As Fall Approaches, Buyers Should Look For Red (Flags)

As Fall Approaches, Buyers Should Look For Red (Flags)

BUFORD GA – With tree leaves just beginning to turn to fall colors in some parts of the country, Georgia-based real estate agent Hank Bailey believes home buyers and their licensed representatives should have just one shade on their minds: red.

A percentage of buyers is anxious to find and move into a new home before winter sets in. It’s their gotta-get-it-done-now emotion that may cause buyers to miss obvious problems with a property; Bailey calls them his “red flags.” Buyer representatives probably will be more attuned to these items, but even pros can miss a warning.

Unless the parties involved are careful, Bailey wrote Thursday (Sept. 18, 2014) in Realty Times, “those items … could potentially cost (buyers) a lot in the future, or even in the beginning.” Here’s the first five on his checklist of top 10 red flags:

  1. The Neighborhood. Visit it at different times of the day to get a true sense of what it’s like to live there.
  2. Fixers. They can be great deals, but it’s important to know how much you’re getting into when you buy one.
  3. Issues With A Home Inspection. All offers should be contingent upon a satisfactory home inspection.
  4. Additions and Decks. Ensure all work has been done to code, especially when it comes to remodeling.
  5. Noticeable Structural Problems. Check the fit of doors and windows, and for large, noticeable cracks in foundations.

Read more of Bailey’s article, titled “Red Flags For Homebuyers” and published Thursday in Realty Times, here.

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