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Million-dollar real estate agent | Massachusetts licensed decorator Chen Yi
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House viewing is the first and most important step in the home buying process. You may pay attention to many aspects during the house viewing process, but are you really paying attention to the key points? Some aspects are important, while some are not so important. Let's take a look at some suggestions below.
The first thing you need to pay attention to when buying a house
1. Smell
The nose is actually the easiest way to help you spot something that might be wrong with your home. If there is some odor, that could be mold, or pet or cigarette odors that may be clinging to the walls and ceilings of your home. In these cases, the odor may not go away without spending a lot of time, effort, and even money. Fragrances are often used to mask these odors, so overuse of candles, diffusers, and sprays may be an attempt to hide a home's odor problem.
2. Wall and Floor Conditions
Defects such as warped floors, cracks in the walls, and watermarks may also indicate a larger problem. Corner cracks that are no wider than 1/3 inch and run vertically are usually harmless.
These usually occur when a home's foundation begins to settle, and are most commonly found around door and window frames. Wider cracks or cracks that run horizontally or diagonally are cause for concern! They could indicate a more serious foundation problem or even water damage.
These types of problems can be quite expensive to repair.
3. Integrated Devices and Systems
A warm, vibrating wall outlet and/or flickering light could indicate a possible electrical wiring problem. If you turn on the faucet and see orange/brown tinted water, this could indicate rusted water pipes that need to be replaced. A central AC unit that makes a squealing or grinding noise could need repair or complete replacement. A faint smell of gas in rooms other than the kitchen could indicate a bad gas valve to the water heater. These are all top concerns and should not be taken lightly when inspecting a home.
4. Accredited Additions
Sometimes you might be pleasantly surprised to find an additional bathroom in a home listed as 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom. Before you get excited about the extra space, you need to make sure the addition is permitted. Why?
Because if it’s not built properly, it can not only cause safety concerns, but it can also cause financial concerns when buying a home. If you buy a home that has a bathroom added without permission, you could be subject to a city fine and associated fees!
Things you don’t need to worry about when buying a house
1. Furniture and decoration.
When you enter a house, the decor is often the first thing you notice. Sometimes, what you see will be very different from your personal style. For example, if you are a fan of the mid-century modern aesthetic, then an overly printed sofa living room or a log cabin-style entertainment room may not only be jarring, but also off-putting!
Remember, you are buying a home, not what's inside it, and once you sign the contract, the style is yours to define.
2. Wall and floor treatment.
Light fixtures, rugs, couches, and artwork all go with you; paint colors, wallpaper, and carpeting remain. Don't panic. While these things may not be particularly pleasing to the eye, they're not permanent either. Painting the interior of your home is actually one of the easiest and most affordable upgrades you can make.
Removing or replacing worn wallpaper or stained carpet may require the help of multiple people, but both are fairly simple and low-cost projects that can make a huge difference to the overall interior of your house!
So, don't let those easy-to-change wall colors interrupt your purchasing plans.
3. Small fixtures and hardware.
Fixtures that appear old or visibly worn, such as cabinet doors, ceiling fans, and even small appliances like microwaves, can become eyesores, but these elements are merely decorative. They do not significantly affect the overall safety or livability of the home.
By replacing these you can inject some of your own personal style into your new home. Plus, sellers usually know that these features are outdated and tend to take them into account when pricing their home, so those super trendy things can actually cost you less!
4. Bathroom or kitchen design.
You often dream of buying a home that already has a top-of-the-line luxury kitchen or master bathroom, but you're bound to be a little disappointed when you discover that a kitchen or master bathroom in a home you really love leaves something to be desired. But you can always upgrade these rooms once you've settled in. Not only will you have a bathroom or kitchen you love, designed to your style, you may even increase the resale value of your home.
