Buying a Home? 5 Red Flags for Watch For

Late spring and early summer is an ideal time for home buying and homeowners are often looking to sell as quickly as possible. Before getting their hopes up, potential buyers want to know that the home they’re interested in is a good bet.  While an inspection is always necessary, it would be expensive to get an inspection on every home you are interested in buying.  Before you spring for this professional service, narrow down the choices of your home by doing your own pre-inspection to spot potential problems.  Here are 5 red flags to look for before purchasing your new home:

1. Check out the Neighborhood Take a closer look at the neighborhood where you’re searching for homes.  Are there many other homes on the block for sale?  Are there businesses or homes vandalized or boarded up?  Get the scoop from the neighbors to get an exact feel of the neighborhood before deciding on the home.

2. Poor Exterior Maintenance Look over the basic exterior of the home.  From the ground, do a quick scan of the roof to see if there are missing shingles or multiple layers of roof over the original roof.  Also, take a look at the gutters to see if there is any damage, rusting, or shrubbery growing out of them.

3. Foundation Failures Inspect the yard and look for any kind of sloping towards the foundation of the home.  If the yard is sloping, water will drain towards the home causing foundations cracks and deterioration.   Also scan the basement foundation for any cracking or bulging walls.  Cracks larger than a third of an inch can cause serious structural damage.

4. Bad Smells (Inside or Outside) Before entering the home take a deep breath to smell whats outside, then immediately upon entering take another big whiff to smell whats inside.  If something does not smell right, it could a warning sign of whats lurking inside.  If you smell a huge scent of potpourri, this could also be a red flag that the homeowner might be hiding something.  Follow your nose and inspect deeper to ensure there are no aging or unpleasant smells being covered up.

If you are looking to buy a new home and want make sure the home you are buying is worth your investment, Custom Installations is here to help.  As Chicagos leading exterior contracting company, we have the experience to help serve you with all of your exterior contracting needs.  We specialize in roofing, siding, gutters and more.