Many people want to find their forever home. If that is your goal, then it is important to understand your rights as a home buyer. Discovering issues or problems with a home can quickly complicate the home-buying process. Depending on what the problem is, this could also be the difference between a forever home and a fixer upper, even if that wasn’t your intention.
There are a few things you should know about discovering issues with a potential home. Here is what you should know:
Home sellers must disclose issues, but not all of them
Home sellers in Florida are legally required to disclose any known issues in a home to potential buyers. These issues can sometimes substantially impact the final price of a home sale. Potential issues can include:
- Roof weathering and disrepair
- Asbestos, lead or mold
- Vermin or bug infestations
- Electrical or HVAC issues
- Foundation instability
- Property boundary disputes
- Title issues
However, sellers are often not obligated to disclose any obvious problems that could be discovered during a routine inspection, such as cracks in a wall, broken windows or loose doors. As such, it can help to look closely at everything as you view a home.
Another detail sellers are often not obligated to disclose is a death in the home. Finding out that someone died of natural causes, assault or other kind of cause can turn buyers away from a home. Information could be found online if this would affect your interest in a home.
Addressing problems before purchasing a home
You may hire a home inspector before purchasing a home. An inspector can find any underlying issues with a home so that you can get a fair value. If the inspector discovers any problems, you may negotiate with the seller to fix any issues or even lower the price of the home. If you suspect that a seller is intentionally hiding issues with a home or not complying with Florida requirements for disclosure obligations, you may need to understand your legal rights.