As you begin your search for your new backyard on South Padre Island, you have so much to look forward to, and we can imagine that your hopes are high. You have waited a long time to get to the point where you can purchase an island home, and whether you are buying this one to utilize as a vacation rental or plan on keeping it for you and your family, it is important you get it right. There are so many things that can be considered a green flag in an island property, but there are also many red flags that you will need to watch out for when purchasing a coastal home. We at Franke Realty would like to help you figure out how to get the property you have always dreamed of owning!
Island Red Flags You Can Spot on South Padre Island
Island living is wonderful, but it does create some issues for its residents. The following things to keep an eye out for are issues that often plague coastal communities such as ours.
Mold Is the Enemy
South Padre Island’s tropical climate makes mold a very real issue, and again, although this is something an inspection will cover, should you decide you want the home, it is no fun falling in love with a place and then discovering afterward that you can’t afford the costs of eliminating mold.
The flashlight we mentioned in the previous paragraph can come in handy here as well. Use it to check under the sink, on closet walls that may back up to bathrooms, or anywhere else that water can collect and cause mold damage. A musty smell can also be your first clue that mold is apparent, a clue that comes in handy if you forget a flashlight.
Leaky Roofs Are an Expensive Fix
If you are looking at condos, the community is in charge of the roof, but there are many horror stories told about HOAs that just don’t follow through on their responsibility, so you may want to check for leaks even if you are buying a condo. Lighter paint spots on ceilings are the most common sign, but some homeowners don’t even bother to try and cover up dark spots on the ceilings, making it even easier to spot a leak that was perhaps caused by a bad roof.
Tile roofs are more common on SPI, but they can be problematic as well, and when you consider that a tile roof replacement on a 2500-square-foot home can cost anywhere between $30,000 to $45,000 (or even more!), this is an issue you truly need to look out for.
If you are looking at a shingled roof, it is pretty easy to determine issues; keep an eye out for missing or wavy appearing shingles. Another thing you may want to look at in older properties with shingles is how many layers can be detected, especially as anything more than two layers will need to be torn off or risk damage to the structure of the property.
The House Is Only as Good as the Foundation It Is Built Upon
One of the major issues we often see on SPI is foundation troubles. The land upon which we build our properties can be unstable, has high water tables, and may be entirely sand, making it difficult to build strong foundations. And because the house is only as good as its foundation, it is important that you check for this matter as well.
The most obvious signs of problems are cracks in the stucco outside or in ceilings inside. Other hints that all is not well with the base of the property you are considering can include windows that are stuck or doors that don’t shut properly.
More Red Flags to Consider
Up until this point, we have been discussing issues that are often considered island problems, but the normal problems that can arise in homes found in all different climates are important to look for as well. Buying property on South Padre Island can be the most expensive purchase you will ever make in your life, and we at Franke Realty want to ensure that you find a space that you love and will serve you well for the entirety of your ownership. Life on SPI is beautiful, and you deserve to feel relaxed, at ease, and comfortable in your home with these red flags helping you avoid costly mistakes.
Flippers Faux Pas
We blame HGTV for making house flipping look so easy, and as more people than ever are trying to make a fast buck, you may want to run in the opposite direction before you look at a flipper’s house. The quality of the work done in a flip will quite often be shoddy, featuring paint jobs that are sloppy, repairs that don’t quite make sense, and all manner of items that are designed to fool the eye.
Your first hint may be in the research you do before looking at the listing. Was the house fairly recently on the market, perhaps listed in as-is condition? The goal in flipping is to make as much money as fast as you can, and too many sales in too short of a time can be a sign. Another sign, although not always one you can depend on, is the décor colors; new gray LVP on the floor, white kitchen cabinets on the wall, and shades of gray paint are all colors and décor choices that are on the way out with homeowners but still very popular with flippers.
The Importance of HVAC Systems
We are continuously surprised by how much new HVAC systems cost, seeming to grow exponentially every year, and on South Padre Island, a working HVAC system is vital for your health and well-being. The units are, of course, included in the inspection that you should always have before closing on the property, but a house hunt can be difficult, and as you go from space to space in search of the one that is “just right,” it can be a bit demoralizing to get your hopes up, only to have them crashed because you can’t afford a new system.
A sign that the one on your potential property may be in need of some tender loving care may be that it sounds like a jet plane preparing to take off when turned on, or, if you are previewing in the summer months, if it just doesn’t feel cool enough inside the house.
It’s Electric
Electric problems can be more of an issue in older homes, and there really aren’t that many really old homes on SPI, but there are some that were built in the 50s or 60s. You’re not going to have to worry about knob and tube wiring, but outdated electrical systems aren’t always capable of handling today’s needs. There may be no grounding, brittle wires, even electrical boxes that are uncovered, exposing wires that have been spliced together incorrectly. Surprisingly, updating the wiring on a home isn’t as expensive as you might think, making it one of the more reasonably priced repairs, so if you do miss something during your own inspection, you may still be ok at the end of the day.
Trouble with a Capital T
There’s a line in a song from the old musical, The Music Man, that says, “We’ve got trouble right here in River City with a capital T, rhymes with P and that stands for pool!” For many potential home buyers, a pool in the backyard can be a nuisance instead of a way to chill out in the summer months.
There are so many things that can go wrong with pools, from the equipment that keeps it clean and clear to the plaster wearing away, and if your dream home has a pool, there are some things you may want to look out for. Rust spots at the bottom of the pool could mean that that the plaster is cracking and the rebar from the underlying concrete is starting to poke through. Pool tiles may not be grouted correctly, leaving them to fall off into pool. A too small motor can lead to difficulty in keeping the pool blue. Again, repairing these items isn’t as expensive as a new HVAC or roof, but the costs can add up, and you definitely want to ensure a thorough inspection of the pool is done.
What About the Neighbors?
This next red flag could be the most difficult to know about before signing on the bottom line, but it can also be the most important red flag not to ignore. Sometimes it can be quite obvious that your neighbor may not be the best match, especially when it is immediately apparent that they don’t take care of their home.
The home may be years overdue for a paint job, the yard littered with toys, broken lawnmowers, and car parts. But that won’t always be the case, and if you are considering purchasing a home, before you make your offer, we suggest that you come back at different times of the day and night, especially on a weekend night. Nothing is worse than a neighbor that loves to party the night away when you need to be up early in the mornings, and a little investigative work can help you avoid ending up in a situation that is unbearable.
Location, Location, Location
We do want to finish up our red flag discussion with a brief mention of how important the location of your home can be. Honestly, it is hard to find a bad location on South Padre Island, but there are some areas that may not vibe with your personality. A neighborhood without kids can be a real bummer for young families and vice versa. There’s nothing wrong with being a senior citizen that prefers to live in a neighborhood with older adults as opposed to young families. Homes that may be close to the more popular night spots in the area are definitely not something a hard working family wants, and if your heart is set on a beachfront retreat, a beachfront retreat is what you deserve.
All Green Flags with Franke Realty
Choosing the right realtor to help you find your new home sweet home is the easiest and surest way to avoid making a mistake when it comes time to make the buy. We at Franke Rentals are proud of the wok we have done to make South Padre Island the paradise that it is today, and we not only know the neighborhoods, the homes, and the history, we also know how to sniff out the red flags. Chances are that even though you forgot your flashlight, we have an extra tucked away in our car, and the probability that we know the issues that surround any of the neighborhoods on South Padre Island is incredibly high.
Buying a new home or condo is a very personal experience, and we think you deserve to get all the items on your list of must-haves and none of the items that are on our list of red flags. Give us a call today and let’s start a house hunt that comes up green flags all the way!
