Shopping for a home? A new report warns about some sneaky home seller tricks you should watch out for.
Home buyers love clean, well-maintained homes. Sellers know that, too, and they do everything they can to make their home show well.
A new report by GoBankingrates.com lists some of the tricks sellers use to hide problems:
- The smell of freshly baked cookies or potpourri can hide the smell of mold
- A fresh coat of paint on lower level walls or especially ceilings can be used to hide water damage. If you smell fresh paint, investigate.
- A sense of urgency to buy, like telling you someone else is about to make an offer
- Faking the age of appliances by using a marker to write a more recent date on a water heater or furnace.
And from the Doesn't That Stink file, the biggest home seller trick is to downplay the cost of repairs. Sellers may say they priced a new roof or repair to the patio, they can be off by thousands of dollars.
Never take the seller's word for needed repairs. Get your own estimate. A good home inspector can spot all the tricks. Just make sure to hire an inspector who you choose and who will work for you and not the seller.
That way you don't waste your money.
