Overestimating Flaws
There isn't a REALTOR around who has not seen prospects instantly turned off from purchasing a home because of peeling paint on the outside, a lawn overgrown with weeds or littered with debris, a dirty kitchen, worn carpeting or shabby wallpaper.
On occasion, overestimating these flaws can be a mistake. Don't automatically let surface shortcomings cause you to reject the house. You may be passing up an excellent purchase.
If the location is good and other properties in the neighborhood are valued at a higher amount, it may be worth your taking a longer look. Many of the clean-up, fix-up and paint-up jobs can be done at little costs. In an older home, what seems to be serious defects may not be so serious after all. Often they can be corrected for a few hundred dollars. Of course, check on the cost of repairs before you buy. Armed with fix-up cost estimates, you may be able to negotiate an excellent buy. You can't always tell a book by its cover.
