House hunting can be very exciting.
I know this first hand because I am a realtor and I get to experience that excitement with many people throughout the year.
I work with everyone from young couples with dreams of raising families to investors looking to purchase income property. Over the years I have seen some really cool properties but I have also seen some that were just awful. I have learned how to spot problems even when they are disguised by cosmetic tricks too. My clients depend on me to show them quality homes and it is amazing what people will do to try and hide problems. A quick coat of paint, a strategically placed throw rug and even a new built in wall unit can hide a lot of damage. It takes a trained eye to spot these changes. I recall one house that seemed charming and beautiful on the surface. When I asked about the new baseboards the owners gave each other a worried look. They finally admitted that there had been mold damage that was caused by a faulty HVAC system. They said that they had cleaned it up, painted the walls, and replaced the molding because it had been so damaged by moisture. They tried to assure me that the problem was completely gone but without a certification of mold remediation I was not willing to show any clients the house. Even if the surface problems had been fixed and the HVAC system repaired there could still be a problem behind the walls where no one could see it.
