While searching for a home you may find yourself browsing the internet and viewing dozens and dozens of homes from your smartphone, tablet or computer. While some homes may be weeded out automatically, it is easy to fall in love with a home-based off of the online listing alone, however, there are some things you may not be seeing.
While it is always recommended to view a home in person prior to placing an offer, in some cases this isn’t always an option. Regardless of if you are searching for a home to purchase sight unseen, or are putting together a list of homes to tour, make sure to pay attention to these main things that the online listing may be hiding. Your dream home may be perfect on paper, or in this case, on the web, but in reality, it could be a way bigger problem than you expected. Related: Buying a House Sight Unseen
Most online listings have magazine-worthy photos that have been edited, altered, and even photoshopped. One of the main things that are changed in listing photos is the amount of light in each room, adjusting the brightness gives a home a more open, modern, bright and airy appearance when in reality you may end up seeing or purchasing a home that has dark rooms with poor or even no lighting, this is especially common in older homes. Checking photos for light fixtures is an easy way to get a more accurate idea of what to expect when it comes to the brightness of your new home. While lighting can always be added, oftentimes the extra electrical work isn’t a project many people want to take on.
What About a Fixer-Upper?
While a fixer-upper could be exactly what you are searching for, in most cases a home is not promoted as a “fixer-upper” even if it truly is as this diverts a lot of potential buyers. If you are looking for a turn-key home make sure to do extra research as many homes may be fixer-uppers in reality but are not marketed as such. This allows the seller to potentially be hiding underlying damages or problems that the home has.
This could be a wide array of things such as a cracked foundation, roof leaks, seasonal flooding, etc. Many of these problems can be avoided with a home inspection so you can be made aware of any and all problems that the home faces. If you see a home listed as a “fixer-upper” that more than likely means the home will require a lot of work prior to moving in, so if this is the case be sure to do some extra research on the property and its history.
The Neighborhood
Neighborhoods play a huge role in the enjoyment and purchase of many homes. While a listing may tell you that a house is located within a highly sought after neighborhood, it may not mention a noisy neighbor. Not to sound petty, but sadly poor neighbors can ruin the enjoyment of a home, regardless of how nice the neighborhood may be. The easiest way to avoid this unfortunate situation is to spend time walking or driving the neighborhood prior to your purchase, make sure to do this at all different times of the day to get the best idea of what to expect in what could be your new home.
Luckily in a world of social media and the internet at the tips of our fingers, online listings have grown and included a lot more information than they once did. An online listing 10, even 5 years ago wouldn’t give you a glimpse into a home the way a listing today is able to. As with any home purchase, do your due diligence and make sure to explore all options when buying a home and don’t rely only on an online listing before making your final decision.
For more information on any Camano Island listing you find on my website, feel free to contact me at any time.
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