It’s always nice to see a perfectly staged home when you’re out house hunting. Staging makes it easy to envision yourself and all your belongings in a space and makes things more attractive and inviting than a cold, empty house. But sometimes sellers are looking for a quick fix in order to sell a house quickly. If you’re interested enough in a house to entertain the idea of making an offer, be sure to check for any damage, cosmetic or otherwise, that perfect
“makeup” could be hiding. Here are just a few examples.

Wall Damage

A new paint job could be covering a multitude of sins. Take a closer look. Is there wallpaper hiding underneath that new paint? Are there cracks in darker paint that aren’t evident until you get up close? You should also make sure to have the walls checked for things like mold. Wall coverings, artwork, and knick knacks could also be hiding things like holes.

Floor Damage

Be sure that big, trendy rug isn’t hiding damaged flooring underneath. Oddly placed furniture could also be a red flag that there’s something lurking underneath. Take a peek under floor coverings to make sure that there’s nothing going on there that you should be aware of.

An Awkward Layout

There’s not much a seller can do beyond a full remodel to hide a home that has an odd layout or small rooms. In order to make a small or awkward room look more appealing, sellers are advised to stage the room with furniture that will make it seem bigger and more functional. Looks can be deceiving! It’s always a good idea to bring a measuring tape with you on your house-hunting trip to make sure your own furniture will fit.

Noise Pollution

It’s common for agents and sellers to play soothing music during open houses or showings. But that music could be doing more than setting a nice, relaxed mood. There’s a chance it could be hiding noise pollution such as outside traffic or construction, or even noises in the house like dripping faucets or creaky floors.

An Amateur Flip

Flipping houses can be a lucrative business, but unfortunately there are amateurs out there who really don’t know what they’re doing and don’t take the care they should with remodeling. A big warning sign is inconsistency in the home. For instance, if a few rooms look shiny and new while others are just so-so, you might be looking at a half-finished project. It’s possible that the flippers just concentrated on making the worst parts of the house look better and didn’t give the whole house the care it needs. You could end up having to undo all the “work” they did, which will cost more time and money than you probably bargained for.