4 Ways Putting an Offer on a House You Haven’t Seen In-Person Could Cost You

Recent research from Zillow found that 28% of homeowners put an offer on a home before they even saw it this year — and a May survey from Clever Real Estate found that 82% of home buyers had some sort of regret about their purchase. When you purchase a home without seeing it, there are many issues that you could potentially miss out on.

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When it came to sight-unseen offers on a home, buyers had one of the following help them out by viewing the place, according to Zillow:

• Spouse/partner: 42%
• Real estate agent: 36%
• Relative: 19%
• Friend/colleague: 6%

It’s worth pointing out that only 4% of home buyers put in an offer on a home without input from any of those people. However, it could cost you if you’re planning on buying a home you haven’t seen .

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The Home Isn’t What You Expected

“You’re counting on the pictures you have seen, as well as any feedback from your real estate agent,” said Jennifer Beeston, the senior vice president of mortgage lending at Rate . “Pictures of houses are often filtered, and in many cases, photographers may use wide lenses and other tricks to make rooms look and feel bigger than they are, and lighter and brighter.”

Beeston also pointed out that buyers have been shocked by how much a home doesn’t look like the pictures at all. With creative photography and staging, you can never be too certain about a home from images alone.

Ryan Dossey, a real estate investor and co-founder of SoldFast , brought up the following issues with his recent home purchase:

“Our entire home had to be repainted, because the top few feet in every room were unfinished. We were unable to see this in the pictures, and it didn’t come up on our inspection, which was disappointing for a $435,000 purchase. We also had a dishwasher that wasn’t secured to the countertop and would fall out when the drawers were out. A master bathroom tub with a slow leak.”

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You Have To Make Expensive Upgrades or Repairs

“The costs can quickly escalate when buyers discover issues post-purchase that weren’t apparent in virtual viewings,” said Maxim Zubarev, a licensed real estate specialist at Inside Dubai Estate . “Online, it might look like a move-in [ready home], but it might need a lot of electrical upgrades to meet modern standards, or its vintage plumbing might be ready to fail.”

Another issue with putting in an offer on a home before you see it in person is that you may miss out on expensive repairs that can’t be found in pictures. Missy Derr, a real estate advisor with Engel & Völkers , shared some common expensive repairs that can’t be spotted from photos:

• You may not notice that the roof is old, and replacing it can cost as much as $15,000.
• The age and working condition of your air conditioning and furnace are rarely shown. Servicing an HVAC system starts at $500, while a full replacement is a minimum of $8,000.
• The deck in photos may be gorgeous, but images don’t show if it’s structurally sound. Replacing a deck is another $10,000 plus.
• The backyard could be filled with weeds and in need of a complete overhaul for your children to enjoy it properly.

These are simple issues that could be spotted in person but could be easily missed if you don’t take the time to assess the home to ensure it’s up to your standards.

The Community Isn’t Safe and You Have To Move Again

“Online tools can give you crime statistics, school ratings and the proximity to amenities, but they can’t give you the intangible aspects of a community,” said Zubarev. “The character of a neighborhood, the friendliness of neighbors, the actual walk to local shops or the real impact of nearby highways or industrial areas on daily life all play a large role in long-term satisfaction with a home purchase.”

To fully assess a community to determine if it’s right for your family, you’ll want to spend some time in it to get a feel for the intangibles. There’s only so much you can learn from reports, so review the area before moving your family to a new destination.

Beeston added, “If you can’t look at the house in person, I would recommend you ask the real estate agent to video or give you a tour of the neighborhood. I would also recommend you research the property and area on Google Earth.”

You don’t want to move into a new community only to find out that it’s not safe or ideal for your family. This would put you in a compromising situation, and you might even have to move again.

You Miss Out on Issues Not Captured By Images

“You simply can’t see things like road noise, traffic, the smell from the papermill, the inability of the AC system to keep the home cool, construction quality, layout and other issues from pictures on Zillow,” said Dossey.

A common thread from the experts’ insights was concerns over what you can’t see or feel in a virtual listing compared to an in-person visit. When you miss out on issues not captured by images, you may have to spend money on unexpected repairs or be put in a position where you have to decide whether to move again. Either way, you don’t want to commit to a significant financial decision before thoroughly investigating it.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com : 4 Ways Putting an Offer on a House You Haven’t Seen In-Person Could Cost You