5 Homes to Avoid

One of my roles as a Grand Rapids real estate agent is to help you find a home you love! Having worked in Grand Rapids real estate for a number of years, I can also say that there are a number of “homes to avoid” for different reasons. It’s worth taking time to make sure you don’t fall into the trap of a home you won’t end up loving, and may even have a hard time selling.

So here are some homes to avoid, and how to stay away from them:

1. Noisy homes. Your tolerance for noise may be different than the next person’s. However, regardless of whether it’s highway noise, airport noise, a shooting range, or train noise, at some point a noise level can become a nuisance. If you’re seriously considering a home or a particular neighborhood, try to walk around the area at different times of day to make sure the noise is tolerable to you. Noise carries most when humidity is high, so check out the neighborhood early in the morning on a humid day.
2. Industrial neighbors. If zoning is lax, or if certain businesses have been grandfathered in, you may find yourself dealing with more truck traffic and industrial noise than you bargained for. Check the zoning for the neighborhood, and pay attention to metal buildings that could house fabricating shops.
3. The money pit. Perhaps you enjoy rehabbing homes, and you have a knack for it. Some types of repairs are notoriously difficult or expensive, so you may want to consider avoiding a home that has foundation issues, has a lot of cracks that indicate soil movement, or shows evidence of black mold.
4. Toxic neighbors. Certain types of neighbors, like meth houses, are literally toxic, although fairly easy to detect and less common in areas of nicer executive homes. However, especially if you favor homes in the countryside, you should certainly be on the lookout for junkyards, blighted homes, and hoarders. Also, you may want to consider checking the sex offender registry.
5. Hard-to-insure homes. Around Grand Rapids, hard-to-insure homes are often in a river flood plain, where mortgage lenders will require you to have flood insurance, and that can be pricey. You can ask to see recent insurance bills if you suspect a home may be within a river flood plain.

As a Grand Rapids real estate agent, I work with clients to make sure they don’t end up with one of these “lemon” homes. If you want to do some homework on your own, be sure to check zoning, check sex offender lists, and look at the Google Earth maps for your neighborhood. Walk and drive through the neighborhood at different times of day. You can even swing by the local government offices (or check the meeting minutes online) to get the insider scoop on the area and any upcoming changes. And when you’re ready to find your next great home, contact The Sprich Group and we will work together to make sure you find the right home for you.

Photo: DVIDSHUB