If you decide to buy a house, one of the best parts of the process will be viewing homes for sale. As you view houses, you will see a lot of different types, styles, and layouts in these homes, and you might fall in love with some of them. One thing you should do, though, is watch out for red flags as you view homes. Here are three red flags to look for that should cause you to second-guess buying a particular house without further analyzing it.

Strange smells

While every home has its own scent, one red flag to watch out for is a home that contains an odd or unpleasant smell. Additionally, you might want to consider it a red flag too if a home has very strong perfume or deodorizer smells, as this can signify that the homeowner is trying to cover up a bad smell.

Bad smells can be present for many reasons, such as having pets inside a home, but they can also be a sign of water damage and mold. If you are not sure what the scent is that you smell, talk to your agent about it.

Water spots on the walls or ceilings

A second red flag to watch for is water spots on the ceilings or walls in the home. When you see water spots on ceilings, it typically means that water leaked through the ceiling from above. The water may have come from a leaky roof, or it might have come from a leaky plumbing pipe. In either case, it's important to understand the risks of buying a house that has water damage in it, and you should look for the signs as you view homes for sale.

Doors and windows that do not open and close properly and easily

The other thing to look for is homes with doors and windows that do not open and close as they should. If the doors inside the home all seem like they are warped or off a little bit, and if the windows do not open and close freely, this could be a sign of foundation issues. Foundation problems are extremely costly to fix, and you should avoid buying a house that has any type of foundation problem.

While these three things do not always indicate problems, they are things you should consider red flags, and you should investigate any red flags you detect before making an offer on a house for sale. Real estate agents can help you determine other red flags to look for.

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