When you're touring a home you're thinking of purchasing, you can typically rely on your real estate agent to alert you to any potential repairs or upgrades that it may need. A home inspection will also tell you if plumbing, wiring, and other major parts of the house are not in good repair.
However, before you even go so far so as to have a home inspected, note a few details you don't want to overlook when walking through a home, as these may mean that it may need some fixes or updates. Discuss these with your real estate agent during your tour, so you end up with a home that is in good repair and that you and your family will love for years to come.
Fresh paint
A fresh coat of paint can instantly improve a home's interior, and real estate agents often advise their clients to paint over bold and bright colours, to keep the home neutral and appeal to a wider range of buyers. However, paint is sometimes used as a quick cover-up for water stains on the ceiling or walls, and may also cover over small holes in baseboards made by rodents infesting the home. Don't automatically assume that a fresh coat of paint means that the home has a water leak or infestation, but make sure you check for these signs of damage if the home has been painted recently.
Area rugs
Area rugs can add some colour and style to a room, while also adding warmth and a bit of cosiness. However, like paint, they can also be used to hide imperfections in the flooring! It's good to pull up area rugs as much as possible and note the condition of the carpeting or timber floor underneath, so you can know if it will need cleaning, repair, or outright replacement.
Air fresheners and candles
Air fresheners can make a home's interior welcoming and inviting, but they are another common tool used to cover something up! In some cases, homeowners will use air fresheners if they're trying to hide the smell of mildew behind the walls, mouldy carpeting, or even the odour of a pest infestation. As with paint, area rugs, and other such cover-ups, don't automatically assume that air fresheners are hiding damage in the home, but be sure to check for water leaks, mouldy carpet padding, and the like, and especially if the homeowners has used lots of air fresheners in every room.
