As the saying goes; when something appears to be too good to be true, it usually is. With this in mind, it isn’t uncommon for individuals to put down an offer on the house of their dreams only to come face-to-face with a handful of problems while performing their final walk-through. In some cases, the issues that have now been made visible can cause a couple to want to sue the previous owners, and should there be justifiable cause, this scenario can become a reality. The following are the top 3 walkthrough surprises homebuyers may encounter.
Leftover Items
When vacating any property, sellers always have a pile of items that they’re not sure what to do with. While sellers might think it would be a good idea to leave some of these items behind for the new owners in case they might find them useful, doing so without informing the buyer is ill-advised. It’s possible that the new owners could indeed find these items useful, but it’s more likely that they’d be put off by the task of sorting through the mess. If the sellers have a pile of genuinely useful items (such as furniture or decorative ornaments) that they think the buyers might want, the simple next step is to phone the buyers up and ask them.
Damage Caused by Movers
It’s unfortunate, but there’s always a chance that movers damage the property as they vacate it. Before closing, buyers might notice scuffs and scratches in obvious places that were not there during the first visits. When contracting movers, the seller is responsible for loss prevention. It’s up to them to walk through the house once the movers have done their work, outline any damage that they might have caused, and hold them responsible for it rather than the buyer.
Damage to Walls and Floors
San Diego real estate listings might look pristine when fully furnished, but once the house is vacated, a variety of blemishes might reveal themselves. It should be known by all buyers that there will always be new marks, holes, and blemishes to discover on the walls and floors after all of the furniture is removed. An area rug, once removed, might reveal a battered wooden floor; a flat-screen TV, once dismounted from the wall, can show several screw holes. If the seller does not bring it up, it’s up to the buyer to outline what should be done about these imperfections. The seller might offer to have the walls spackled or repainted and the floors re-sanded. Or, the buyer could be happy with the configuration of the house and might plan on having their area rug, TV, etc. laid out as they were.