What the listing photos won't tell you about that charming vintage property (The hidden costs of buying a pre-1978 home) Many homes from the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's have lead paint hiding inside Sarah fell in love the moment she walked through the door. Crown moldings. Hardwood floors with decades of patina. A wraparound porch that whispered of summer evenings and lemonade. The 1952 Colonial was everything she had dreamed of, priced $ 40,000 below comparable newer construct

We've all seen the renovation shows on HGTV or other channels. The hosts are technically skilled, many have been working on homes since before they could drive. But others not so much - sometimes, buyers rush in, scoop up a foreclosure, install flooring over existing flooring, use low-grade materials, or even go to extreme lengths to hide existing issues that they found along the way. In this blog: Buying a Flipped Home? Red Flags to Watch for we take a closer look at som

That appliance quietly humming in your basement or utility closet could be a ticking time bomb - and most homebuyers never think about it. How important is Hot Water Heater Age when buying a home? Hot water heaters have a useful life of 8-10 years in most cases, and should be replaced prior to catastrophic failures When the Martinez family returned from vacation to their Phoenix home, they expected the usual pile of mail and a stuffy house. What they found instead was a night

For decades, copper was the gold standard in residential plumbing. Walk into almost any home built between the 1950s and 1990s, and you will likely find copper pipes snaking through the walls. It was durable, reliable, and considered a premium material. But here is something most homebuyers do not think about: copper pipes do not last forever. Now let's take a look at Aging Copper Pipes: When Good Plumbing Goes Bad (And WHY)   Copper pipes have been used for years for their

Many first time homebuyers don't know what it means for a home to have a Septic System. In this article we discuss Septic System Inspections, and why they are critical before you purchase a home. Septic Tanks require maintenance, pump-outs, and sometimes nature still causes trouble If you are buying a home with a septic system, congratulations on joining roughly one-quarter of American homeowners who manage their own wastewater treatment. According to the EPA, more than 60 mi

When that 18-year-old roof looks "fine" during your home tour, you might be inheriting an uninsurable liability. Let's look at how Roof Age insurance coverage risks can affect you after purchase. You found the perfect house. The price is right, the neighborhood checks out, and the inspection report mentions the roof is "functional with normal wear for its age." Seems reasonable, right? Here's what nobody tells you: that roof age insurance risks are real - and that home with

Why Florida Home Insurance Gets Denied - Published by Listing Risk Cheryl thought she had found her dream home in Tampa. A charming ranch constructed in 1998 which included a pool, mature landscaping, and an asking price that seemed almost reasonable for the Florida market. She made an offer, it was accepted, and she started planning her move from Ohio. But then came the insurance quote: $ 14,000 per year. And that was from the only company willing to write a policy. The c

Your dream home has everything: the layout, the location, the price. Then your insurance agent asks one question that stops the deal cold: " How old is the roof ?" For millions of homebuyers, this scenario plays out every day. A house that seems perfect on paper suddenly becomes uninsurable, or insurable only at astronomical rates, because of something most buyers never think to check first: roof age & insurance coverage. Here is what every homebuyer needs to know before maki

Jasmine had done everything right. She found her dream home in the hills of Marin County, got pre-approved for her mortgage, and was ready to close. Then her lender called with news that stopped the deal cold: no insurance company would write a policy on the property. She had no idea beforehand about the California home insurance crisis.   " I didn't even know that was possible, " she told me. " I thought insurance was just a checkbox you filled out. "   Jasmine's story is

The inspection report came back clean. Six months later, the basement flooded. Find out what Home Inspectors Miss and how to avoid these avoidable and expensive pitfalls. Sarah thought she did everything right. Before closing on her 1985 Colonial in suburban Ohio, she hired a licensed home inspector who spent nearly three hours examining the property. The 47-page report documented minor issues: a loose handrail, some missing caulk around a bathroom fixture, an aging water he

That gray pipe behind your water heater could be a ticking time bomb—and your insurance company might already know it. (Do you have the Polybutylene problem?) Sarah thought she had found the perfect starter home. Built in 1989, the three-bedroom ranch in suburban Atlanta checked every box: good schools, mature trees, a price that fit her budget. The inspection came back clean. She closed on the home in the next thirty days. Three months later, she came home from work to find

You hired a home inspector, got a 40-page report, and feel confident you know exactly what you're buying. But here's what most buyers don't realize: a standard home inspection is designed to be a visual, non-invasive assessment . There's a whole category of problems your inspector literally isn't allowed to check for. Let's take a look at home inspection limitations. Wood damage caused by termites is often hidden in basements, closets and even attics. It's crucial to get a

Did you know that some homes have Aluminum Wiring instead of copper? Find out more about the hidden dangers of aluminum wiring in the article below: Published b y Listing Risk Do you know what kind of wiring is behind that so receptacle or switch plate? Early 70's homes can have a serious risk hiding behind that drywall It was supposed to be their dream home. The house was a charming 1972 split-level in a quiet neighborhood, with original hardwood floors and a backyard perf

A cautionary tale about what lurks beneath your dream home—and the simple test that could save you from financial disaster. A sewer is not something most of us want to think about. But if you don't, it can be very expensive. When Audrey Thrasher bought her home in the Waldo neighborhood of Kansas City, she had no idea that a ticking time bomb was buried beneath her front yard. Her private sewer line—the pipe connecting her home to the city's sewer main—was deteriorating unde

Home Appraisal vs Home Inspection (Why You Need Them Both) If you are buying your first home, you have probably heard the terms "appraisal" and "inspection" thrown around interchangeably. Maybe your real estate agent mentioned the appraisal came back fine, and you thought, "Great, the house is in good shape!" That assumption could cost you thousands of dollars. Here is the truth that surprises many first-time buyers: an appraisal and an inspection are completely different p