The thought of buying a new house can be stressful, overwhelming and at the same time exciting that most of the time we tend to forget a lot of features that should be avoided as it’s not needed and or necessary for you or your family.
Also, there are red flags if the house is really not at its best and is just covered up by “paint” to hide imperfections.
Related: How To Buy A House
There might be a lot of questions in your mind when deciding to buy a home. Questions like when and where you can find the greatest deals, the best location, and even the ideal design that you want. In this case, consider getting help from Real Estate Virtual Assistant for Investors.
Real Estate VAs (REVA) are very savvy when it comes to online research. They can also set up your appointments; book or schedule open houses, handle incoming/outgoing calls, and screen property sellers.
Before we go into details…
Here are 5 general aspects that a home buyer should examine during the home buying process:
- House Size – if possible, avoid buying the largest house in the neighborhood. If you choose to buy a small-medium house, the larger homes will help raise your home’s value.
- Kitchen – a house with a larger kitchen is a great asset. It’s better if the family room is close to the kitchen as well. Easy access to the back yard is also desirable, as there will be some time for barbecues and outdoor entertaining.
- Bedrooms and Bathrooms – look for houses that have one bathroom that shared by the other bedrooms or is accessible to guests; and one for the master bedroom. Also, sticking to three to four bedroom houses will give more potential buyers when it comes time to resell.
- Storage – closets, garages and laundry – make sure there is plenty of space. It should be a short trip between the garage and the kitchen so that bringing stuff in from the car does not become too big of a burden.
- Lot and Landscaping – the lot is as level and rectangular as possible. Try to stay away from odd shaped lots or oddly situated lots. Also, there should still be a decently sized front and back yard.
Home Features and Red Flags
- Smells – There are a lot of factors to consider when you smell something or foul odors like putrid garbage smells, gas and other filthy stench. Also, don’t be fooled by good smells, why? Because, the agent or homeowner is trying to hide something like the one mentioned earlier. Alert not only your sense of sight but also your sense of smell and start sniffing on that house for red flags.
- New Paint – Ok. We just mentioned about smell. What about a newly painted house or wall? Well, it’s not always a basis though, but can raise the red flag as it can and does mask and disguise something bigger that again, real estate agents and homeowners doesn’t want you to know. Molds are one of the reasons to cover up a wall by paint with the intention to mislead the new buyer. And yes, another reason to raise the red flag.
- Fireplaces – When buying a house, you have to consider the features that are beneficial to you and your family. Fireplaces can be attractive and gives you that warm feel during winter but it can give you a lot of headache too, especially if they’re old. Check the chimney for cracks before deciding on a house with a fireplace.
- Built-In Mirrors – Mirrors can be attractive to some homeowners but it’s actually an outdated style. One factor that you should consider aside from the cost (as they can really break your wallet) is the safety once it gets broken and the difficulty to remove from the wall. This needs the help of a professional installer or carpenter and not the usual DIY thing.
Again, a Virtual Assistant Company can provide a real estate VA who can help you look for properties online and setup appointments. The VA can make calls, screen the sellers, and take note of important details. - Wall-to-Wall Carpet – When you see a carpet all throughout the house, this might mean that you have to shell out a substantial amount if you don’t like the color or design and want to replace it or more, after checking what’s underneath that thing.
- Doors and Windows – The door is the main entrance to a house and windows to see the beauty of the place. Give extra time to check if doors close properly and windows open without any glitch. Remember, these features are your family’s security.
- Foundation – If the property’s foundation is weak, then be wary of the problems this may bring you. Thoroughly check each corner of the house for sags, cracks and others that you may think is a red flag. Drywall, plumbing, framing, and flooring are the first details to be affected when foundation woes happen.
- Maintenance – The last thing that you would want to consider is how the previous homeowner maintained the house. From the roof, exteriors, walls, paints, interior, and everywhere else. Just go around, take your time to discover those little “something” like crack walls, holes on the roof, and more that may lead to trouble and can eventually cost you more than the cost of the house itself.
It is important to pay more attention to details before buying a house. Hope these tips will help you in your search for the right house with the best features. Good luck!
Tags: Buy or Rent Real Estate, house, how to buy a house
