Mia Fitzharris was a young woman who’d always wanted to be a homeowner. So when she finally found the perfect house, she didn’t hesitate to buy it. Unfortunately, she quickly realized that she should have checked more carefully before her purchase. There were five things wrong that she only discovered after signing the contract.
Mia’s story is a cautionary tale for anyone thinking of buying a house. Below, you’ll see the story via Yahoo! Finance.
When Mia Fitzharris of Long Island, New York, and her husband got an incredible deal on an extreme fixer-upper home, they knew going in it had problems. But even still, they were in for an unwelcome surprise when an inspector told them the damages would cost up to $225,000 to repair. There was also irreparable damage to the foundation, which they’d hoped to keep.
“It’s a much bigger job than we were expecting to do,” Fitzharris, a Yahoo! employee, tells Destination Home in the episode above. “What we originally thought was going to be a gut renovation is now going to be a complete teardown, starting from scratch.”
As Mia’s story demonstrates, hidden house flaws found too late in the purchasing process can dash homeowners’ dreams and budgets.
In the accompanying video, we sat down with Jonathan and Drew Scott, who transform extreme fixer-uppers and educate viewers about it on their HGTV shows Property Brothers, Brother vs. Brother, and Buying and Selling.
They filled us in on their essential checklist of five things every homebuyer ought to look for to avoid buying a lemon. At the same time, we sent an inspector to Mia’s house to see what these problems actually look like.
Check out the video above to see how to spot these five major problems and hear explanations for why missing them can cost you big time. (For example, a termite infestation can cost tens of thousands of dollars.)
The checklist includes mold, pests, outdated fixtures, and wiring, cosmetic headaches like painted-over wallpaper, poorly done DIY flooring and drainage problems. From toxic mold to sloping sod that can cause floods – we show you how to spot them.
Source: “Property Brothers: Don’t Buy a House Without Checking These 5 Things,” Yahoo! Finance (Aug. 19, 2013)
As you can see, there’s some major problems in the home-buying process that you should pay attention to. They include:
1) Mold
Mold is incredibly harmful to your health and can be very costly to remove. If you see mold in a house, it’s best to walk away.
2) Pests
Pests can also be dangerous and can cause a lot of damage to your home. If you see pests in a house, move forward with caution.
3) Outdated fixtures
If the fixtures in a house are outdated, it means that the previous owner didn’t keep up with maintenance. This can be a sign that there are other problems with the house that you can’t see.
4) Painted-Over Wallpaper
Painted-over wallpaper can be a sign that the previous owner was trying to cover up something.
5) Poorly Done DIY Flooring
If the flooring in a house is poorly done, it means that the previous owner didn’t take the time to do it right. This can be a sign that there are other problems with the house that you can’t see. It’s best to take caution when looking at a house with poorly done DIY flooring.
6) Drainage problems
Drainage problems can cause flooding, and they can be very costly to fix.
Spotting these problems before you buy a house can save you a lot of money and headaches in the long run. Pay attention to the details, and don’t be afraid to walk away from a house that you feel isn’t right for yourself or your family.
If you have any questions about home inspections or are interested in our inspection services, contact Above All Else Inspections. We’re here to make your home-buying experience easier. Reach out to us on our contact page, or you can call us at (479) 381-1878.
