When you are in the process of searching for a new home, there are some things you want to take as possible red flags. This article will go over some of the things that you may want to watch for when you are out looking at homes to possibly buy for you and your family to move into:

Watch out for an abundance of scents

If you walk in to view a house and you notice that there is an over-abundance of scents such as incense, scented candles, carpet powder or essential oils in diffusers, then there is a good chance that they are trying to cover up bad odors. It's important to know what the house really smells like ahead of time so you know what you are dealing with, and it can be disconcerting when you can tell the owners are covering something up and you don't know what it is. You could end up dealing with strong cigarette smell, strong cat urine or a number of other issues when you move in.

Watch out for issues with the foundation

It's not too concerning to see hairline cracks, this just means the house has settled. However, if you happen to notice large gaps then this can mean that there are serious issues going on with the home's foundation. Along with gaps, other signs that there may be issues with the home's foundation can include doors or windows that stick when you go to open them, cracks above the frames and floors that aren't level. If you want to know how level a floor is, you can roll a marble across it.

Watch for signs of neglect

If you are looking at a house that is for sale and you see signs that they may not take proper routine care of the home, then you want to take it as a possible red flag. When the previous owner neglects the house, this can cause a lot of things to go wrong after you move into it. Some signs of a neglected home can include a number of burned out and unreplaced lightbulbs, broken blinds, a cracked window, broken cupboard doors or drawers, leaking faucets, broken tiles and more.

Recent patches of paint

If you see that the homeowner has chosen to paint a small area, then there may be the chance that there was a hole they patched and painted, which would be fine. However, there may also be the chance that they are covering up something more serious, like mold. This is a good example of why home inspections are so important when buying a home.

For more information, contact a real estate expert.

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