When it comes to purchasing a new home many buyers get caught up in the visual aspects of the home. This is a mistake that often hurts buyers. Instead of seeing the potential in a home they are driven off by brightly colored walls or unconventional flooring. In reality these aspects are easily changed. Instead staging often fools buyers and they forget that beauty is only skin deep allowing them to forget about the costly realities like roofing, electricity, plumbing and foundation.
Real estate professionals often warn clients from making mistakes like this but fall on deaf ears. To prevent the same mistake from happening to you consider the following when considering a home to purchase. Even the ugliest of ducklings can have the makings of a castle given the shape of the homes foundation, roofing and a fundamentally strong structure.
Consider the shape of the homes windows. Realtors stress that it is important for buyers to look at the external state of the windows over their age. New windows that are installed incorrectly are far less attractive as older, sturdier windows that have been well maintained. If the exterior of the windows are in good shape it is a great indicator of the condition and level of maintenance that the current homeowner showed the home. If you push on the window and can easily push the window frame in at all then it means the windows are starting to rot. If the windows are double hung and you can visually see any sort of condensation the windows are faulty.
The roof is also an important aspect when looking into purchasing a home. An asphalt shingle roof has a life expectancy of between fifteen and twenty years. If you are unsure of when the roof was last replaced it is best to have a professional roofer out to inspect any homes you are interested in. A professional roofer will know what to look for to age a home roof. Certain things buyers can see themselves such as if the roof has a bunch of missing shingles or if there is substantial curling that can be seen on the shingles. These are all signs the roof will need to be immediately replaced. If this is the case be sure to negotiate the expense of a new roof into the purchase price of the home.
Another item a buyer often over look is the homes electrical system and power sources. Electrical wiring that is not done by a professional electrician leaves a lot of room for error. Improperly ran electrical wiring is dangerous. Check out the shape of the fuse box and test the circuit breaker to ensure that it is functioning properly. Rewiring a home is a messy and expensive job to undertake. It is often a job that new homeowners are not looking to involve themselves in.
In our next installment we will continue to look into the items often overlooked by buyers as they concentrate on the less important visual aspects of a home.
Lady of the Lakes Real Estate is Livingston County’s premiere realtor; out of Pinckney, Michigan helping buyers buy and sellers sell homes that provide a recreational lifestyle including golf courses, lakes and the Huron river chain of lakes, throughout Brighton, Howell, Pinckney and the surrounding area. Find out more at http://www.ladyofthelakes.com.