Buyers should to look for, and avoid, the red
BUFORD GA – With tree leaves just beginning to turn to fall colors in some parts of the country, Georgia-based real estate agent Hank Bailey believes home buyers and their licensed representatives should have just one shade on their minds: red.
A percentage of buyers is anxious to find and move into a new home before winter sets in. It’s their gotta-get-it-done-now emotion that may cause buyers to miss obvious problems with a property; Bailey calls them his “red flags.” Buyer representatives probably will be more attuned to these items, but even pros can miss a warning.
Unless the parties involved are careful, Bailey wrote Thursday (Sept. 18, 2014) in Realty Times, “those items … could potentially cost (buyers) a lot in the future, or even in the beginning.” Here’s the first five on his checklist of top 10 red flags:
- The Neighborhood. Visit it at different times of the day to get a true sense of what it’s like to live there.
- Fixers. They can be great deals, but it’s important to know how much you’re getting into when you buy one.
- Issues With A Home Inspection. All offers should be contingent upon a satisfactory home inspection.
- Additions and Decks. Ensure all work has been done to code, especially when it comes to remodeling.
- Noticeable Structural Problems. Check the fit of doors and windows, and for large, noticeable cracks in foundations.
- Read more of Bailey’s article, titled “Red Flags For Homebuyers” and published Thursday in Realty Times, here.
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