What You Need To Know Before Buying a Flipped House

With every home remodel, there comes the chance of an issue unfolding. Many people jump at the opportunity to fix the problem, but others place a band-aid on the issue or hide it well enough that they hope no one will notice. Unfortunately, you won’t always get everything you desire in a newer home, which is why it’s important that you explore what you need to know before buying a flipped house.

Overanalyze Everything

We encourage you to overanalyze. Perhaps you were told when you walked through the door that the home was a mid-century turned modern home from the 1920s. However, upon closer inspection, you uncover a home hiding issues that have only been covered with a bandage.

When you’re house hunting for the right rehabbed home, it’s okay to nitpick about every detail. The one thing you shouldn’t do is get tricked into flashy upgrades that involve the home’s main focal points. Get down to the nitty-gritty by looking at the light switches, testing alarm systems, and checking the appliances.

Create a Checklist

Draw up a list of things to check in the home, especially if the house has an attic or basement. While writing your list, create a category for custom items; this will allow you to take notes on the previous owner’s changes to the property.

Additionally, include the following items, as they cost a lot to replace at a later date:

• Doors
• Windows
• Insulation
• Foundation
• Customized rooms

Verify the Contractor

Ensuring that the contractor who helped flip the house is qualified, insured, and licensed can say a lot about whether the flip was a success or failure. Before placing an offer or getting too excited about having a backyard bonfire pit, look into the work history and perform a reference check.

Doing these things will remove any worry about whether the customizations or other parts of the flip violate local building codes.

Bring in a Home Inspector

If the home meets your needs, it’s essential to do one final walkthrough. Send an inspector from a qualified home improvement company in Atlanta to perform an inspection. They can inform you on what to fix. Knowing what needs fixing helps you weigh the pros and cons of the renovated home.

Look Over Permits

The last thing to do is look over the permits. Look into the local codes to ensure all changes were legal. If they were not, you may receive a fine and be forced to take the renovations down.

To protect yourself, go to town hall and speak with a building inspector to ensure that the home isn’t violating any codes. Also, check that the inspector was licensed and approved to make those modifications.

Now that you have what you need to know before buying a flipped house, you can confidently walk in understanding the risks of buying a rehabbed home.

There are so many different ways to flip a home, and it seems risky to move forward when you don’t know whether the property is a suitable investment. Bear Mountain Custom Painting can help break down the fear of buying or flipping your own house. For more information on our contracting services, contact us.