5 Signs You’re Gazing Into A Money Pit, Not Buying A House
- Leaky roof. It’s not just the expense of a new roof: think of all of the terrible things water can do inside your house. Look for working gutters and missing or cracked shingles.
- Foundation cracks. No house is crack-free, since foundations settle. However, if a regular old yellow wooden pencil can fit inside the cracks you find, run away.
- Hazardous decks. Check railings for looseness and boards for softness: dangerous decks cause 45,000 injuries every year. Really!
- Mold and mildew. These should be visible or smellable, but not always.
- Pest infestations. Rodents, carpenter ants, and termites make terrible housemates. Piles of sawdust and shed termite wings are indications that they might be hanging around.
Five signs the house you want to buy is a money pit [Consumer Reports]
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