Botched DIY Cover Up from Home Sellers
According to research results from the Zurich Insurance Company almost two-thirds of people have been duped when buying a property that has turned out to be in far worse condition than expected.
Survey figures show that more than 60% of homebuyers in the last five years had been dissatisfied by the house condition once they had moved in.
‘Cover up’ repairs that were noted involved hanging pictures over cracks in walls, placing furniture in front of damp patches and laying rugs over carpets stains.
A third of sellers owned up that they had done the repairs themselves in the hope that they would not been seen by potential buyers, while many admitted they had done the work to save money.
Spending money to hire a tradesman was believed by many to be a complete waste on the basic that the property was about to be sold anyway.
Steve Gilbert who works for Zurich insurance as a home underwriter manager urged sellers to consider the consequences before embarking on major repairs. He said “Homeowners need to think seriously and carefully before taking on renovations that might end up becoming a botch job”.
He went on to say “What might seem like a small project may require special skills, professional advice or even formal certification, so that people don’t damage their property, hurt themselves or expose a future buyer to danger”.
It’s been rumoured that some disreputable buyers will wait till the summer months before putting their house on the market because of leaking roofs and damp spots!
Biggest Investment in Your Life
When you are looking to purchase a house, remember that this is going to be the biggest investment in your life and you need to be 100% sure you are going into buying a home with your eyes wide open and your ‘senses’ on full alert! Little things that could help save you a pocket full of money can be to look out for furniture that seems to be in weird places and rugs that don’t quite fit in the with the symmetric pattern of the room.
Does a picture look out of place in a certain part of the wall as in too low or too high, if a wall looks a slightly darker shade than others, touch it to see if its extra cold, if there is a chimney there, ask when it was last cleaned or if there had ever been a fire! Ask as many questions as you feel is necessary, go back and visit the house at different times of the day.
Remember these little DIY cover ups may not necessary be noticed by a surveyor so it’s up to you on your visits to look and ask.
In an ideal world, it would be all sweetness and light just to move in, unpack our stuff, hang a few pictures on the wall, lay the rugs and be settled within a few days. Unfortunately that’s the type of stuff that only happens in the Walt Disney films, not in the real world! Be alert, its hopefully going to be the homes your dreams!!
