What Most Home Buyers Miss (And What I Learned the Hard Way)
I have seen a $40,000 mistake that could have been avoided with one sheet of paper. After a decade in real estate and working with more than 1,500 clients, I have realized that most buyers obsess over the wrong things.
People focus on countertops and paint colors. But the smaller daily-living details are what usually decide whether you love your home or feel frustrated by it. Here are six things I wish I had paid attention to sooner.
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1. The $40,000 Survey Mistake
Always get a survey. I once had a client under contract on a home that had changed hands twice recently. In the last sale, the seller was even a real estate agent. No one had done a survey. My clients asked if they should get one, and I told them there is no way to guarantee the property lines are what you think they are without it.
In that situation, the pool had been installed years earlier by a reputable company and backed up to a large wooded tract. The survey showed the pool was actually in the neighbor’s yard. The landowner demanded it be removed. In the end, it cost the seller $40,000 to remove the pool and provide the new owners with funds to install a new one in the correct location. It was a mess that could have been avoided with one simple document.
How to spot it: Do not assume a fence, tree line, or the way the yard looks is the boundary. Get the survey, even if the home sold recently or the seller says it is fine.
2. The Staircase Megaphone
Check where the stairs are located before you get attached to a layout. Many homes are built with an open staircase right in the center of the home because it feels convenient. The problem is that it can act like a megaphone. We learned this the hard way with little kids in the house. Our stairs were in the middle near the family room and kitchen, so sound traveled everywhere. If someone was watching TV or talking downstairs, it carried straight up and made it hard to keep the house quiet when the kids were sleeping.
How to spot it: Stand at the base of the stairs while someone talks normally in the kitchen or living room. If it echoes or carries easily, it will matter more than you think.
3. The Renovation Trap
Be honest with yourself about updates. I see many buyers move in with big plans to renovate, and then life takes over. Work gets busy, kids’ schedules fill up, and the projects you thought you would tackle never start. Most of the time those same clients call me to sell a few years later, and nothing has been done.
How to spot it: Before closing, get a contractor or designer to walk the home with you and give a realistic cost and timeline. If the timeline feels overwhelming now, it will not get easier after you move in.
Real Estate Agent in Columbia, SC
Table of Contents
Property lines: Did you get a survey, not assumptions?
Stair noise: Do the stairs amplify sound into bedrooms?
Renovation reality: Do you have real bids and timelines, not guesses?
Floor noise: Can you hear footsteps from above?
Bathroom flow: Do you have enough full baths for your family in 5 years?
Sun exposure: Which direction does the backyard face?
Real Estate Agent in Columbia, SC
4. The Ceiling Sound Test
Not all construction is equal. Many buyers think noise from above is only an apartment problem, but plenty of single-family homes have poor sound insulation between floors. One of the most common complaints I hear from clients is being able to hear every footstep from the level above.
How to spot it: During a showing, have someone walk around upstairs while you stay below in the living room or primary bedroom. If you can clearly hear footsteps, it will get old fast.
5. Bathroom Math
Think about long-term bathroom functionality, not just today. A house with 2.5 baths might work when your kids are toddlers. But as they get older, everyone sharing one hallway bath upstairs turns into daily friction. If you plan to stay long-term, two full baths on the bedroom level makes a huge difference in how the home lives.
How to spot it: Picture a weekday morning with everyone getting ready at the same time. If one bathroom serves multiple bedrooms, expect a traffic jam.
6. The $25,000 Sunset Mistake
One of the first homes I bought after moving back to Lexington from Chicago had a great back porch and patio. The builder was offering upgrades and we opted for a $25,000 outdoor kitchen addition. What we did not realize until moving in was that the sun set directly in that area. It was brutal trying to grill or even sit outside in the evenings. The heat was so intense that the space was basically unusable during the best part of the day, and we ended up never spending evenings out there.
How to spot it: Stand where you will grill or sit around 6:00 PM and check your phone’s compass. Ask which direction the porch faces before you commit.
Real Estate Agent in Columbia, SC
About Patrick O’Connor at Coldwell Banker Realty.
Patrick O'Connor is the founder and leader of The Patrick O'Connor Team at Coldwell Banker, specializing in real estate across the SC Midlands including Lake Murray real estate. As a top realtor, he has assisted over 1,500 families in buying and selling homes and is recognized as the #1 Coldwell Banker team in South Carolina, Patrick brings unparalleled expertise in the Midlands of South Carolina real estate market, earning accolades for his dedication and success in the industry.
Real Estate Agent in Columbia, SC