We Tried to Sell Our Home by Owner

Are you tired of living in a rented home? Have you been saving up for a down payment on a home that belongs to you? Becoming a homeowner is a big step in anyone's life. This is especially true if you'll be the first homeowner out of everyone that you know. When none of your friends or family already own a home, it may be difficult to figure out exactly which properties you should avoid and which ones should be put on your shortlist to be considered later. In order to help you with your quest, here are some things that you should be looking for when you're viewing available homes:

Landscape condition: Before you even enter a home, make sure that you give a good look around the exterior of the property. Bushes and trees should be kept properly trimmed on any real estate property and the lawn should be mowed and relatively weed-free. A home that has a dubious exterior can be an indication that the property owners haven't taken good care of the interior. If you love the home anyway, it's a good idea to get the opinion of several professionals, besides simply the appraiser, as to what sort of condition the home is in and whether or not it is in need of serious repairs.

Musty scents: A home that's still being lived in when you view it is going to have a different smell than a vacant real estate property. However, neither of them should smell musty, mildewy, or have any similar disagreeable odors. A smell like that may indicate the presence of a small leak in the roof or in a pipe somewhere. This excess moisture is allowing mold, mildew, or dry rot to thrive somewhere. Mold and mildew can be difficult to diagnose, but concealed dry rot may be accompanied by an orange or orange-brown dust that has settled in other parts of the home. This dust is actually the spores of the dry rot fungus and is an indication that you may want to consider other properties for purchase.

Malodorous drains: When you're touring any real estate property, try to get a good whiff of the drains in the kitchen and any bathrooms. This may seem strange but it does actually serve a purpose. In general, even drains that are being used should have little to no odor of any kind. If you smell something foul, especially if it smells like sewer gas, this is an indication that there may be a clog building up in the sewer pipe. This could be caused by debris, plant roots, or even a nearly-full septic tank. It's up to you to decide whether or not this is something that you'll be willing to deal with almost as soon as you move in.

It can be helpful to work with a realty company like Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Lynch Realty as you search for a home so that you have all the resources you need.