4 Things To Watch For In Real Estate Listings

As you search for your new home, you'll likely read through dozens (if not hundreds!) of online real estate listings. After a while, you'll probably get better at distinguishing homes that have the potential to be "the one" from those not worth your time simply based on the online listing alone. As you get started in your home search, however, there are a few potential things to watch for in a house listing. These don't always indicate something's amiss, but they may be worth investigating further.

"Back on the Market"

A home that's advertised as being "back on the market" typically means that a previous deal fell through. There could be many reasons for this, but one problematic reason could be that maintenance issues or other problems with the house were discovered by the prospective buyers, causing them to bow out of the deal. Of course, a home could also be listed back on the market after a previous buyer's funding fell through, so this doesn't always indicate a problem with the home.

"Custom Upgrades"

Upgrades are usually a good thing, but when they're customized, this typically means they were personalized to the current homeowner's tastes. Of course, these tastes may or may not reflect your own—so something that the current owners adore may be something you can't stand. If you and the current owner have similar tastes, however, this could be music to your ears!

"So Much Potential"

When a home is described as having a lot of potential, needing some TLC, or being a "fixer-upper," understand that the home is probably not going to be in great shape. The pictures (if they're included in the listing) should make this clear. If you're looking to take on a fixer-upper, this may not be a problem. Just be sure to find out whether the home is being sold "as-is" or if you'll be entitled to an inspection.

"Cozy and Charming"

Often times, words like "cozy" and "charming" are used to describe a small home. Most likely, you can figure out if this is the case by simply looking deeper at the listing for square footage information. If you're in the market for a smaller home with less maintenance, a cozy or charming space may be just perfect.

By knowing what kind of language to watch out for as you scour home listings, you can save yourself some time and narrow down your options as you search for your ideal home!