Looking for What Sellers Try to Hide

Looking for what sellers try to hide no longer requires a private eye and many times you can find these without and inspector. However, it is always smart to have an inspector look at the home before you buy. But when you find a home that you really like and go to view for the first time, you can be looking for what seller try to hide on your very first visit. This will allow you know if you should even make an offer or not and how much of an offer you really should make. These are the most common things sellers try to hide when they put their homes on the market in hopes to sell the home faster without sinking more money into repairs.

Looking for What Sellers Try to Hide Commonly 

Pest Infestations – Each states laws vary about pest disclosures. Some states will require this to be known up front and during the sales process. It is always best to ask the seller if they have contract with a pest control company that ensures the house is being monitored annually for termites. If not, you can pay for your own pest inspection before you make up your mind about the house. It is well worth the small fee to have a professional come take a look.

Leaks & Water Stains – This is very common. Looking for what sellers try to hide should always include looking for leaks and water stains. Leaks can be temporarily plugged to hide them. Roof leaks are actually common so look for water stains around the ceiling of each room and look to see if there are any areas of paint that may be slightly different than the rest of the ceiling.

Mold & Air Quality – In some areas of the nation where there is high humidity, you will find hidden mold. Many sellers may not even be aware they have a mold problem. Look for hidden mold inside of closets along the door frames and top of the ceiling. Check around baseboards/trim and in lower cabinets where pipes are. These are the most common areas where you will find microbial growth if there is any. If you are worried about mold and the air quality of the home, you can find a local mold testing professional that can take air samples to analyze the air and let you know exactly what types of mold were found and how high the levels are. This will let you know if the home’s air is safe or not.

Foundation & Roof Issues – These can be huge and costly problems. Therefore, these two items should always be on your ‘looking for what sellers try to hide’ list. A cracked foundation can cost thousands to repair. Roof damage can be affordable depending on the extent of the damage. If it’s really bad, the price can also go into the thousands.

Home Appliances & Systems – If the home is being sold with any appliances such as stove, dishwasher, refrigerator or over-range microwave ask about warranties with these items and ask how old each one is. Same goes for the systems in the home. It is good to know how old the HVAC system is, how old the hot water heater is, etc. Also ask if any of the systems parts are still under warranty.

Unfavorable Things – Some unfavorable things you might not have thought of when looking to buy a home can include haunted properties or murder/suicide properties. Unless this is the specific type of real estate you are looking to buy, you need to know this information upfront so you can have that peace of mind that your home has a clean past.

These tips about looking for what sellers try to hide are brought to you by: Erika Rogers – your real estate leader in St. George, UT and surrounding communities specializing in new construction, golf course communities, gated communities, 55+ adult communities, St. George luxury real estate, and foreclosures in all Southern Utah communities.