Gary Dwyer's Real Estate Blog

Offered by Gary Dwyer, Broker / Owner - Buyer Agents of Boston:

Massachusetts law requires sellers and their agents to disclose any known defects the property has and answer any questions that are asked of them honestly.

There are some characteristics of a property that may not be considered a defect, but could be considered "warts" that may make the property less desirable than others.  Sellers want to present their home in the best light possible, so when you are out looking at properties, you may want to think about these situations:
As a buyer agent, these are some situations that make me wonder:

• Music playing on a radio - are they trying to distract buyers from road noise or noise from a neighboring unit?
• Scented candles or incense - are they trying to cover up bad odors?
• Showings only on weekdays and not after 7:00 - is the building a noisy building when people are home?
• Undersized or "apartment sized" furniture in staged home (i.e. a twin bed instead of a full or queen in the master) can make a room feel bigger than it actually is. The contrary is often true also - overly large furniture may make a room feel smaller than it is. Remember you are not buying the furniture / decorating, you are buying the home
• Curtains or blinds slightly tilted in a window with a piece of furniture in front of it can help keep people away from a window with an unattractive view (buyers are shy about moving blinds or curtains)

Look at the basement (or if in a condo, the utility room) - all of the expensive items (i.e. HVAC, water heaters, laundry, plumbing, electrical, etc.) are there and how well kept it is provides a snapshot of how well the home or condo building is being maintained.

Happy hunting