The Boston area home selling arena can be an unsavory and downright scary place sometimes. Especially if you discover your home has issues that could have been avoided before you bought it. While most home sellers and their agents are respectable and above-board, there are those who aren’t. Here are four problems some sellers often try to hide from unsuspecting buyers.
Hidden Problems in Boston Area Home Selling
Pests
Judging a book by its cover is often dangerous. Sometimes a house which appears to be well-maintained can be hiding pests such as carpenter ants, cockroaches and termites that can do damage –– extensive damage. Experts say damages to a home by these and other wood-boring insects can be in the tens of thousands of dollars. One pest control company reports a home that cost $1 million to repair. To head off the headache and heartache, it’s best to have a pest inspection before you close on your home. While it’s possible a homeowner offering his house in the Boston area home selling arena may not be aware the problem exists, it’s unlikely. So, get an inspection by a reputable pest control firm for peace of mind.
Water or structural damage
A leaky roof or a problem with a home’s foundation can lead to a large outlay of cash to repair. Prior to making an offer on a home you want to buy, do your own personal inspection. Walk through the property and be on the lookout for abnormal foundation cracks, undue settlement issues, unsightly mold or musty odors. Inspect the walls and ceilings for dark spots, damages or recently repaired or repainted areas. That could be a sign there’s a problem and the seller tried to repair or otherwise cover it up. Naturally, should you decide to make an offer on the home, you should have a thorough home inspection performed by a licensed home inspector.
Emotional defects
Depending on where you live, sellers aren’t required by law to disclose “emotional defects” associated with their home. Emotional defects are events that may have occurred in the house or on the property such as a murder, a death, a suicide or an alleged haunting. If that’s important to you and if your state doesn’t require disclosure, visit a website such as DiedinHouse.com to search the home’s history. It may answer questions about houses on the Boston area home selling market.
Aging, energy inefficient home systems
Often the seller may not know the age of the home’s HVAC systems or water heater. If that’s the case, just ask your home inspection company for assistance. If the seller is trying to hide the age of the systems — or any problems that may accompany them, a home inspector will probably be able to determine the truth.
Lastly, common sense dictates that if you want more information on a home, just inquire about it from the neighbors. They usually have knowledge that may be informative and helpful, especially if you suspect any issues with a house in the Boston area home selling marketplace.
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