From bad wiring and leaky roofs to flooded basements and asbestos, houses new and old can have problems — so homebuyers need to know which ones are the deal breakers and which ones can be handled.
“Anything can be fixed with time and money,” said Katie Wethman, a Realtor with the Wethman Group at Keller Williams in McLean. “Very few problems cause a complete teardown of the house.”
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With that in mind, experts said there are fewer issues than one might expect that actually should send buyers running.
Chemicals in the home, including lead-based paint and radon gas, fall into the “sound scary” category but usually are not a big problem, according to Wethman.
“I’ve had buyers be very concerned about radon gas when it’s actually so easy to remediate,” she said. “You just install a ventilation system.”
As for lead paint, any home built before 1978, which includes many Washington homes, likely has some lead paint, but unless children are eating the paint chips or doorjambs are rubbing against trim, there probably is not a huge risk.
“Don’t do anything stupid like sand with kids around,” said Kevin Teitel of House-Pro Inspections in Alexandria.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission suggests having painted items such as doors or trim replaced. It might be easier and possibly less expensive than trying to sand and repaint.
Covering lead-based paint with a sealant or wallboard also works, according to CPSC consumer recommendations, but covering it with a coat of nonlead paint is not a long-term solution.
As for asbestos, a number of homes built in the 1930s and ’40s, especially in Arlington, have asbestos tiles in the basement.
“As long as the tiles are in good condition, it’s no big deal,” Wethman said.
Asbestos in ductwork, on the other hand, is a big concern, Teitel added. If the home has ducts coming through concrete, a homebuyer should definitely have new ducts installed.
Even cracks are not always a deal breaker, Wethman said. “Buyers get nervous about settlement cracks in the property. Drywall cracks. They see a crack and think, ‘Oh, there’s a foundation problem,’ ” she said. “I’ve sold 150 houses. They’ve all had cracks, but none have had foundation problems.”
Houses “live and breathe in the heat and cold cycle and the humid and dry cycle,” she added. “They expand and contract. It doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with them.”
