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What's are some of the things people do to cover up an issue or what they think is an issue,. Personally when I see new work I immediately think what's going on around this area. Especially if most of the surrounding area has older but usable stuff. Some say that's why people should avoid throw rugs because people wonder what's going on underneath. Other's say fresh paint in a basement in particular means a leak cover up. But inspectors tend to find those issues anyway. That's why I'm not afraid of selling an empty house. Sometimes furniture seams placed in a odd spot. Should I see what's behind it-a crack no big deal in an older home but some become paranoid or nervous about little things or some border on anything goes. Would a freshly painted floor joist or beam in basement mean termite cover up. Or a locked room.
This goes back to home inspections. I know alot of people resent them but they're part of the real estate industry like or not so wouldn't buyer and seller be better off accepting the fact the certain issues will have to be dealt with. Some immediately some down the road. But 'the show' part of selling a house is really becoming annoying.
Also couldn't blatant attempts to cover up an issue be considered worse that cheap amateur repairs. I would have to wonder about something I saw used to cover up a problem.
In most places, sellers need to complete a disclosure form. In it they need to state whether there are known issues such as water intrusion (leaks). mold, termites, etc. past or present.
If they lie on that, and a buyer can prove it, then there are grounds for a lawsuit.
It may not address a stain on a wood floor that was hidden by a rug, but that is really just a cosmetic issue. It doesn't affect the structure or pose any health risks.
The biggest “cover ups” I usually run into are probably as much out of laziness or cost cutting as anything. Stuff like not fully replacing rotten trim when the exterior of the house is painted over.
In most places, sellers need to complete a disclosure form. In it they need to state whether there are known issues such as water intrusion (leaks). mold, termites, etc. past or present.
If they lie on that, and a buyer can prove it, then there are grounds for a lawsuit.
It may not address a stain on a wood floor that was hidden by a rug, but that is really just a cosmetic issue. It doesn't affect the structure or pose any health risks.
I think many buyers forget about that pesky dislosure form they signed because to them it's administrative bs but it is there to help protect the buyer. So do some realtors actually advocating and telling people to cover things up. What some don't realize is sometimes I think it's cheaper to discount the price of the house because the discount is set/a solid number. You get a contractor out there to actually fix the problem the job could expand very easily -oh you need this or that , code says this etc so a discount and do nothing is actually cheaper but people want 'their' number like a winning lottery ticket.
None of that would bother me, a lot of people do the "deferred maintenance" thing. Now a locked room? No, I'm not even bidding on that house. My sister went to look at a house for us here, when we were moving from NY to NC. When she went to step out on the deck, the homeowner said, oh don't go out that way...let's go out the front door and around the side so you can see how nice the yard it. It was raining....my sister was like WTF. Typical FSBO-er.
I think many buyers forget about that pesky dislosure form they signed because to them it's administrative bs but it is there to help protect the buyer.
Sellers are the ones who fill out that "pesky dislosure (sic) form", not buyers.
What's are some of the things people do to cover up an issue or what they think is an issue,. Personally when I see new work I immediately think what's going on around this area. Especially if most of the surrounding area has older but usable stuff. Some say that's why people should avoid throw rugs because people wonder what's going on underneath. Other's say fresh paint in a basement in particular means a leak cover up. But inspectors tend to find those issues anyway. That's why I'm not afraid of selling an empty house. Sometimes furniture seams placed in a odd spot. Should I see what's behind it-a crack no big deal in an older home but some become paranoid or nervous about little things or some border on anything goes. Would a freshly painted floor joist or beam in basement mean termite cover up. Or a locked room.
This goes back to home inspections. I know alot of people resent them but they're part of the real estate industry like or not so wouldn't buyer and seller be better off accepting the fact the certain issues will have to be dealt with. Some immediately some down the road. But 'the show' part of selling a house is really becoming annoying.
Also couldn't blatant attempts to cover up an issue be considered worse that cheap amateur repairs. I would have to wonder about something I saw used to cover up a problem.
A locked room would be a red flag. They could be hiding their skeletons in the closet. Even literally.
We're tearing up all of the baseboards in our house right now and we've found 3 spots where the drywall behind was totally missing. Maybe a total of 36 inches? Did they run out of drywall?? SMH, I swear, some of the crap we've found in this house is just baffling. My husband found a TON of wire up in the attic space. Just spools and spools and loose wire. For what, we have no idea, as the wires were all types.
We're very prideful people so when we go to sell this house eventually, we're going to make sure that it's in great condition. It's taken 5 years for us to bring it up to date and I am so TIRED of renovations, ugh.
Anyway. While house hunting we saw rotted flooring covered up with rugs, leaks under sinks, windows that wouldn't open, fireplaces that didn't work and some other stuff that just made us roll our eyes. It amazes us what people will try to cover up when selling a house.
Take a 2'x3' of half inch thick plywood, cover the hole in front of the toilet and then put 1'x1' tile over that to try and flatten the floor? Like that's going to work? Tile over the rest of the rot? We bought the house anyway and tore out the whole floor in the bath and replaced a few floor joists. It's solid now.
Different house had a 4'x4' post scabbed together with 1"x3" 'bandaids' on two sides. That one wasn't trying to hide, though.
Some of the issues are just from ignorant repairs, some of them are trying to hide damage, though.
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