Home sale may go swiftly with a good deal and you go on your merry way, whether you are a buyer or a seller. However, it could also go sideways if you are not careful.
Here are 4 red flags to watch out for when buying or selling a house, courtesy of Consumer Reports.
Smell
Who does not love a nice sweet smell? But if we are talking about a funky one, that is entirely a different story. A bad smell is something potential buyer will never forget. Come to think of it, even the seller would not want to personally deal with it, right? It also ought to be remembered, Consumer report says, "41 percent of the real estate pros surveyed by the Consumer Reports National Research Center put dirt, smells, and clutter on their list of costliest home-selling mistakes."
Another reason that could make the deal go awry? Smelly pets. It is best to get them out of the house or do a regular deep cleaning while your home is on the market.
Cracks in the foundation
Who would want to buy a home with cracks? Well, except hairline cracks perhaps but anything bigger than that is an ultimate red flag. If it is wider than 3/16, then have it checked right away because it could get worse in time, resulting to more costs.
Bouncing bathroom floors
A common problem people encounter in bathrooms are water damaged that is not easy to detect. It could be from a leaky shower pan or running toilet which could make the floor somehow spongy over time. This is not hard to notice so it is better to attend to it at once, otherwise, the house may be sitting on the market for long.
Signs of an infestation
This is another problem to watch out for and usually at the baseborads and windows. Hence, while checking everything else, make sure to check for signs of infestation as well to ensure it would be taken care of on time-before someone comes to inspect the house, that is.
