What is a Perfect Home?
It is important for buyers and sellers to remember that there is a difference between "The Perfect Home" and a perfect house.
"The Perfect Home" is the one that speaks to you when you walk in the door, its layout is perfect, it fits you and your family's needs perfectly. It has the Perfect kitchen. It has the Perfect yard for the kids to play in. It is in the Perfect neighborhood with the Perfect schools and parks nearby. It is near your office so your commute will be Perfect (well okay, maybe that's pushing it).
A perfect house, on the other hand, does not exist. All houses, newly constructed to 100 years old, have flaws and defects and things that need to be fixed. This is the nature of houses. Most of these flaws will be minor maintenance issues, life expectancy issues, or minor defects. These things are good to know about and should be addressed at some point to help maintain your Perfect Home. But they are not major problems.
Major problems are:
- Major defects or structural problems (foundation failure, roof failure, etc.)
- Small problems which could lead to major defects (improper roof flashing that can lead to water leaks, improper grading, etc.)
- Things that can hinder your ability to finance, occupy, or insure the home
- Safety Defects (improper electrical work, fire hazards, etc.)
Major problems should be addressed immediately. Often even major defects can be corrected inexpensively and easily once they are known. Most Sellers are honest and are often surprised to learn of these defects uncovered during an inspection.
