What are red flags when buying a flipped house? (2024)

Flippers are looking at the bottom line profit and often spending extra money to replace roofs, electrical, plumbing or fixing structural issues are not top of mind. Look at these items primarily. Flipping a home often is focusing on making it look esthetically nice.

Often flipped houses will have the cheapest materials installed, flooring, appliances, cabinetry, lighting, etc. Poorly done carpentry work include but not limited, trim, walls. Often you will find a home freshly painted with a strong oil based primer which could potentially indication mold was in the property and further testing should be done. Uneven floors accompanied often by vertical cracks on wall and ceilings point to foundation issues. Freshly painted basem*nts and/or carpeting should proceed with caution, there could be foundation/structural issues. Check for expansion foam in basem*nt walls, sill plate. Check prior listing of the home to see what was done or not done.

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You are right to be more concerned with the speed of a flip. That in and of itself does not mean the property is not a good one, but yes, be more careful. Of course I recommend and inpsection, but in addition to that note how the floors flow from one room to another - are there dips? Are they at different levels? Look at the windows - are they newer? Well caulked? How is the basem*nt if there is one? Any water or signs of moisture? Same with the attic.

I would always recommend an inspection, but as you are walking through a flipped property, take special note of the materials used, the quality of the workmanship, and details like moulding (does it match up or is it roughly pieced together?), mechanicals (do they turn on and off?), the roof (are shingles lifting or buckled?) and plumbing (does the water turn on and off? Leaking faucets?).