Red Flags to Watch for During Your San Diego Home Search

Every San Diego home buyers wants to find that great deal and diamond in the rough. However, in the San Diego real estate market, if something seems too good to be true, it’s often because it is.

So, as you head out looking for your perfect deal, make sure you watch out for these red flags:

Reduced prices

Most of the country is in a hot seller’s market right now. If you see a San Diego house that is having to reduce the asking price, it is an indication that something might be wrong. Make sure you look at these houses carefully and hire an experienced inspector to check for problems. It could just be that the homeowner overpriced from the start, but you can’t be too careful.

Liens on the title

You want to purchase a house that has a clear title. Any liens that are on the San Diego house when you close become your responsibility to correct or pay. Never buy a house until you understand all the details.

As-is properties

When a San Diego house is being sold “as is” it generally means that there are problems in the house that the seller does not want to address. This means once you make an offer, you cannot back out of the deal because you find out that there is a crack in the foundation. You are agreeing to buy the house exactly as it is with all it’s problems.

The neighbors

When you buy a house you are getting everything that comes along with it, including the neighbors. You cannot be too careful about this.

Take a look at what the surrounding properties look like. Are they being taken care of? Are they loud? Make sure you drive by at different hours of the day to see what takes place around the house.

Crime rate

There are lots of websites online that will provide you with the crime rates for the area you are looking at buying into. High crime rates are indication that you don’t want to be living in that area.

School rankings

Good schools come with good neighborhoods. Poor school rankings come with not so great neighborhoods. Of course, there are some exceptions to this rule, but overall this tends to hold pretty true.

Listings with no photographs

There is usually only one reason why a listing does not have any photos, or why it leaves out certain rooms, such as the kitchen or exterior: there is a problem. You can look at these listings if you are interested, but don’t get your hopes up.

A San Diego home that has been on the market for a long time

If a San Diego house has been on the market for a long time, there is usually a reason. It usually indicates that the buyer is asking too much for the condition their house is in and is unwilling to work with buyers on the price.

Remember that these red flags are not always what they appear. There could be other explanations for why those things are the way they are, but in general, they tend to be warnings to stay away from the listing or, at the very least, to proceed with caution.