Shopping for a house, building, condominium or whatever can be exciting at first and then slowly grow frustrating. Finding the structure that fits your taste is not something that usually happens with the first property you visit. As frustration rises, you can fall into a trap wherein you start to compromise on what you are looking for. This compromise can come in one particularly bad form, to wit, poor workmanship.
When you first visit a potential property, it is important that you keep your eyes open for obvious problems. Without being excessively cynical, keep in mind that the seller has tried to buff it out as much as possible. Given this universal truth, any sign of obvious problems should set off sirens in your head. Here are a couple of things to keep an eye out for.
As strange as it sounds, it makes sense to open and close as many doors as possible in the structure. Why? If a door jams, it may be a sign of a small problem or something much bigger. On the simple side of the equation, one door that jams may simply mean the door needs to be replaced. Multiple jamming doors, however, could be a sign of foundation problems or serious structural problems with the homes. If multiple doors have problems, it is usually best to move on to the next property.
In the case of real estate, cracks come in two forms. The first is a hairline crack on a surface that is to be expected over the passage of time. The second is a large crack that has a width of more than a quarter inch or so. This second crack is a potential sign of trouble. Once again, we are worried about foundation problems. The property may be settling or moving. You really do not want to buy such a property.
At the end of the day, you should always get a professional home inspection done on any property. If you see obvious problems, however, move on to the next house.
