Realtor's Perspective: Subtle red flags you don't see in photos

Many times photos show you what the seller wants you to see, however, walking through the home helps you notice what the camera could not see.

1. Uneven Floor
   A photo can make a room look perfectly straight and of course you can never see flooring at a close up in the photos.  Walking through it, you may notice that the floor feels slightly uneven or that furniture seems to sit differently.
   
2. Doors that don’t close properly
   Sometimes you will be curious why something heavy is placed again a door or why a door stopper is placed there.  This is another thing that will not be noticeable through photos.  This is one of those tiny thins buyers often overlook.  A doo that sticks, doesn’t latch or swings open on its own can somethings be worth paying attention to.
   
3. Water stain or fresh paint in suspicious places
   Many homes would have interior painting done before putting on the market, so this is very hard to notice even if you try to look for those stains on purpose.  However, if a stain has been there for a long time and became darker in color, sometimes one coat of paint would not be enough to cover, then you will notice that particular has a thicker coat of paint or not enough paint to cover the stain.
   
4. Cracks and little signs of movement
   Not every crack is a red flag.  Some are simply cosmetic, that’s why the location, size and pattern can tell you whether it's something worth investigating further.
   
5. Noise
   You can’t hear from a photo.  A home might look peaceful online but when you are standing there, you may notice traffic, nearby construction, a busy street or noise from neighboring homes.  This is same to vice versa, some homes that are close to major street or highway, but you might not hear a thing after you step into the house.  Where the bedrooms are located are also very important
   
6. The smell
   Photos definitely don’t have a sense of small.  But at the moment you step into the house, it will become noticeable.  Some smell are easy to get rid of but some may take a lot of work to completely remove the smell that has been there for decades.
   

Bottom line, none of these things automatically mean there is a problem, but buyer don’t need to become inspectors.  That’s what professional inspectors are for.  However, having a realtor who walks through homes every day means you have someone who can help you notice the little things, ask the right questions and decide when something deserves a closer look.  Mostly importantly, these are the things that will never make it into the listing photos.