What to look for when buying a house is a question my customers often ask. So today, I’ll take a few minutes to review some items that you cannot afford to overlook when buying a house. Now these aren’t listed in any particular order and it is NOT EVERYTHING need to look at, but be sure to stick around for the last one, because that’s the one that I’ve heard horror stories about, and you cannot afford to miss when buying a house.

The roof

Let’s start with the one that may be the most obvious, the roof. If you’re considering buying a home, ask your Realtor® how old it is and what the roof is made of. He or she should be able to easily get that information. The age of the roof is a big deal for insurance companies, especially if it’s shingled, but don’t stop with the age. Look for algae, broken pieces, or overhanging trees. These can lower the life expectancy of your roof and roofs aren’t cheap, so look closely. Of course, get a licensed professional to do a closer look with an inspection, but when you’re considering buying a house it’s important to look for potential issues BEFORE you make that offer.

This may be a good time to note that I am NOT a licensed inspector or repair person and that you should NEVER purchase a home without having a licensed professional do a complete inspection before buying a house.

Show me your love

Next, look for evidence of love. Now I’m not talking about tender poems of love written on the walls or love notes, I’m talking about evidence that the homeowner has loved on their home. For instance, some homeowners can be a bit OCD, and if you’re buying their home, it could be a good thing. They’ll completely cut trees down because a limb comes within 5 feet of their home, not waiting until tree limbs are touching the roof. They’ll put 5-foot extenders on their rain gutters to protect the foundation. They’ll caulk the windows and showers obsessively JUST IN CASE a drop of water should dare to intrude. All the details just seem to be in order. Thus may be evidence that a home has been loved. When you can pick up on these types of things, it may provide a feeling of a homeowner’s goodwill. Sometime though, signs of love, or the lack thereof, are immediately apparent.

Poorly kept landscaping, sidewalks or driveways with mildew would eat that guy up with OCD, but it may not be an issue for a homeowner that doesn’t love on their home. Now, it’s not always that these homes are spotless. Their counters and even the floors may be cluttered with who knows what. But be looking for clues that a homeowner loves caring for their home.

Check the HVAC system

Check for the age of the air conditioning system. Insurance companies care about this, too, but air conditioning systems are expensive. Look at the AC system for signs of love. Check the filter. Is it clogged? Are the interior and exterior units clean? Look for signs of mold or mildew, especially in garages, where humidity can encourage growth. Often, AC techs will write the service record right on the unit.

A missing service record doesn’t mean that it hasn’t been regularly serviced, but I like to be able to see that it’s been done regularly. Homeowners often don’t service their air conditioning systems until there are issues, which can be expensive. Ask your Realtor® for a homeowner’s service record.

Having a written record may be a sign of love like I spoke of before, and not having a written record does not mean a homeowner doesn’t love their home, but it could be a good way to get another clue. A home inspection should reveal the condition of the coils, which are vital for an air conditioning system’s efficiency.

Shifting sands?

This next one may not be an issue where you live, but here in Central Florida where my home buyers and home sellers live and homes are often built on sand, minor cracking is common. As such, pay attention to these cracks. Small cracks, even stair stepping, doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a problem, but they should not be dismissed. Look closely at the foundation of the home, especially on the corners and ask yourself why they’re present.

If a homeowner doesn’t have gutters, or they aren’t working properly, runoff can create foundational issues. If the corner of the home’s foundation is exposed, it could be an issue even if there isn’t cracking present. Pay close attention here, because if a homeowner repainted the home, then cracking may be invisible.

Pay attention to how the water near a home may flow. In many new construction communities, there’s only 4 or 5 feet between a home and if the grade isn’t appropriate, it could be flowing along your foundation, creating washouts and potential foundation issues.

I’ve been a licensed Realtor® for many years, and I believe I’ve learned to identify potential issues; however, I wouldn’t dare buy a home without having a licensed home inspector do a complete inspection before I buy a home. If you’re buying a home, tell the inspector of your concerns. Maybe just encourage the inspector to take an extra look at that back corner that looked odd to you.

Read the vegetation

Another thing to look for when buying a house, especially if you live in a rural area like me, is the nearby vegetation. Of course, ask your Realtor® what flood zone the home is in, but sometimes the labeled flood zone doesn’t tell the whole story. Here in the Orlando area, if a home is in Flood Zone X, which is the desired flood zone in our area, but there’s an abundance of Red Bay trees or other flood-tolerant vegetation, then I suspect that it is in a low-lying area.

Conversely, if a home is in Flood Zone A or AE, but there is an abundance of large Live Oak Trees or Dragonwood, then perhaps flooding isn’t as much of a concern. Again, utilize a professional to determine if your home is right for you.

Mold & Mildew

Speaking of water, look for signs of mildew or mold. Many of them are obvious. I spoke earlier of the side of the air conditioning system, but windowsills, showers, and even under the cabinets should be checked. Mildew is often just small, dark spots. There are all sorts of molds, and they come in all sorts of colors.

I’m surely not a mold or mildew expert, but I know enough to know that mold should be taken seriously. The presence of mold may be a simple sign of a lack of love, but it could be something more. But just because there is mold or mildew doesn’t mean that a house should be avoided or needs thousands of dollars to fix. Home buyers often completely lose their minds when they see mildew or mold, afraid that they’ll have a lifetime of breathing issues. Sometimes they’re running for the hills or asking sellers to make thousands of dollars in concessions, but sometimes it’s a simple matter of cleaning with a rag with some bleach on it. I’m not trying to downplay it, tell your home inspector about it, and have it further evaluated, keeping a level head.

Plumbing

Check the plumbing. Now this one can be difficult because most of the plumbing is often under the foundation or in the walls, but you can often find clues. Check the water heater or under the sinks for the type of plumbing. Polybutylene plumbing is very common and should be taken seriously as insurance companies may punish you for having it.

Again, your home inspector SHOULD be looking for it, but if you can find polybutylene plumbing, it may play a role when considering an offer if you’re buying a home. I don’t want to get too far into it here, but polybutylene is sometimes dark gray in color. There are several types of plumbing that can be an issue. I’m not an expert in this area, so be sure to pay attention to your home inspection report before proceeding to buying a home.

Water heaters

Speaking of water heaters, old water heaters may be an issue with obtaining homeowner’s insurance. While I’ve seen water heaters running perfectly for well beyond 30 years, insurance companies fuss about them WAY before then, maybe at just 10 or 12 years. It seems crazy, but homeowner’s insurance costs should be considered when buying a home.

Power lines

One small, often overlooked thing to look for when buying a house is powerlines. To most home buyers, it’s a minor detail. But to others it’s a huge deal. I’ve had home buyers share all sorts of information that made me nervous about living under or near major power lines. I don’t know if it’s a real thing or not, but it is definitely something that you should do your research on.

Listen closely

Next, noise level is something you should be considering when buying a house. Some buyers are wise to this one, but others are not. If you’re visiting a home on Sunday morning at 10am, then all may be quiet. Many of the children may be off at church or still in bed instead of outside on their bicycles yelling to one another. There’s likely not much traffic on that little street right behind the house at this time. However, before making an offer to buy a house, visit the house several times of the day on different days. Be sure to visit the house during bus drop-offs to see how noisy the home could be in the afternoons. Stop by again on Saturday at noon and during rush hour on Friday and listen intently for the noise level and make sure it works for you. There’s no particular time per se. The idea is to know what it would be like when you AREN’T just looking at the home, what reality may be like once you’ve moved in.

Evidence of water intrusion or flooding

I live and work here in Central Florida, and some of our homes here flood. Major hurricanes occasionally wreak havoc, and sometimes homes that are in desirable flood zones can have water intrusion, too. So pay attention to the lower areas of the home, maybe the bottom 12 inches or so. Does it look like that portion of the drywall has been recently repaired? Wainscoting is an easy cover up when replacing the bottom portion of drywall. How about the baseboards? Are there 8 or 10-inch baseboards that just don’t seem to fit in this home? If a home faces water intrusion, the floors usually need replacement, too. New floors are great, and not to get too paranoid here, but you should at least consider the new floors and combine this information with other clues that I’m reviewing here. One or two clues don’t mean there IS an issue, but it is definitely something to look for when buying a house.

Published on January 30. 2025 / no comments.