It’s that time of year again, when little ones dress up and go out into the streets looking for tricks or treats.  Many older children as well as adults love to look for haunted houses to visit during this time of year as well.  While haunted real estateHalloween is all good and fun, no one wants to end up purchasing a home that gives them nightmares!  In this article we will look at a few tips on how to avoid haunting situations when buying a home.

  • Avoid buying a home in a bad neighborhood  by going to your prospective place of residence during the weekends.  On the weekends folks typically get outside and do yard work around their homes.  You may even be able to talk to some of  the folks who live there to see what they are like before you make a home purchase in that neighborhood.  It’s also a good idea to drop by on a Saturday night to see if there are any loud parties and such going on.
     
  • If the home you want to purchase is covered in siding, make sure to have it checked for any water issues so that you don’t end up being haunted by mold once you move in. 
     
  • Always have a thorough home inspection   before you purchase a home.  This way if there are problems that need to be dealt with, you might be able to negotiate with the sellers to get the issues fixed before you buy.
     
  • Whether or not your loan officer requires a water test, be sure to have one done before making an offer on a home.  You never know what may be in the water, especially if the home is in a rural area.  Don’t let hard water or water with worse issues haunt you…check to make sure it is safe and clean before you buy.
     
  • Ask your Realtor to see the latest insurance bills for the home you are looking into buying.  This way you will have an upfront idea of what you may be charged each month and you will be able to set your budget around it. If the home you are looking at is in an area with high flood rates you need to definitely make sure you have all of your bases covered so that you don’t end up with a bill that is going to haunt you each month.

Lastly, ask your Realtor as many questions as you possibly can so that you will feel comfortable enough to make an offer without any fears or doubts looming over you.

Information courtesy of Wilmington Delaware Realtor Tucker Robbins.