Published December 5, 2022
4 Red Flags That You Shouldn't Buy a House in Minnesota
Searching for a new home can be exciting at first but, if it takes too long to find the right house, it can turn exhausting. As time goes on, you might become increasingly willing to overlook certain things. That being said, if you have a gut feeling that something's wrong with a house or the deal sounds too good to be true, don't ignore your instincts!
Unfortunately, if you're not a realtor, you probably won't know what warning signs you should be on the lookout for. To stop yourself from making a bad investment, read on to learn about a few red flags to keep an eye out for when you're trying to buy a house in Minnesota.
Signs You Shouldn't Buy a Home
Suspiciously Low Asking Price - Minnesota is a seller's market, so if you see a really low asking price for a nice house, don't immediately jump on it. Sure, maybe the owner is just really generous, but they probably know something that you don't, and it's making them desperate to sell the house. It could be that the house is ready to fall apart. It could be they've just learned a huge development is going up next door. It could be that their neighbors are a nightmare. Whatever the case, if you see an asking price that's too good to be true, it probably is, so exercise extreme caution if you're still interested.
Foul Odors - If you walk into a house and it just smells off, that's a very bad sign. Most homeowners will try to make their home look and smell as nice as possible when they put it on the market. If they haven't bothered trying to make it smell nice or, worse, they have tried and it's still not concealing a terrible odor, you're in for a bad deal. From cigarette smoke to mold growth to pet urine, a lot of smells can make a home unpleasant, and many of them are extremely hard to get rid of. If the current owner has tried and failed, don't assume you'll have better luck.
Noticeable Stains - Seeing stains when you're touring a house in Minnesota is never a good thing. The seller might try to brush it off as a past issue but trusting that is a bad idea. Water stains are often an indication of a leaking roof or leaking pipes, and such issues can be expensive to resolve. Other stains, such as those on walls and ceilings, might be caused by smoke or chemicals, and can also be difficult to remove. If you're still interested in a house where you see stains, make sure they're investigated during the home inspection.
Too Many "For Sale" Signs - Seeing two or three houses for sale in a neighborhood could easily be a coincidence. Any more than that, and there's cause for concern. A mass exodus of homeowners from a neighborhood is usually a good indication that something has gone wrong in the area or is about to. There may be a huge new apartment complex going up or a nearby highway might be expanding obnoxiously close to the houses. If you're interested in buying a house in a Minnesota neighborhood with lots of "For Sale" signs, do some research to find out why everyone suddenly wants to move.
Make the Right Home Purchase With Our Team
Even if you keep a sharp eye out for red flags as you search for a home in the Twin Cities area, there might be some you miss. To make sure you buy your dream home and not a nightmare, connect with the Chris Fritch Team with eXp Realty today!
