10 Things to Spot Before You Buy

Before you even start looking at moving companies, you have to find the perfect home. But, this isn’t quite as simple as it seems! Even without the help of a home inspector, you can spot some things that might be wrong with a property right away. To help make your life simpler, we’ve put together a list of 10 things to look out for when you’re shopping for a new home.

 

1. Water damage. It’s hard to know what to do when standing inside of a kitchen or bathroom. Do you look in the cabinets? Do you pretend to be interested in the fixtures? Something else? The one thing that you should be doing is looking underneath sinks. That’s right – get down on your hands and knees and take a look at the underside of any sink. What are you looking for? Water damage. Run the tap, look for leaks, and check under all sinks for mold. Mold is a big problem (and it will give you a good bargaining chip!).

 

2. Windows and doors. Have you ever been inside of a home, about to open up a window, and heard a realtor say: “oh! Don’t open those!” Yeah, that’s not a good sign! All windows should open properly – test them out, even if it’s cold outside. Doors should also open and close without any kind of issue, so make sure to give the doors a good try.

 

3. Up on the roof! Take a look at the roof when you arrive and when you leave. Look for shingles that are curled, damaged, or not in good shape. And, make sure to ask when the roof was last repaired or replaced.

 

4. A mix of wires. Wires that are dangling, are mashed together, or go nowhere are not a good sign. You can usually spot these problems with a naked eye, but you do have to look.

 

5. Tile issues. Most of the time, sellers will refinish a kitchen before a bathroom. So, take a look at bathroom tiles to see if grout is needed, if tiles are loose, or if other issues show up.

 

6. Bug screens. This might not seem like a big deal, but you’ll need some summertime screens on all windows and doors. If screens are not included in the property price, you’ll have to shell out a lot of cash to purchase them.

 

7. Heating. If you can’t control the heating system in a condo, find out who does. Inside of a home, ask the realtor how old central heating or cooling is, and when the unit was last updated or inspected.

 

8. Floors. You can’t rip up carpets, but you can ask the homeowner how a carpet was installed. Some carpets aren’t easy to rip up, and this means that you will have to spend a lot of money on renovations.

 

9. Wood flooring. In order to quickly raise the price of a home, some sellers will install floating floors in just a few rooms, while hardwood runs throughout the rest of the home. In order to make the floors match, you’ll have to rip up the floating floors and put down hardwood, which can be expensive. Make sure to consider the types of materials used throughout the house on floors, so that you can lower the overall price of a home in order to compensate for those needed renovations.

 

10. Hire a home inspector. This is the step that you’ll want to take after you’ve looked at everything listed above. You can see some major problems without a detailed inspection, but you can’t see everything that might be wrong with a home without hiring a home inspector. Look for someone that comes highly recommended (and not by the home seller or realtor).

 

Time to Move In!

 

After looking at a number of homes, you’ll likely find one that’s just right. What’s next? Moving time! There are lots of moving companies in the Denver and Fort Collins area to consider, but Exodus Moving and Storage will get the job done right the first time. Call us for a free estimate, for information, or for any other moving or storage need.