5. The Builder Might Have Cut Corners
Finding a home that will last and stay the course is important. So, you want to be sure that previous homeowners of the property you wish to purchase haven’t cut corners, meaning they’ve gone the cheap and low-quality route in several areas. “If you haven’t already, use the final walk-through to scrutinize every nook and cranny,” says Ericson of Realtor.com. Ericson reports that Jesse Fowler, president of Tellus Design + Build (Costa Mesa, CA), says to look for fresh paint overspray on the inside or outside of window trim and light fixtures. “This overspray might be covering up inconsistencies in the finish — wood that doesn’t look like wood, for example,” he says. “But, more importantly, it quite often indicates that the contractor went with the lowest-quality painter, so it’s likely they cut corners elsewhere in places that are not so obvious.”
6. The Home Might Have Been Environmentally Contaminated
Some homes are not healthy or environmentally safe. For example, homes built from the 1940s to the 1970s could contain harmful asbestos or lead-based paint, both of which we now know are unsafe, and even responsible for all kinds of serious health problems. According to Ericson on Realtor.com, Christopher Bourland, appraiser, says that “other environmental issues could include a faulty septic system, which can contaminate drinking water, or mold issues stemming from building materials, such as stucco or
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