Sometimes on listing information it will mention something like, "Kitchen fan comes as is." That's a tip it doesn't work. In this case they could have said, "Or isn't, as the case may be ... whatever." This is The New Normal.
I was exceptionally amused when I saw the "kitchen fan."
And this apparently happened some time ago!
They were using the range with things in this condition!
Now, before you say there is no kitchen fan, and you might be right, there is a kitchen exhaust!
What, you say?
YES! THAT FLAP LEADING TO THE OUTSIDE STILL OPENS! SO YOU SEE, TECHNICALLY, THERE IS KITCHEN EXHAUST!
And I find the use of color exceptional!
See how it all blends!?
Remember I said this had happened some time ago?
Well, this little surprise in the wall was left in place also.
Yep, the old wiring remains.
AND, YES, IT IS HOT!
How fun!
My client asked me why they would leave an exposed, and still hot, electric cable in the wall.
My answer, and I didn't have a good one, was that maybe now and then they wanted to hook up a light bulb for cooking!
Knowing I was being facetious, and thinking it funny, that broke the ice for her.
But the house was a mess overall.
This kind of thing is said to be the "new normal."
It really disturbs me that the market is this "normal" and buyers are having to absorb stuff like this. Often times dozens of things like this.
"Well, they don't have any money and can't fix these things," is the eventual explanation.
It's impossible to know if the price of the house reflects what will have to be done to it to bring it up to a maintained condition.
In this house, as in many I have been inspecting for the past couple of years, there were many things conveying "as is." My client swore the list grew between her first visit seeing the house, and when we did the inspection. And some things were missing that she saw as conveying when she first saw the house. She was understandably upset by that.
My recommendation: when you preview houses, look to see what comes "as is." Keep the list with you when you do the home inspection and see if things have or have not changed! I know an agent who takes photos! If things have been broken, removed, or if there is a NEW list of what comes "as is." If so, the house should be sold in the condition it was when it was first viewed and the offer was made. The home inspector won't be much help when changes have been made!
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