What Online Listings Don’t Tell You

What Online Listings Don’t Tell You (That you really need to know)

Scrolling listings is fun—but there’s a lot you can’t see on your screen.

1. Neighborhood feel
Photos don’t show:

• Traffic noise

• How busy the street is at 5 p.m.

• Whether the neighbors’ homes are well kept

A quick in-person visit or local insight can change how you feel about a home.

2. Big-ticket “invisible” items
The listing usually highlights finishes, but not:

• Age of the roof, AC, or water heater

• Past insurance claims or flood history

• Quality of prior repairs

These can seriously affect your long-term costs and insurance.

3. Red flags in the fine print
The remarks and disclosures may hide important details:

• “As-is” sales

• Required repairs

• Special assessments or HOA issues

My role is to look past the pretty pictures, read between the lines, and protect you from surprises. If you send me a few listings you like, I can walk you through what I see as the pros, cons, and “watch out for this” on each one.