Home Developer Warns: “Don’t Let Someone Else’s Problems Become Your Nightmare”
Announcement posted by Origin Projects - Land & New Homes in WA 18 Apr 2013
Developer of house and land packages in Perth warns home buyers of hidden dangers in established homes that can cost thousands of dollars to repair.
Perth, WA, April 18, 2013 - A report recently released by the Association of Building Consultants revealed that many established homes on the market are not as trouble free as they have been made to appear. The report exposes practices such as retiling or regrouting over a faulty floor, filling cracks in walls and foundation to hide them and installing new floor coverings to hide any damage.
While some of these practices have become so commonplace that they may appear to be just a part of doing business that should be expected when buying an established home, tricks such as these can cover up severe structural damage that can cost the buyer thousands of dollars and cause serious problems.
For example, the water from a leaky shower, a faulty water heater, rainwater tanks, or air conditioning pipes, can collect in the house itself or in the ground alongside or underneath the house. Not only can this water cause structural damage on its own, but it can also attract termites, which can cause even more structural damage to an established house. When new floor tiles are installed on top of old floor tiles, it can trap moisture between the layers, exposing the house to the same dangers presented by leaky appliances.
Moisture can often be detected by looking for mould at the base of the shower, cracked tiles, or plaster bubbles on the walls of rooms adjacent to the bathroom. Excess moisture will also cause paint to flake and fall off the walls. Repair work to the paths around the building can also create a place where termites can enter a house.
Another problem that is often hidden is cracks caused by the sinking or rising of footings. Movement in foundational beams or footings can also cause doors to go out of square in their frames, or to open or close by themselves. This is an indication that the structure of a home has been severely compromised.
If a house sustains too much structural damage, it can become unsafe, and literally have to be torn down, in order for a new structure to be built in its place. This adds thousands of dollars to the cost of a home, and can turn a potential source of income into what is commonly called a “money pit” by many in the real estate profession.
According to Lauren O’Connor, Marketing Manager for the 4Land Property Group, the effects of these hidden dangers in established houses can be devastating to the buyers: “We have definitely heard some horror stories about such deceptive practices. People buy an established house in good faith, only to find out that they are out thousands of dollars to repair flaws in the house that were covered up.”
O’Connor concluded, “To us, that is just one more reason that buying a new house and land package makes more sense than buying an established home. You can save up to $150,000 against the median market price, and you get a new home in a planned community with no worries.”
4Land Property Group develops house and land packages in Perth and surrounding areas. They specialise in working with first home buyers and downsizers. For more information, please call 08 9301 4445, or visit their website: http://www.4land.com.au/.
While some of these practices have become so commonplace that they may appear to be just a part of doing business that should be expected when buying an established home, tricks such as these can cover up severe structural damage that can cost the buyer thousands of dollars and cause serious problems.
For example, the water from a leaky shower, a faulty water heater, rainwater tanks, or air conditioning pipes, can collect in the house itself or in the ground alongside or underneath the house. Not only can this water cause structural damage on its own, but it can also attract termites, which can cause even more structural damage to an established house. When new floor tiles are installed on top of old floor tiles, it can trap moisture between the layers, exposing the house to the same dangers presented by leaky appliances.
Moisture can often be detected by looking for mould at the base of the shower, cracked tiles, or plaster bubbles on the walls of rooms adjacent to the bathroom. Excess moisture will also cause paint to flake and fall off the walls. Repair work to the paths around the building can also create a place where termites can enter a house.
Another problem that is often hidden is cracks caused by the sinking or rising of footings. Movement in foundational beams or footings can also cause doors to go out of square in their frames, or to open or close by themselves. This is an indication that the structure of a home has been severely compromised.
If a house sustains too much structural damage, it can become unsafe, and literally have to be torn down, in order for a new structure to be built in its place. This adds thousands of dollars to the cost of a home, and can turn a potential source of income into what is commonly called a “money pit” by many in the real estate profession.
According to Lauren O’Connor, Marketing Manager for the 4Land Property Group, the effects of these hidden dangers in established houses can be devastating to the buyers: “We have definitely heard some horror stories about such deceptive practices. People buy an established house in good faith, only to find out that they are out thousands of dollars to repair flaws in the house that were covered up.”
O’Connor concluded, “To us, that is just one more reason that buying a new house and land package makes more sense than buying an established home. You can save up to $150,000 against the median market price, and you get a new home in a planned community with no worries.”
4Land Property Group develops house and land packages in Perth and surrounding areas. They specialise in working with first home buyers and downsizers. For more information, please call 08 9301 4445, or visit their website: http://www.4land.com.au/.