10 Real Estate Red Flags That Agents Hope You Never Notice

Ten real estate red flags that agents hope buyers never notice: 'fresh paint' (hiding water damage), 'recently renovated' (quick flips), 'motivated seller' (foreclosure), 'as-is' (major problems), 'bring your contractor' (unpermitted work), 'charming' (needs work), 'cozy' (tiny), 'handyman special' (money pit), 'estate sale' (deferred maintenance), 'investor special' (uninhabitable). Agents work for sellers and aren't required to highlight warning signs that might kill deals. Learn to spot these red flags before making offers.

All home buyers, first-time buyers, anyone making offers on properties, buyers conducting due diligence, people trying to avoid money pits, families purchasing homes.

• •'Fresh paint' often hides water damage, mold, or structural problems
• •'Recently renovated' might mean quick flips covering major issues
• •'Motivated seller' often means foreclosure, divorce, or financial distress
• •'As-is' sales indicate major problems the seller won't fix
• •'Bring your contractor' signals unpermitted work or code violations
• •'Charming' and 'cozy' are code words for 'needs work' and 'tiny'
• •'Handyman special' means money pit requiring $50K+ in repairs
• •'Estate sale' often means decades of deferred maintenance
• •'Investor special' signals uninhabitable conditions
• •Agents work for sellers—they're not required to highlight warning signs