On HGTV, it looks so easy. A cute couple with an adorable kid can take a roach-invested hovel and in a few weeks transform the place into a palace, usually with an “Open Space” floor plan. And these TV flippers do it right, with permits, contractors who totally get the importance of support beams in the appropriate places - and all of the other details it takes to do the job properly.
Some area builders do an amazing job and do it all the right way (see the photo at the right). But all too often, home buyers in Washington, DC's overheated market are dealing with flippers who are more interested in maximizing their bottom lines than in creating a product that will shelter its new owners for years to come. And don't count on their real estate agents to point out the issues lurking just under the dry wall.
Buyers walk into Wow Factor Central, with expensive looking cabinetry, stone counter tops, uber high end appliances, new floors, and state of the art bathrooms with toilet seats that put themselves down.
Bidding wars are the norm for these “new” old homes, and in the heat of the contest, many buyers forego the protections of the home inspection contingency included in the boiler-plate contracts we use in this area.
And the results are, all too often, not pretty.
The flippers frequently do amazing cosmetic work, while burying all of the problems under new drywall. They keep a low profile and fly below the radar screen in the government offices that issue building permits and inspect the finished products, sometimes even skipping over the permit process. And we are seeing many reports of buyers who move in and quickly learn that the Wow Factor has been reduced to sagging ceilings, buckling floors (maybe the Chinese stuff from Lumber Liquidators?), termite activity and other unpleasant surprises.
So before you obligate yourself to buy a house or condo that is a quick turnaround flip project, hire a totally compulsive, eagle eyed home inspector who can give you the expertise you need to make an informed buying decision.
If you're thinking of buying a home in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area, I can help - especially if you're likely to fall for one of these gorgeous newly refinished houses or condos. I know which builders do a great job, and if I don't know the builder, I know a home inspector that only a truly great renovator could love. Call or text me at 202-549-5167, or email me at housepat@mac.com.
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