If you’re looking to buy a house in Vancouver, there are many things you should be on the lookout for. For instance, if you’re eyeing properties in Kitsilano, you’d want to assess the Kits’ neighborhood or communities to find out if it suits your needs and lifestyle. Nonetheless, aside from exterior considerations, one of the most important ways to evaluate quality Kitsilano houses for sale is to inspect the interiors for red flags like:
Fresh Paint
Sure, a newly-painted wall (or a fresh batch of wallpaper) might do well in improving the aesthetics of a house for sale, but at some point you should ask yourself just why there’s new paint in the first place. Sometimes, the motive is more sinister, such as to mask the signs of recent damage, or even the presence of mold and mildew.
DIY Improvements
Like new paint, home improvements or renovations are popular ways to boost a home’s value, so they’re not always a bad thing. However, you should stay away if you see signs of substandard construction, or one that seems to have been done as a do-it-yourself project by someone who obviously was not a professional.
Foundation Issues
Here’s what an article from Frontdoor.com has to say about checking your prospective home’s foundation:
Check out the yard grading. If the yard slopes toward the house, it could cause water to run down the foundation walls or into the basement, which will be costly to repair. Scour the foundation for damage. Bulges or cracks bigger than one-third inch can mean the house has serious structural issues.
Faulty Wiring
Damage to the electrical system can be quite expensive to have repaired, so be sure to test out the switches and power sockets in the house as you go around it. You can also ask the owner, or realtor (whomever may be giving you a tour of the house), for any information on electrical problems that the house might have had in the past.
Bad Odors
Foul odors circulating throughout the house is definitely a bad sign. This could be anything from mold or pest infestations to a gas problem, so be sure to use your nose as well as your eyes when checking around the house. You should also look for signs that the owner might be masking some of these odors.
Whether you’re looking at Kitsilano condos for sale or affordable homes for sale by leading real estate companies like Vancouver Canada Homes, doing a thorough inspection should give you enough confidence when deciding whether or not to buy the place. Remember that ultimately, it will be your home life hanging in the balance.
(Source: Top 10 Red Flags for Homebuyers, Front Door)
