Owning real estate is not always all that it’s cracked up to be. Especially if you live in an older house, it’s common for things to break which can add financial pressure to your family or overall discomfort. Unfortunately, it’s challenging to identify defects in a house that you only tour once during an open house for 20 minutes. Many items also appear in working condition to home inspectors during walkthroughs, but then break later because they are on their final leg. After suffering from blow after blow of repairs, some homeowners will throw their hands up and get rid of their property.

Here are 3 frightening house defects to keep in the back of your mind that cause homeowners to sell their houses.

1.    Cracked Walls

If you find cracks along the interior of your home, there’s a chance that it’s not a huge deal. It could simply be broken drywall that needs a quick spackle job and a fresh coat of paint. This is the best-case scenario for homeowners. Sometimes, cracked interior walls, especially towards the ceiling, could mean that there are structural issues with your home. The foundation could be damaged, causing your home to shift and small cracks to form.

For homeowners that own older properties, it’s not uncommon for structural issues to exist. Structural problems that persist and are left untreated can lead to the property being deemed unsafe by your respective city. Code violations can be placed on a house if the structural damage becomes more severe. Eventually,  many homeowners (and houses) hit their breaking point, causing them to turn around and sell. This source outlines how to sell a house with code violations tied to it. If the problem seems too overwhelming to fix, you can find a buyer who’s willing to take on the project.

2.    Heating and Cooling Issues

At first thought, having an issue with your cooling or heating system may not seem like a huge deal. However, if you have to replace the entire system – or put in one that has never existed in the first place – that could be an issue for some homeowners. Installing a brand-new HVAC system can be a huge project depending on the system of your home’s electrical wires and current heating source. You may need to tear down walls and add new air ducts throughout your home for the system to function.

For many homeowners who want a proper HVAC system in their house, they will oftentimes forego doing the project themselves. Calling an HVAC company can work but it’s not always the cheapest renovation. It can be extremely invasive and expensive. Instead, people would rather sell their houses without HVAC and buy a new one that already has a heating and cooling system in place.

3.    Dysfunctional Windows

Certain homeowners are very picky about their home’s aesthetics and functionality. Surprisingly, windows can be very expensive. If you live in a house with older, single-pain windows on cracked wooden frames, you may have to replace their entire window and frame to regain its proper function. For homeowners that live in a place that has frigid winters, having thick windows that close properly is essential. Instead of replacing the entire set of windows and frames throughout a house, people oftentimes decide to sell it and walk away.

Guest Contributor: Alex Capozzolo