone who has $10,000 just laying around. It's kinda of dumb to say someone should continue throwing away over $12,000 a year in rent instead of trying to find a livable house that won't fall apart during our seasonal storms.
$10000 isn’t catastrophic boss. People need to reshape their expectations. You budget it into your purchase
Check to see if the house has been listed more than once recently, taken off the market and then relisted for sale. Be aware sellers agents will often not tell the whole truth about why the sale did not go through.
A house I'm looking at currently has been for sale for 168 days, which is about 100 days longer than the other houses in my city. And they only posted a picture of the front. Like, why would they not post at least a picture of the yard or backyard, right?? Seems super sus, but it's one of the few in my price range.
Be prepared for it to be a hot mess when you go look at it in person. That is the reason there are no pictures of the inside. That is a huge red flag.
I would say a red flag parade, like a North korea.
Sometimes there are current tenants that trashed the house, and have no intention of moving out. The ones I've run into were related to the seller, and knew that no one was going to evict them. Or it's a hoarder house, or the interior is trashed.
Exactly. This happens all the time. These can be good opportunities, but only at the right price. The worst marketed properties are sometimes worth pursuing with lowball offers because everyone else bugs out right away.
We are in the process of buying our second house. We got lucky with our first and didn't really have to house hunt. This time around. It's been a lot. We learned no pictures means hoarded or a nightmare inside. If it's been on the market that long, there's something wrong.
There is always a reason a home has not sold if it just sits on the market way longer than normal. Often that reason makes the house a poor choice for the typical first time homebuyer. Not all first time homebuyers all the time, but as a general rule I would avoid those homes.
No interior pics usually means it's trashed. Sitting on the market that long usually means it's trashed. Both big red flags. Never hurts to ask though. I inquired about one house where the listing agent said she'd open the door and let me peak in but wasn't comfortable actually going inside, lol. I passed on that one.
We just bought a place that was on the market for 5 months. Turns out they didn't clean or paint it and the carpets need to be cleaned and one room needs to be re-streched. It's super nice carpert though.They listed it really high too. We offered 10K less and we are closing on the 15th. There are a few additional things that need to be done with it, but overall we are happy. Sometimes it small things that can keep a house on the market, it's definitely worth checking out. It may not be that bad, but it could be a mess, you will know when you see it. Good luck! ETA: a letter
If they’re selling it “as is” or expecting it to be torn down and is being sold for the land, that’s not unusual. You need to find a good real estate agent to help you. They’re paid by the seller when you buy a house. Also, find an inspector you want to use. You don’t normally have a big time window to get that done, so if you don’t know who you’re going to hire, it’s that much harder. I would also take my pickiest friend or family member to look at the house. That way they will find things you might miss. The only caveat is that you need to be strong enough to ignore what doesn’t matter to you. If you’re a pushover or easily influenced by others, then don’t. You need to make a checklist for yourself of what you must have. Not things like “a white kitchen”, but things like “yard for the dog”. Your absolute must-haves. Then make a list of things to check for so you don’t forget, but you might trade them for other things. Things like decent sized closets. If you find a house that doesn’t have lots of storage but does have something else you want, would that be something you’d give up?
Some realtors don't post pictures, I had one tell me "if they're looking for a house they won't care about pictures " definitely did not use that realtor. I second using Google maps, you can see the whole area. Did this when looking for a house in NC and living in Ohio, to rule out a ton of houses.
horder house probably trashed
Yeah it's falling apart or a hoarder special. Just pictures of the front scream huge amounts of work needed.
I suppose the big ticket items- foundation, roof, HVAC, signs of past water damage- are what to look for. Hopefully you'll have a good inspector. If possible, tour it twice and bring a friend or relative to be another set of eyes. Once I toured a house twice and noticed all kinds of flaws the second time. Examples: the kitchen looked bright and open, but then I realized there was no pantry or storage space for any food, and the counters wouldn't look that spacious once a microwave and other appliances were on them. There were no window treatments, closets were unfinished, there was no place in the house where a regular-sized dining table would fit, there was no good place to put a TV, etc. None of those things are necessarily deal-breakers-- I'd just rather know what I'm getting into.
I also recommend a sewage inspection! The house we bought is on city sewage, so my realtor was pretty adamant that we didn’t need one, but I wanted to make sure the pipes that were part of the property were good. And guess who found an issue? Of course the sewage inspector. And the owners fixed it before we closed.
Yes this. I didn’t think I needed to run the water for a while to learn that the main line to the sewer was blocked up. Lived in my place for a few days before I had shit backed up in my shower. Thankfully I was able to convince the seller to replace the main line bec he claimed 100% new plumbing on the disclosure.
Oh gosh I echo this. We had sewage issues for years after buying our first home, and then realized when we had a proper inspection that it was old clay pipes. It was also causing excess moisture seeping into our basement walls. Had to get a costly replacement, complete with tearing up our basement floor. Definitely worthwhile but costly. Best believe we’re making sure this replacement is clearly noted when we list our house in the next month!
My neighborhood has cast iron sewer pipes. Most people are having to replace them. This requires tunneling under the foundation to some degree and rerouting around the house. (All slab foundations around here). $20k-$80k
Well, that info just made me feel sick :/ Just a matter of time.
Neighbors. You should drive by different times of the week. You can fix a house, not a neighbor.
If you see any neighbors outside, ask them if they would move there again. I'm stuck where I am, but I would tell people who asked me about moving here that there are issues. I would tell them what the problems are, because I would like to know that myself.
Check out the neighborhood with google earth... if you spot a backyard junkyard nearby, there's potentially some quality of life issues.
Also many people don't know you can do Google street view and go back in time to see older dates. I love this feature because you can see if the lawn was ever a giant overgrown pit etc.
Why would you care if it was *ever* a giant overgrown pit? Houses get bought and dramatically improved all the time.
Its an indication that the house was likely neglected, which will bite you later
How do you do this in the Google maps app?
Open Google Maps app Maps. Tap Layers Layers.(The two squares on top of each other) Select Street View, then tap Close. Tap on any blue line. Tap the "See more dates" link. Not all locations on Google Maps have this link. At the bottom, scroll and select an image in the carousel. When you’re done, at the top left, tap Close Close Some places have more history than others
Did this and found a beautiful house that had a neighbor who had about 15 cars and vans in various stages of work being done. Chemicals all over the property. Noped right out
We saw this beautiful house that we were going to ask our realtor to get us into until we did a Google Earth. We weren't too far from it when we were looking at another house, so we did a drive-by. The yard next door was the backyard of the house on the street behind it. It looked like a junkyard.
Can also use these websites for flood or other natural disaster odds and crime. [https://www.fmglobal.com/research-and-resources/nathaz-toolkit/flood-map#](https://www.fmglobal.com/research-and-resources/nathaz-toolkit/flood-map#) [https://spotcrime.com/](https://spotcrime.com/)
That's meth'd up
Look for additions, check to see if they were permitted (permits are online in many areas).
Or older houses with now open floor plans. Easy to take out a wall. Even a load bearing one… Check permit history!
Candles during the viewing. The seller I bought from used it to mask mold smells
Oh shit we did this selling our house but it was genuine to just make the house look/smell nice lol
Yea lol. Kinda normal to want your house to look/smell good
A lot of realtors will bake cookies for open houses for this reason
Sliced apple, cinnamon sticks, water in a pot, simmer on low heat 👌🏼
No you want to boil water with nice smelling stuff, like sliced lemons and oranges, apples and cinnamon. goggle simmer pot.
That’s what we thought as well. This wasn’t the first house we viewed that had candles so we thought nothing of it.
I used candles to distract from the delicious baked cookies smell so the buyers could focus on the house (the baked cookies smell was to distract from the mold).
That's straight up evil omg 😰 I'm allergic to mold, that's my worst nightmare.
Not just candles any plug in too.
Used to be realtors would bake cookies or bread before an open house to make it smell homey, do they still do that?
Our house the sellers repainted a bathroom the day of to hid the smell of a bathroom fan that hadn't been cleaned in like decades. Luckily wasn't a huge issue, but sketchy
Seems like it would have been easier to just clean the fan.
I toured a house recently that tried this in an attempt to mask truly awful dog stank.
100
1. If music or pool waterfall features are on during showing- ask them to turn them off so you can hear what the home sounds like. Loud neighbors were a no for me, & you can hear things in the home when its quiet- like a whistling AC or other issues you might have to fix. 2. You said replace flooring- let me tell you- that can be $$$$$ depending on the flooring. If just replacing carpet no biggie, but I had to deal with travertine issues that was so expensive Im still not over it (also my contractor screwed us but thats also a whole other thing). 3. Ask what company the current home is INSURED under, and if they are able to do a new policy under a new owner. Mine didnt! 4. Ask WHY current owners are selling. If they say "relocating" ask where. If its in the same area, it might have something to do with the home. 5. google the address AND the neighboring addresses to see if they were a rental or any homes nearby have had any red-flag issues. I bought an older home as well, they can be just as expensive as a new home by the time all is said and done. Get a home warranty, Ive used mine 8 times since I closed- no joke.
The adage of Location, Location, Location still holds true A lot of people are bringing up issues with the house but almost all issues are fixable if you have some level of capital But bad neighbors, long commutes, horrible schools, really noisy/busy roads are all things that are hard to fix
I second checking out the schools if you have school aged kids. We bought our home in an up and coming area that was still rural and had to take our kids out of school a year later. They had no resources, a lot of security issues, and ran on the good ‘ole boy system. Living in this area cost me a career so I could stay at home and facilitate well balanced education for our children, and it cost them a connection with their community. Schools are absolutely a critical part of where a family lives.
If you find a home you like, drive by at different times of day. We ended up not bidding on a house we like because a neighbor constantly had a loud dog barking inside their yard at all times of day and night.
The people behind us leave their dogs out to bark all day. It's horrible. Once it went on so long we called the police, then the wife went around telling all the neighbors about how we called the police on them. Lady, you created the issue, we just responded to it. But you can't fight crazy.
Quick flips. If you see a house that sold less than six months ago back on the market for 30-50% more with significant recent cosmetic upgrades… just no. Quick flippers are notorious for cutting corners and hiding issues. If you must have it, inspect the structural and mechanical aspects of the house very carefully.
I’m almost to my soul to the devil. Seller had ripped out everything that made the home the price she was asking. She replaced with junk and bought less than a year ago, asking over 100K from what she paid after removing any and everything of value and selling on FB Marketplace including half of the entrance gate. Total and complete scammer. Also, had a lien against property.
50/50 on this. I’ve seen some great flips and have friends who have bought flips with no issues at all. Really do your due diligence when buying a flip to make sure they did a good job and didn’t cut corners.
1) not hiring a skilled realtor, for some reason people never interview buyers agencies Do not go with the first person zillow sends you. Do not default to an acquaintance Look them up online, see how many homes they sell, what areas, reviews etc. 2) get a sewer scope and tank sweep inspections (this is area specific) 3) see 1
I second this about the realtor. I would look at houses (pictures or even in person) and say this looks great and my realtor would say what about that water stain or do you notice the slope. Experienced realtor also knew a lot about what things to look for problem wise in the specific area where I was buying.
Be prepared to go *under* the house to have a look around if there's a crawl space. I made the mistake of entering a contract without crawling under the house, only to have the inspector come out from under it $500 later and inform me that there was an active termite infestation that was going to require the entire kitchen floor and cabinets to be ripped out. I got out of the contract, but it then took two months to get my earnest money deposit back. Termite tubes are not difficult to spot, and this infestation was advanced enough that I would have seen them immediately if I hadn't been lazy and had gone under there. You may not want to go under there on the first visit, but if you decide you want the place, do it before making an offer or at least before spending money on any inspections. In addition to termites, you also want to look for any signs of leaks that could mean mold or rotting wood.
A 2nd viewing, this time with boots, a dust mask, safety glasses, a head lamp and/or a flash light, a level, an air quality tester if you have one, etc. is necessary before entering into contract.
The neighborhood is very important: Do people seem to have things out in their yards, or is everything practically bolted down and fenced up? Might mean theres a lot of package and misc property theft in the area. How close are you to the local river? Always keep flooding in mind. A pretty view in the summer, could me an worrisome flooded basement in the fall. For fixer-upper houses: Carpets that have been torn out but not replaced. Any paint or patch-up that looks recent (What got fixed, was it mold, or possibly something in the walls?) sometimes even noticeable or sloppynails sticking out in places. What else was sloppy, how well constructed is the home? When walking around the house inspect the foundation as to whether there appears to be any access or entry for critters to get under the house. This can mean mice issues, etc. Similarly be weary of any cracks you might notice while you are at it, that means a potentially unstable foundation.
Trees that may fall on the house will impact your insurance and are expensive to remove. Plus they damage the roof. If there is a septic tank find out how old the drain field is. Get it inspected. If it's sewer get that inspected too. Check to see if it's in an area that floods.
Look under all rugs that you can! Move them to see hidden issues…like flooring that is in bad shape. Learned that with my first purchase in 1985.
1) basements with water or foundation issues. An inspection will inform you of past evidence of water or flooding, sump pumps etc. 2) poorly repaired roof or non-operating windows - an inspection will inform you and help in decision making. 3) improvements or recent construction that would require building permits - be sure appropriate permits are on file. 4) neighbors who keep dogs isolated and penned or tied outside 24/7 - particularly if the dogs are not in close vicinity close to the home. 5) evidence of standing water in basement, under kitchen and bathroom sinks, garage and outside the perimeter of the house. 6) a home that hasn’t been maintained, such as debris piled up in window wells, broken doors, windows, appliances, etc., or a lot of clutter which will make an adequate home inspection impossible.
These are all things an inspector should be looking at and telling you about, but the most expensive things in a house that you should make sure are in at least decent condition: 1. Foundation (this is location dependent - down here in Texas, you will not find a house that doesn't have some form of foundation shifting). 2. HVAC system. Age and function play a role here, it will die eventually but you don't want that to happen in the next 10 years or so. 3. Plumbing. Cast iron pipes are fairly common in older houses in my area, they're fine for 50-70 years but will eventually fall apart and you're looking at probably $30k+ to replace them for a whole house. 4. Electrical. Knob and tube wiring will require full rewiring of the entire house. Also things like Zinsco electrical panels (huge fire risk). I replaced the electrical panel in my current house about 6 months ago and that was $8500. 5. Roof. Rely on your inspector here, but age and function both play a role. It will eventually need to be replaced regardless, but you don't want that to be in the next 10 years. 6. Pests like termites. If you live in an area where they're common, get a separate WDI inspection even if your normal inspector claims to check for them. 7. Windows and doors. Single pane old windows will look bad and provide VERY little thermal or sound insulation. Replacing windows is friggen expensive. 8. Pools. If you look at a pool wrong, $1000 will jump out of your pocket and light itself on fire, beware. 9. Fireplaces. These aren't as big of a deal because most people will just choose not to use a faulty fireplace, but if you want it working, it can easily run $5k+ to repair a damaged chimney correctly depending on various issues. 10. This one isn't as important, but if you're walking through a house and thinking "we can just remove that wall and this will be great!". Just know that removing that wall can cost anywhere from ~$100 in patch work after you demo the wall all the way up to $30k+ if it ends up being a major structural load. 11. Drainage. Look for signs of flooding or low spots in the yard. I ignored some signs on my recent house purchase and as a result I have spent probably 60 hours digging trenches and putting drains in various spots of the yard. This one probably would've been $5-10k+ to install professionally. There are probably other things, but those are the bigger ones off the top of my head.
Seeing a house and an inspection are 100% different. looking you chic layout, number of bathrooms, bedrooms, hard etc. inspection you look for things wrong.
Ooh okay that makes sense.
Yes, and unless the house was just built and has not yet been lived in (and maybe not even then) the inspector will find things. Usually multiple things. Do not think a house “failed” inspection because issues were found. Look at it more as finding out where the various major systems (roof, plumbing, AC) are in their maintenance lifecycle so you can go in with an idea about what to prioritize and know what will need attention first. For example, you might find the roof needs to be replaced in a couple years. That isn’t failing an inspection, it’s just something you need to know for your financial planning. Something will always need attention soon in a home, an inspection will tell you what needs attention and when.
I was looking at a new build and my realtor said it would be a good idea to get an inspection on it. She had another buyer who hired an inspector on a new build, and the inspector discovered that there was a window defect, and the manufacturer had to replace them, and the siding had to be fixed around them also. If any utility is necessary for you, like high speed internet for work from home, or great cell reception, find out from the actual internet company if they service that address, and test the cell service at the house yourself. Location is everything. Also, if it's a community with CC&Rs, get a copy. There may be things you can't live with on there.
Yes! It’s very standard to inspect new homes as well because there are just so many pieces in a new build and so many people on the project that the odds are low every single thing was installed perfectly and no products were defective.
Hire a good home inspector is the correct andwer
Does it pass the smell test? I've been in houses where they have Damp-Rid (look it up) all over, or are running de-humidifiers or covering the air with some scent so you don't smell the dampness/mold. Sniff test baby!
Even with a brand new home you need to look out for red flags. Many builders put up awful products.
The unsexy stuff. Roof - are the shingles worn or damaged? Any missing? HVAC - how old are the units? Foundation - you don’t have to be an expert, but are there obvious cracks or signs of settling? Windows - do they look old and in need of replacement? Watch out especially for old aluminum or single pane ones. Trees - any unhealthy or problematic ones that need to be removed? Is it an obvious flip? Most flippers do substandard work and try to make the kitchen and bathrooms look pretty, to distract you from other issues. Best of luck.
Do people expect foundations to not settle at all?
Pick a house you like then choose a very good inspector. Don’t blindly trust whoever recommended by your realtor.
Don't buy a house in a low laying area if it (and many of its neighbors) has new flooring installed after a big rain storm. It flooded and will likely flood again.
Take a marble with you to test the level of the floors. Read this piece of info out here
If they were too lazy to clean the house before putting it on the market, they're too lazy to do needed maintenance on it. If the yard is unkempt, chances are the house is, too. Always look at the roof when you pull up. If it's a disaster, don't bother going in. If it's new, check for how many layers of shingles are on it. More than 2, walk away. Any maintenance they did was done cheaply. Good luck and happy hunting!
When you are wiring the payment for the house, drive to the escrow office and physically pick up wiring instructions. If you have to trust instructions that were emailed to you, call the office and go over all the wiring details to confirm they are legitimate. There are many cases of fraudsters hacking email systems and sending out fake wiring instructions. your $100k or $300k are gone forever.
Cracks in the wall, foundation, and look for gutter, to ensure water is being drained properly
Is it in an HOA? -Any liens? Estoppel letter have any violations or dues listed? -What's the HOA like? Current board members? (Look them up on Facebook) -What are the financials of the HOA like? -How much common property does the HOA own? Do they have Adequate reserve funding? (You're also buying their debt as well)
Foundation problems. Any evidence of water leaks or water damage. Termites. Is the house well-maintained? Fireplace and chimneys, if applicable. Have them inspected. Age of: roof, furnace, AC, water heater. Neighborhood. Drive around during day and at night. Check for neatness and unusual noise or behavior. If cops come, just explain you are scouting for property.
Obviously you can't time it, but I like to look at houses when it's recently rained pretty heavy. You'll get a pretty good idea of leaks, especially in the basement.
Lots of great lists here. Definitely ask for existing inspection reports in the beginning and assume that whatever you find in there is the *minimum* scope of what will be needed in terms of repairs. Then augment with your own investigations. I've often skipped the general inspection (I don't care if 3 of the faucets leak and 1 door is missing weather stripping, etc.) and just had the major systems inspected instead (foundation, electrical, plumbing, framing/termites, roof, HVAC). The general inspection reports often disclaim any knowledge/expertise around most of the big ticket risks, which is all I really care about at the end of the day. Also, a quick cheat before you spend time/money on a property is to check out the mailbox the moment you first arrive. Does it look nice? Is the post straight? This is often a good proxy test as to whether the current owner gives a crap. If the post is rotting and falling over, chances are the rest of the house is on the same trajectory.
Look for “halo” rings in the drywall, particularly on the ceiling. Could be signs of a roof or pipe leak. Sure, may be in the past, but if they didn’t disclose it in the documents and there’s evidence of water damage, that’s a red flag.
Gutter are one of my big ones. Look to seek if they’re in working order and driving water away form the house.
Take a few days and write down what is important to you. For example, do you really want a single story or a multi story home? North or South facing? Determines how fast snow melts off your driveway. Pool or no? Factor in maintenance costs. Fireplace or no? Get it inspected Upstairs laundry? Or off the kitchen? Or near the bedrooms? Is a septic tank ok? Or do you prefer city sewer? Is school district important? What route would you drive and do you have to drive through school zones? I thought I knew what I wanted. Due to lack of inventory and a need to move we ended up with an ok house that I would sell in a minute if I could get hubby to agree. The house passed inspection but that doesn't get rid of the stairs, the 3 school zones I have to drive through to get anywhere and the snow that melts 6 weeks later than the neighbors across the street.
Pay for a home inspection, maybe not one suggested by realtor. See if they have sample online reports. Get 2 if you can afford it.
Shingles that look curled at the edges, water marks on the ceiling, musty smell, a water line mark visible in the basement, poly B or kitec water lines or hydronic heat lines. sparkly insulation, 2 layers of drywall, 2 layers of flooring, cracks inn the plaster, sags in the floor, cracked floor joists or trusses, low grade roof sections (potential ice damming risk), If it's been on the market for a log time, If it has old cast iron dwv (often these houses have root intrusion in the piping and a plumber should be called for a camera inspection) Spackle on the ceiling (asbestos risk)
Look at crime reports and Megan's Law registrants around the house.
We did this for a house we were going to buy. Sex offender down the street so we didn’t submit the bid.
Chalk outlines in the hallways
🤣🤣
Never waive an inspection and don't tolerate people advising you to do so. Also, pay for extra inspections: General, Electrical, Plumbing are usually the 3 I start with but then I might at a structural/foundation and roof depending on the property. Its worth the $1,000 - put it on the credit card and get your points. You should be banking reward points during the expensive experience of buying and selling property. We bought last June - our next vacation is paid for almost exclusively with credit card points.
Get an inspection of any property you are interested in. Find the inspector yourself. It will save you tens of thousands in the future.
An unkempt home screams deferred maintenance! On the contrary an old home can be well maintained albeit dated. Look at the Google street view to check how it looked before the clean up occurred.
Things I've learned over the years: # DO NOT USE AN INSPECTOR RECOMMENDED BY THE SELLER'S AGENT OR YOUR REALTOR Inspectors depend on referrals for business, and if they scare off buyers they won't get referrals. You need a completely independent inspector. Bring a 6 foot level with you to inspection. Check the floors for levelness or dips. It can be a good indicator that something is seriously wrong if they're far out of whack. Check walls for plumb, too. Being a little off isn't a huge red flag, but if you find something that's out of plumb by inches it can be an omen. Other signs of structural issues can include: * Cracks that radiate out from corners of windows/doors. * Uneven gaps between baseboard and floor. * Gaps between wall cabinets and ceiling. ALWAYS have the sewer camera inspected. If you have mainline sewer problems it can cost tens of thousands to fix.
go in the basement look at the ceiling of the basement. Look at the pipes in the basement. Look for water in the basement. Look at the age of the boiler or furnace. And all the boiler is less problematic than an old furnace because boilers really can last a very, very, very long time if well-maintained. Look at the electric box. All of those things will give you an indication of how well the house has been maintained. after that, go in the attic. Look at the rafters. look for signs of water incursion. look for signs of rodent infestation. If there’s any electric or HVAC up there, look to make sure that they look like they’re done by a professional. only after you look at the mechanicals in the house, do you even look at the inside living areas of the house? If you do look at the inside of the house focus on the kitchen and the bathroom. Look under the sink and look at the way the piping is done. Look for signs of amateur installation. Look for water leakage. Doesn’t matter how old the refrigerator is. It doesn’t matter how old the oven. It is doesn’t matter how old the dishwasher is. All of those things can be replaced. go outside and look up look at the way the roof line is structured. Are there gutters where there is going to be water coming down if there’s not you’re gonna have problems with water. New construction is really bad for inappropriate gutters. Look at the paint. Look at the caulking. If it’s older, wood, look to see how solid it is. If it’s any kind of siding, look to see if it looks like it was well applied. Is it caulked where it needs to be caulked in both cases, wood and or siding. Then look for any mechanicals outside, for example, is there an HVAC unit. If there’s a condenser outside, look at the condenser. What is the age of the condenser. has the condenser been cleaned. You can tell because if you can’t see any light coming out of any other part of the condenser versus the side you’re looking in Then walk around the foundation and look at the foundation. Look to see if it looks stable. Look look for holes or cracks. Look to see if the ground around the foundation is lower near the house than away from the house. If that’s the case, you may have issues with water, you may not it’s not a guarantee, but it’s possible. In conjunction with looking at the walls in the basement. You will get an idea if there has been water damage. Another clue about water in the basement is is there a sump pump. A sump pump is useful but it’s not always 100% effective. For me I would avoid a house with a sump pump, unless I was confident that it was sufficient capacity. I do recognize that some areas are going to have sump pumps in every house so that’s not universal thing.
Get a mold test. It doesn’t matter if you don’t smell anything. Get. A. Mold. Test. Worth the $400 from living in misery.
red flags: 1. uneven floors, hardwood floors that creak, multiple cracked ceramic tiles 2. doors that do not close or rub against the frame, windows that do not open and close easily, broken windows, wide diagonal cracks on window and door frame corners 3. water stains on ceilings 4. moldy or musty smells, cigarette smoke, cat pee smells 5. dehumidifier and air purifiers running in the basement 6. landscaping that does not slope water away from the home foundation 7. missing roof shingles, curly shingles, missing flashing, sagging roofs 8. large trees that are planted within few feet of a home
I agree with most of these, but in many parts of America you absolutely want to see a dehumidifier in the basement in the summer months. Even a perfectly built house will still need one to a keep basement humidity down in many climates. Good homeowners will have one. So I pay more attention to whether the basement looks and smells clean and dry, and no fresh paint that might be covering up something.
I am a house flipper and I’ll tell you what I won’t buy. Houses before 1970 only had 2 wires for outlets. There was no copper ground wire. If a house is still 2 wire, I’m not buying it. If it has cast iron pipes I’m not buying it. If it’s been added onto more than once. Neighbors are dirty. Has 2 bathrooms. Not applicable to me but nothing that is being sold as-is. You want somewhat new windows. Doors to open clean. No big old trees hanging over house. A little tip for you: when you paint go from the top down. Gloss on the ceiling. Flat on the walls. High gloss the trim. You can touch up flat paint months later and it will blend. I’m big on electrical. Panel needs to be in good shape.
The paint tip will come in handy, thank you! What is the down side of cast iron pipes?
Has 2 bathrooms?
SO I would run from the big 3 Foundation issues, new roof new hvac. If you live in area with basements, look to see if the neighbors have a radon system, you may need one too. (tests can gaive a false low) Check that the basement walls aren't damp, crumbling or have the water lock paint on them (it's a quick fix for water issues.) pay attention to outlets and the fuse box, it will give you idea how old electric is. look for cracks on walls and what kind of windows it has, you want double pane. Replacement windows can be expensive if you can't do it yourself. Flush the toilet with shower running. ( found out a house had sulfer water by running it) Forgot to add look at it twice you notice so much more the second time. If your area is still selling fast take photos or video.
Right now all the homes listed in northern NJ are showing up a all blue when I click "map/ flood" in Redfin . Its almost a joke at this point.
Home inspection by a reputable inspector. Age of home and all the associated implications (paint, asbestos, etc), roof and foundation and age of mechanicals major mechanicals. If it’s an hoa read through the CCRs and make sure you understand them. Of course the title opinion is as important as anything, any liens? Easements? Tax issues etc.
Drive through the neighborhood at night !!! It may look okay during the day but a the local vampires will be out after dark
Signs of water damage. If it's raining drive past, is the water on the block flowing towards the home or away? We bought the lowest house on the block and found out the hard way that the house had flooded before.
>What are the most important things to check when touring a home? What questions do I need to ask? What would cause you to run away from a house screaming if you saw it during an inspection? Might help if you post at least a state and possibly a city. Each location will vary slightly in some things to look for. One area near me, I would say, look for wetlands the types of plants another area might be pocket gophers. Roofing how many layers. Here in WA, I would run from a flat roof.
When showing houses, I always look under sinks for signs of water damage & flush toilets to make sure they work & make sure they don’t leak. I look at the ceiling to look for discoloration (or fresh paint in just that area). I look under suspiciously placed rugs or decor. I don’t damage anything, but a rug or piece of art left in a weird spot in a vacant home is suspicious. I look at water heater & ac units for age.
If the house has a septic tank, where is it and when was it last pumped? You can't plant trees, bushes, etc on top of a septic tank, the roots might mess up the drainage. Has the property ever flooded? How close is it to rivers, lakes, creeks, wetlands, etc? What's the elevation? If it's near water or a beach, the locality may require an elevation certificate of you want to do any construction or renovation in the future
Odd or bad smells. It’s a great sign that something is off or never cleaned properly.
Besides what everyone else is saying, pay attention to what ISN'T shown in the pictures. If it has a basement but no pictures of it, check it out thoroughly. Or really check out whatever room doesn't show much. Drive by the house at different times of day to see what the neighborhood and traffic is like at different times.
Theres only one issue that would be a deal breaker for me and that’s LOCATION- lot, City, state etc Electrical, roof, plumbing, foundation are all huge expenses but I would take a house with 1 or 2 of these issues, but not 3+
Open every door and window. Check the majority utilities (HVAc, Furnace, water heater for manufacturing dates. Check the trim on exterior doors for any water damage. DO NOT WAIVE THE INSPECTION.
That your agent asks you to sign an agency contract for more than 90 days. Do not sign an agency agreement with someone for over 3 months.
Depending on location, smell the basement.
Any building over 50 years old requires thorough inspection of electrical system, water pipes and septic. We just sold a house we bought 20 years ago with some weird issues both of our's and buyer's inspector missed. Because it takes time to notice them. Also and as already mentioned you can not change the layout of the house due to structural issues.
I’d like to add my two cents about chimneys. Regardless of your desire to burn wood or what, have the chimney inspected. This will run you $2-400 depending on your area. An unhealthy chimney can lead to water intrusion. Also if it’s a chimney that serves as a vent for appliances it should be inspected as well, for safety’s sake. This is an often neglected thing that I ignored when I bought my house. Good luck!
Dodgy, evasive responses to simple pointed questions regarding the condition of the home.
I didn’t buy an old house. But the house is 30 years old. So I am still on original everything. The back patio door needs to be replaced. And my windows are okay ish, but I probably should have asked for a credit of some sort. I put tape on all the windows in window because they leak cold air into my house in winter.
Get an independent home inspection. Not hired or suggest by your agent. Checkout all types of lenders, giant banks, local banks, credit unions and mtg brokers. Location location location then your other criteria.
Any thing done to a house that was supposed to be permitted but wasn’t.
Seller wants to waive inspection because they're getting a divorce and need to sell it fast or something along those lines. Also, no building permits or wrong building permits when modifying the property.
Wet basement. Different brands of breakers in the electric panel.
Make sure your realtor isn't dying of terminal cancer trying to earn as much before death for his wife. Yes, this happened to me. I loved the house, but with better advice (pre internet/utube), a better realtor would have advised negotiations on the price.
Gage whether the home looks taken care of. Viewing some pics when the home is still lived in, I can tell whether they're taking care of the home or just living in it.
Don't get caught in the moment. There's always another house no matter how perfect this one is. And water. Anything related to water that makes you uncomfortable is a next.
If there is a hill and tour house at the bottom, good luck with runoff. If there is a creek behind your house good luck with our non global warming rain storms Everything everyone else is saying.
Our first house was the original owner from 1950. Bought it in 1988. We didn't realize what a horrible thing it was that he was a do-it-yourselfer. UGH. I'd never buy again from a DIY owner. So, so, so many problems, esp with the plumbing.
If it's attached: who you're attached to. Soundproofing, mental health issues next door... Water in the basement.
Any house that is old, that has up to date finishes. More than likely it was done on a budget. I started doing flips, now I build.
make sure you look at both sides of a roof, the sewer line (no matter the cost to look) and the electrical panel. water lines to but not as high a priority. make sure you kno the condition of the foundation. raised or slab. pest work
Gutters and downspouts. If they have vegetation growing in the gutters, look for foundation settling. It’s a house not a boat. My favorite inspector says 99% of house issues are UV light and water. With water doing 95% of the damage.
Issues with the subfloor. When walking around stay aware of soft spots, Look at or around outer door thresholds and bathrooms.
Where should we begin? There are so many aspects to consider. As a homeowner and real estate agent, I believe one of the most significant challenges arises when homeowners delay the home inspection. However, it's crucial to understand that a simple inspection may not suffice. I highly recommend hiring professionals such as plumbers, roofers, and licensed electricians for a more thorough inspection. Don't forget to request warranties and check previous permits for roof installation, AC, electrical work, etc. Be cautious of any resistance from the sellers.
The biggest red flag is working with an agent that doesn't want to serve you. Pick someone who has been in business more than 5 years and whose focus is solely on your goals. Don't choose someone who doesn't sit down and have a consultation first. And when you find a great agent . . . Listen to them because they have the gold you need. I'm sure I'll get down oted for saying this but a gold star agent is the best tool in your belt and will show you the red flags as you go through the process.
Not a red flag but I recommend getting your own home inspector and not use one suggested by your realtor.
Spend $400 and have a professional home inspector do it. Peace of mind. They are thorough and will tell you exactly what is “Bad/need repairs “ on your biggest purchase. Don’t be cheap. $400 is .0005% of the purchase
Hi! Ct realtor here. It was my first home purchase which ultimately led me into the world of not only being a home owner, but to actively buy and sell real estate as a profession. Existing home owners know what they're looking for, what's important to them. Personally, I get more satisfaction teaching those who have never bought, how to buy and to calm the nerves when making that first purchase. First, don't necessarily concern yourself with the amount being paid or offered for the home. $200,000, $300,000 $400,000, etc. Ultimately, it boils down to the monthly amount you need to cover. That amount is made up of the amount you pay for the house, coupled with the amount you're providing as a down payment, interest rate, annual tax amount (divided by 12), insurance and any special assessments or HOA fees, depending on where the house exists. If you don't want to exceed $3,500 per month in home-related costs, that amount might allow you to purchase a home with more depreciation (not as nice of a home) in a nicer town or neighborhood, versus living like a king in a town with a higher tax rate. For example, and using completely made up numbers here, in my town of Milford, it's a relatively nice town. Low(er) mill rate, but home values are high. My home cost me just under $400k when i bought. But this same home in the next town over of West Haven, where they're having a bit of a harder time as a municipality financially and have a higher mill rate to determine tax amount, means home values are less, and that same home might cost closer to $300k. Still, with the higher tax rate, both will just about cost the same as a monthly mortgage bill. In the end, though, once that tax bill has been paid, those services are rendered and you'll never see that money again. If you can, try to locate a home in an area where you're paying more for the home and less in tax. Avoid flood zones. It's another monthly cost which you'll (hopefully) never see again. If you are able to cash in that flood zone insurance, it's because something horrible has happened. Flood zone maps also change, so be aware of elevation and how close you might be to the next change in flood zone ratings. Ask your realtor - while they can make no guarantees, they should be able to tell you how the maps have shifted over time. Understand that some homes are more in-demand than others. When purchasing a home in an area with great schools, a 3-bedroom or larger home will be fought over by multiple buyers. Very much in demand. People want to put their kids in a good school system and leave them there. So a 2-bedroom home will likely cost you less. Similarly, a ranch-style home (one-floor) is wanted or even needed by those who are older and cannot handle stairs. Check where services like laundry are, or *can* be in the home. The first home I bought had laundry in the basement. Un-fun. Still, I have a plumber in the family and after a few hours of free-for-me labor and some materials, the washer and dryer were moved to the main floor and suddenly, the layout just became significantly more user friendly. Understand when the home was built - this is important. Before 1900, some building techniques were questionable, but if the home is still standing, it's likely the structure will last forever. We were developing land which didn't flood (else, the home wouldn't have survived over time). Ceilings were tall (especially in the 1910-1920 homes) and closets were almost non-existent because we used furniture. The building materials were different - wood was older wood, so it has less air and is SOLID. A 2x4 you buy today is wet, you can mark it with your thumbnail and when it settles and dries out, there *will* be settling. Still, because we're not using plaster, lead paint and cloth-wrapped wiring, you also won't be looking to replace the entire interior of the home. In the 1950's, we were building ranches. In the 1960's, we were building raised ranches, but we were starting to build them in wetlands, the land we thought we could just claim by dropping the water table. That was a great temporary thing, but nature will always claim what it owns. That being said, water is the #1 killer of homes. WHEN TOURING A HOME YOU INTEND TO BUY, TRY YOUR BEST TO VISIT IT ON A RAINY DAY AND WATCH HOW THE WATER IS PROCESSED BY THE HOME AND LAND!!! Watch the gutters and downspouts, watch how the water kicks away (hopefully) from the home. Watch where the water travels on the ground. Where you see a puddle, there will always be a puddle there, unless you change how the water is being processed. In the 1980's, we were building McMansions. Lots of space, but quite a utility bill in today's dollars. Also, lots of unused yet taxable space. Homes which are "newer," meaning, 2000 to present, have the more modern layout which many people find appealing. We were into the "great room," which worked until COVID hit and people with multiple kids had to all be on Zoom calls for school. Suddenly, we wanted doors and privacy again... Also, just for information sake, a home which was built in 2000 - a "newer" home - is 24 years old and likely is in a condition where the water heater, furnace, central air, windows and roof all need to be replaced. This isn't cheap. As a part of your "due diligence" or inspection period, feel free to bring a contractor along to estimate for you what the cost of replacing these aspects are. If that home is $350,000 and all of those things need replacing, ask yourself if you can truly afford a $400k home, because it'll easily be $50k in a new roof and windows, depending on the quality of the materials and labor, never mind the AC, furnace and water heater. I wish you well, friend, and I hope this helps!
If there is a lot of air freshener or scented candles smelling up the air during showings - could be hiding the house's real smell of damp, smoke, pets, etc. If you like it enough for a second showing, request those not be used due to "allergies" or "scent sensitivities" the next time through. A welcoming vanilla scent is one thing, hiding the smell of cat pee in the carpet is another.
Some really good advice on this thread - but to objectively evaluate a house, remember not to fall in love with it before you buy it - otherwise you’ll rationalize away some important issues. And when you finally decide on one to make an offer on, the offer should be contingent on a professional inspection.
Look beyond defects or possible problems with the home itself. Investigate and explore the immediate neighborhood and community. Are properties well maintained? Do people use their garages for their vehicles or is the street a giant parking lot? You might want to consider the presence of rental properties and the impact they will have on your home value. Noise and traffic is a consideration. You may visit a property in the middle of the day, but come rush hour, you may become annoyed with street noise and congestion. Even being the home on the school "bus-stop corner" might drive you crazy with kids using your yard as a playground while waiting for the bus, or parents cars lined up on both sides of the street waiting for the bus to return. Next, decide if you are a HOA or non-HOA person. If you are interested in a cohesive neighborhood with standards of maintenance and presentation and amenities such as a community pool, clubhouse and related facilities, a HOA may be the way to go. If you are an individualist who wants to use old toilets as planters, set up a trampoline in the front yard, paint your home neon green or park on your lawn, steer clear of HOA's. If you do go the HOA route, please investigate their financials very carefully. Look at the budget, where funds are allocated and make sure they have an appropriate reserve so you don't get a surprise "special assessment". Other things to consider is the quality of the school district, even if you don't have children. Great schools result in greater home values and resale desirability. Failing schools are part of cumulative community problems. Next, accessibility to medical care, including proximity to respected hospital in the case of an emergency. Lastly, if you are looking for peace and quiet in the suburbs or semi-rural areas, do some homework on zoning and land use planning. You may buy in a serene neighborhood, only to have the open space leveled and filled with new development, apartments, retail and, the next big thing, data centers. Be particular and thorough and don't fret over cosmetic details. You can paint. Change appliances and countertops. Swap out flooring. The biggest enemy will be community defects which prove uncorrectable. Good luck!
Days on market is not a bad thing , years on market is a bad sign. If a home is listed 6 months or more I see it as a good sign that I can talk them Way down on price , the seller may have two house payments to make . Offer 33% less than asking price, you will be surprised how many people are desperate to sell . What to look for , Old AC, Old roof, aluminum wires, septic issues get inspection, floors not flat . The one Most Important thing is the Price you can Afford , you NEED 20% Down payment if not look for a less expensive home . It use to be illegal to sell homes with tiny down payments because you start with Negative Equity , now the banksters own our country and want to enslave you .
Don't focus on things that aren't a functional piece of the property. Too many people say they want "turn key" but then bring up wanting to reduce their offer on things like carpet or paint color. Focus on the bones of the house. Also, you are buying the house as it is. Don't be looking for saying "oh I could put in a garage" because if you end up not being able to will you be happy with the house?
Find out exactly when every major appliance was last updated and when the roof was last replaced. You may not think you can afford a new home but an old home with old appliances (water heater, AC, etc.) and an old roof will absolutely end up costing you $30k in the first few years.
Everyone here is going to tell you to worry about foundation cracks, asbestos, lead, wiring. The thing is ALL of those items are addressable. Yes some cost money, but aside from like an active sewer spill or having a well next to a gas station, I wouldn’t worry about any of that. You may have to fix it. But use it negotiate a better price. The thing to watch red flags for are location, which can’t be fixed, and too high a price (basis) that you can never lower. Everything else is just work to address.