How to Know if a House has “Good Bones”
If you’ve ever watched a home design or house-hunting show you’ve probably heard the expression “This house has good bones.” What exactly does that even mean? When you’re buying a home sometimes the process can feel overwhelming, and the terms can seem like a foreign language to many buyers. Educating yourself and knowing what to look for will help you to reduce the stress and make the process, especially in a highly competitive market, a lot smoother.
Sometimes in order to figure out what you’re looking for, you need to fully understand what you’re NOT looking for and what you do not want to see in your new home. What are signs of ‘bad bones’? We know that we want the opposite, so that will help us to weed out the bad ones.
Some warning signs to look for:
- Cracks in the foundation or walls.
- Water in the basement
- Undersized frames on the roof or floors
- Damage from termites
- Mold or evidence of mold
- Sagging roofline, floors, or exterior walls
Are you not sure that you’ll notice? Hire a professional! Have an inspector come in before you buy and make sure that nothing on this list is an issue.
If you don’t see any deal-breakers you can take a look at the layout of the house. Will it work for your family and your needs? Does it have the rooms that you want, is there enough light and windows? Next, you’ll look at the quality of the construction. Did they use good doors and hardware? It may seem insignificant, but the devil is in the details. If they took the time to invest in good hardware and doors, you can rest assured the rest of the house had the same diligence.
Another sign of a well-built home are the type of windows and flooring that were installed. If they took the time to install quality windows and sturdy doors, it’s a rather good sign that the home has ‘good bones’. If you do notice some sun adding or surface imperfections this isn’t something that should scare you away. A solid wood floor can be refinished beautifully and will only enhance the beauty of the home.
Don’t let the home buying process intimidate you. As long as you make a list of what you’re looking for and keep clear in mind what you do not want, your dream home will find you. We would be happy to help you through the process and be your home buying translators. If you’re looking to buy or rent in the Anchorage, Eagle River, Wasilla and the Mat-Su Valley give us a call and we’d be happy to help.
