UNCOVERED: Zillow gone wild home pics | History Defined

Homeownership can be exhausting, but usually, it’s worth the effort. Well, emphasis on ‘usually.’ Buying your first home is equal parts exciting and incredibly stressful.

On the one hand, you’re about to finally have a place that you can call your own! On the other hand, you’re about to part with a mind-melting sum of money and sign up for decades-long mortgages for a property that might not even come close to being your dream home.

Then there are all the practical problems to worry about, like the foundations, plumbing, wiring, etc. Not to mention all the different types of insurance and utilities you’ll need to pay for… and you’ll also need savings for emergencies.

In the meantime, you can’t always predict who your neighbors will be, how well you’ll get along, and where any potential problems might arise.

As real estate agent Dana Bull writes on CNBC, a huge mistake that first-time homebuyers make is that they get tricked by low-quality renovations.

“In real estate, we often refer to homes that have undergone quick, cheap cosmetic updates as ‘lipstick on a pig’ or, my personal favorite, ‘glitter on a rat’s [butt],” Bull explains.

“A fresh coat of paint, new appliances and some light staging can go a long way in making a home look great. And to the untrained eye, it’s easy to fall for the shiny stuff. But if a home seems amazing at first glance, it’s worth digging deeper.”

According to Bull, as a homeowner, you need to seriously consider whether the seller made genuine improvements to the property or if they only wanted to make it seem like they did.

She recommends paying particularly close attention to the kitchens and bathrooms for signs of poor DIY work. Meanwhile, verify updates to the property by checking for permits.

“Unpermitted work can cause problems down the road, especially during resale or when filing an insurance claim. This can be a pretty big deal. For instance, if a kitchen was overhauled without proper electrical and plumbing permits, a building inspector could have you rip out parts of your kitchen and have the work redone,” she warned.

Meanwhile, if the seller had added square footage to the property without the right approvals, you might be forced to get rid of it to comply with local laws and regulations.

Setting the interior aside for a moment, really spend some quality time looking at the exterior of your prospective new home. Be patient, don’t let anyone rush you, and take your time to take in all the details.

What’s the condition of the windows? How do the roof and chimney look? What’s the deal with the windows, siding, hardscaping, and landscaping?

It can be incredibly pricey to repair these things, and you don’t want to invest in real estate that is moments away from crumbling away to nothing.

“Making a solid home purchase isn’t about getting the trendiest, most Instagrammable house. It’s about buying a quality home, one that’s been cared for and built to last,” Bull suggests.

“Some of my favorite properties are homes that may not have all the latest updates but have been lovingly maintained by their previous owners. That’s the sweet spot: a home with good bones that gives you the opportunity to make it your own.”

During an earlier interview, the Bored Panda team got in touch with Samir Mezrahi, the creator of ‘Zillow Gone Wild,’ who was kind enough to share more details about the real estate-focused social media project.

"It's been so much fun,” he told us about watching the page grow in popularity.

“I never imagined the reception would be this well received and across platforms. It's regularly picked up by local news when a home goes viral, and it's really cool to see that people are actually buying these fun homes,” the founder of ‘Zillow Gone Wild’ said.