It's often a good idea to look for a home in the fall. Many sellers are more motivated to move before the holidays, but you won't be competing with students or families who are looking to get into a house before the school year begins. When you look for a home during this season, make sure to take the three following actions.
Check the Gutters
If you are checking out a home in the fall, it's an ideal time to figure out how the gutters are doing. If the former homeowner is clever, he or she has at least taken the time to clean out the gutters before you arrived. You can still check the clean gutters to see if they're in a decent state - if they haven't been in cleaned in some time, the damage should still be apparent. This isn't a major issue for most homebuyers, but it's something that you should know about sooner rather than later.
Look at the Landscape
By the time you look at a home in the fall, you should be able to see the bones of the landscaping. While the grass might be dying off on the trees might be shedding their leaves, you can still get a good lay of the land. This is actually a great time to start looking for dead plants and major issues. With leaves and grass out of the way, you might be better able to identify dead trees than in the spring. A quick look should give you all the information you need.
Check for Leaks
The fall is also a great time to look for leaks. You shouldn't see any damage from freezing yet, but you might see some of the problems that accumulated over the year. Take some time to look at water damage and drainage issues while you are in a home. If you find these problems now, you know that things could get even worse in the winter. Don't be fooled by quick fixes - turn on the faucets and check under the sinks to make sure that there's no water problems hiding in the home. This is the kind of problem that can cause thousands of dollars to fix.
If you look for a home in the fall, make sure you talk to a realtor like those at Foxfire Realty, Inc. ahead of time. Make sure that he or she knows that you have specific requirements and that you'll be looking at each property carefully. With luck, a good realtor will help you to find exactly the kind of home you need.
