4 Things to Keep an Eye out for When Shopping for a New Home
Posted on: 24 July 2018
When you're looking for a new home it can be easy to miss things. Things that may cause you a headache or extra money later down the road to repair. If you spy these things before actually buying the home, it can save you from ending up with a lemon. Read on for 4 things to keep an eye out for when shopping for your next home.
Paint Odors or Wet Paint
If you find wet paint or smell paint odors when you go into the home, it should be an automatic red flag. Wet paint or a freshly painted home is usually a sign of someone trying to cover something up such as mold or mildew. Mold and mildew may soak back through the paint later on, so someone may paint the same area over and over again to try and cover it up.
Pest Feces or Dead Pests
If you find any signs of pests including rodents or insects, it could be the sign of an infestation. Take a look around for other signs such as nests, or a large amount of live insects. Look in the basement or attic for signs of pests, as well as in corners and in cabinets. An infestation can be costly to get rid of, not to mention one pest infestation can result in other infestations as well.
Mildew Smells
The smell of mildew in a home could be due to mildew in the ventilation system, or mold in the ventilation system as well. When looking at new homes, keep in mind that mildew and mold can cause harmful health problems for you and your family. They can also irritate health issues that are already present, such as allergies and breathing problems. Mildew can smell musty and may be present in homes that have been empty for awhile without any ventilation at all, or in homes that have a high amount of humidity.
Water Stains
Water stains along walls or in the basement may be due to an issue with flooding. Talk to neighbors around the home you are interested in seeing if there has been a flood in the house you are looking at. Water stains may not be the only issue, there may be issues behind the wall that you can't see. If a flood wasn't cleaned up properly, there may be an issue with mold and mildew.
When you're shopping for a new home, don't go in with blinders on. Watch out for the problems listed above and for other problems that may be costly for you in the long run.
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