Buying a home is a lot more than simply a big purchase. It is making a bet on a secure future for yourself and your family. If you have bought and sold real estate before then you may already know some of the things that you should look out for. If this is your first home purchase then you should take the time to talk to some experienced buyers and your realtor to find out some common home buying mistakes and the things that you should watch for in homes both new and old.
One thing that should always be looked at is if there has been additional construction done on the home in question.
If an addition or renovations have been done it is in your best interest to ensure that these renovations were done according to code and that they were done properly. I think we have all seen the TV shows that illustrate some of the monstrously deficient renovations that have been done to homes. For this reason you should never purchase a home that has not been through an inspection. Sometimes home sellers will choose to sell to buyers who are willing to bypass the inspection for a quicker sale, this is a bad idea. If sellers want to skip the inspection then what are they concealing about their home? Perhaps nothing, but that is not something that you want to guess on.
Another thing that it is always a good idea to check on is the warranties that are attached to the home's appliances and other things such as the roof. The roof warranty can be a huge selling point, if there is any concerns with the roof it is acceptable to list a new roof as one of the sale subjects or it can be used as a bargaining chip to reduce the final sale price. It pays to be a cautious buyer in today's real estate market. Be sure to communicate with your realtor on all aspects of the sale and don't be afraid to ask questions!
