10 Red Flags for Home Buyers

The average home buyer views at least 10 homes over an eight week search so it isn’t practical to get a professional inspection of every house they tour. FrontDoor.com, a new real estate website powered by HGTV, comes to the rescue pointing out things to look for in your own pre-inspection that will help identify potential problems before calling in the pros.
FrontDoor.com’s Top 10 Red Flags for Home Buyers
1) Mass Exodus from the Neighborhood
Don’t let a home’s curb appeal keep you from glancing down the street. Are there several other homes for sale? Are nearby businesses boarded up or vandalized? Get the scoop from the neighbors. If everyone else wants to leave the street, maybe you should, too - before you’re stuck with a bad investment.
2) Mediocre Maintenance
Three layers of roofing and gutters with plants growing in them are signs the owners aren’t big on maintaining their home. What else did they neglect?
3) Foundation Failures
Check out the yard grading. If the yard slopes towards the house, it could cause water to run down the foundation walls or into the basement, which will be costly to repair. Scour the foundation for damage. Bulges or cracks bigger than 1/3 inch can mean the house has serious structural issues.
4) Bad Smells - Inside or Outside
Take a big whiff of the air inside and outside the house. Do you smell anything funky? If you can’t smell anything but the huge baskets of potpourri all over the house, this could be a red flag.
5) Faulty or Old Wiring
While you’re probably not an electrician, make sure all the switches and outlets in the house function properly. Flickering lights, circuits that don’t work and warm or hot outlets or faceplates are all symptoms of wiring problems.
6) Fresh Paint… on One Wall
New paint can really spruce up drab walls, but it can also hide bigger problems, like water damage, mildew or mold. If the room smells strange or if you see stains or saggy walls or ceilings, have an inspector look for mold and leaks.
7) Locked Doors and Blockades
Ask about any rooms that are “off limits” during your home tour, and arrange to see them later if you’re interested in the house.
8) Foggy or Non-Functioning Windows
Check for water in between double-paned windows and make sure all the windows are functional.
9) Structural Walls or Floors have been Removed Sure you love the open floor plan, but was the house always open or did the homeowners renovate? If they removed a load-bearing wall without adjusting the framing, it can shift weight to other parts of the house. Hire a structural engineer if you think any renovations are questionable.
10) Bugs!
No one wants a house with a pest problem - be it roaches, mice or worst of all, termites. Be on the lookout for unwelcome creatures as you tour the house. Even if no foes pop out while you’re there, consider a separate termite inspection if you’re thinking of purchasing the property.
The Bottom Line
Always get a professional inspection for the house you choose to buy. Skipping a home inspection is not a good way to cut costs. You’ll end up paying more in the long run when problems arise.
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OPTION 4:
11 Tips for Effective Space Planning
SmartDraw.com, makers of SmartDraw, a program that automates the process of creating business graphics, released its list of “Top Tips for Effective Space Planning.” SmartDraw, a popular business graphics software, is downloaded by more than 2 million people every year and is widely used to create polished, professional looking space plans and floor plans for various facilities, homes, and offices.
1. You can save yourself a lot of time and trouble by taking careful measurements and thinking through the following issues before you start drawing. When measuring existing spaces, lay your measuring tape flat on the floor and measure room dimensions in several places, especially where furniture will be a tight fit. Don’t assume your walls are parallel.
2. Before laying out furniture, look for projecting windowsills, and note the location of electrical receptacles, light switches, vents and thermostats.
3. When placing a desk, ask yourself, “What do I want to be looking at when I sit there?”
4. When planning an office, first determine whether the occupant’s back will be toward the door. Some people feel very strongly about this. Other design decisions will flow from this basic choice.
5. To reduce glare, try to avoid having computer monitors directly facing windows.
6. Leave enough empty space in front of filing cabinets to fully extend the drawer, plus at least 18 additional inches if the drawers will be accessed by a person standing in front of them.
7. Allow adequate working space at desks or cubicles. The distance from the working side of a desk to the nearest wall or furniture should be at least 42 inches (and most people find 54 or 60 inches more comfortable).
8. The walkway between a piece of furniture and a wall should be at least 30 inches in a residential space (36″ is preferred). In a public space it should be at least 36 inches (42″ is preferred).
9. To get a feel for the width of a walkway before placing furniture, put a tape line on the floor to see how different dimensions would feel.
10. When placing furniture on a residential plan, remember that most furniture will actually sit 2 or 3 inches from the wall.
11. Don’t line all the furniture up along the walls. Break up spaces by placing pieces out in the room. Setting rugs, sofas, or other furniture at angles can help avoid an overly rigid feel.