Buying a new home, such as through Cates Auction, is an exciting time, and your emotions can quickly get in the way of your rational thought. It is important to take a step back, breathe deeply, and consider what it is that you are really purchasing.
What Is in the "New, Updated Kitchen"?
Many homes will advertise that the kitchen has been updated, but what does that really mean? The seller may have bought new cabinets, but you want to see if they are made with solid wood or if they are just particleboard. The value and materials used will make a difference in the quality that you are getting. You should also ask whether the updates were done through a contractor or if they were a DIY job.
Don't fall in love with the kitchen appliances. because they may not be available for you to purchase with the house. The matching stainless steel refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave, and oven look nice, but all four of them can easily go with the seller and not stay with the house.
What About the Windows?
If you are house hunting during the winter months you may not think to open all of the windows, but it is definitely something that should be done. You will be very disappointed if you purchase a home and go to open the windows in the spring to find that they were all painted shut from the outside.
The seller might also advertise that the home has new windows. You will want to find out whether the new windows are single-pane, double-pane, or triple-pane. Again, don't confuse new with high quality.
Areas You Don't See
There are some areas of the home that aren't really a part of the tour, specifically the roof, the HVAC system, and plumbing and electrical systems. You should find out exactly how long ago the roof was updated. Try to make sure that your home inspector is able to go up on the roof to look for any damage. Replacing a roof is an expensive update that you may not want to deal with in your new home.
If you are serious about purchasing a specific home, then get a second or third walk-through to test the HVAC. Tell your real estate agent that you want to test these out, although you may be limited by the time of year.
Turn on the hot water and see if it stays hot for at least 10 minutes. A quality water heater is only going to last about ten years maximum, so you will want to see how long of a life that heater has left.
To check the electricity, try turning on all of the lights. You could also take a nightlight to put in each of the electrical outlets to make sure that they work.
These items are not generally on the homebuyer's check-off list. However, if you don't pay attention to them, you might end up with some expensive problems popping up quickly.
