Home buyer tips – looking at homes
Here is the latest installment of Russ Ravary’s home buyer tips. As a realtor I feel that one of my goals is to help protect you and your money. What I mean by that in this case is…..to keep you from wasting money on home inspections when you do not need to.
Many times you can see obvious items that need repair or replacement. As a realtor I see many things in a house that may be potential issues, but it is not my job to say no to a house. My job is to show you a house, provide you with information, and then let you the home buyer make a decision whether to put in an offer. I have seen many homes over the years that I love but the buyers hated.
IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU AND WHAT YOU WANT!
Not what I like. So what I am trying to explain is that I may see things like old windows, or a bad roof that is very obvious. If I see something that is obvious and in plain sight I like to point it out to my buyers. It’s all about you and what you can afford or what you can handle fixing. Old windows can be fixed so if you can afford to fix the windows after you buy the home then old windows are no big deal for you. It’s about being provided the basic information to make a sound decision. If you do not know the estimated replacement costs of a repair then it is hard to make a smart decision.
Sometimes the home buyer will miss obvious signs that I have seen before and know what they mean. For example water stains on wood in the basement means there has been water in the basement. If there are white residual stains on the floor it means there has been water. Flaking paint, warping wood, floor tiles loose or peeling all are signs of possible water intrusion. A home buyer may not recognize those signs, but if I see them I share my observations. After all basement water problems sometimes can cost a lot of money to fix.
It is the same way with a roof. Sometimes the roof is totally bad and everybody knows it is. But other times the Metro Detroit home buyers may not realize the issues. Curling shingles, buckling shingles, or dips in the roof may all be missed. Again if I see this I feel it is my duty to tell you that the roof may need to be replaced in a few years.
Now I just tell my buyer clients these issues so they are aware before they put in an offer. There is no sense in you putting in an offer and wasting money on a home inspection when the problem was obvious. Why pay for an inspection and then back out because you can’t afford the repair. If you know about the issue before you put in an offer. No wasting money on home inspections and getting dejected over losing a home to home inspection issues.
BE A SMART HOMEBUYER!
Now I am not a home inspector. Nor do I know exact costs. Only rough estimates of what it costs. A home inspector should be your person to get answers and a good inspection. My observations are just that. An free opinion of what you may encounter and what the signs are saying. You, the home buyer must hire the home inspector and getting cost estimates so you can make a sound decision.
So when you are looking Southeastern Michigan homes look at these major items.
- Roof
- Exterior
- Windows
- Foundation
- Furnace
- Kitchen
These are all big items. High cost items that will cost over $2000 to repair. Sometimes into the tens of thousands of dollars to replace or repair. So be a smart home buyer. Listen to your realtor, keep your eyes open, ask questions, hire a good home inspector, and get quotes on what it will cost. Doing the right things will help make your home buying process go smoother.
Call Russ today 248.310.6239
Remember that we offer a great home buyer bonus too. We also participate in Michigan Hometown heroes that is an amazing home buyer program for first responders, veterans, medical professionals, and educators. This includes all the staff that support these people.
So call me today at 248.310.6239 to get a realtor that will look out for you. One that will negotiate hard for you to get the best price possible for you.
Here are some quick links to old articles I have written
Nottingham Woods Sub in Livonia
Walters Lake homes in Springfield Twp MI
Commerce Michigan house hunting tips
#homebuyertips #MetroDetroithomebuyertips #homebuyingadvice #russravaryhomebuyerbonus #Michiganhometownheroes #thehelpfulrealtor #russravary #bestSEMichiganbuyeragents #howtobuyahome #whattolookforwhenbuyingahome #windows #roof #topmetroDetroitrealtors