1st Real Estate Search

People selling their home know the value of curb appeal. As a buyer, you need to be able to look past the staged home to see the real property. One way to do this is to look at the details. In this case, we are talking about the gutters.

The reason why gutters merit a look is their very nature. When a person stages their home to sell it, they do all kinds of things to make it look good. Gutters are almost always overlooked. This means they provide evidence of the true condition of the home.

Most people understand the basic idea of getting water off the roof, but miss this second point. If the water is just allowed to site at the base of the home, it is going to cause subsidence and foundation problems. Good gutters prevent this.

When looking at gutters, start with the basics. How basic? Well, what type of gutters are there? The choices are usually wood, metal or plastic. The prominence of one type or another depends on the part of the country you live in.

Wood gutters are very rare these days. Wood and water is a bad mix. No matter how the wood is treated, the water will eventually penetrate it and cause rot. Water created the Grand Canyon, so wood has no chance against it.

One step up from wood is the iconic metal gutter. These set the standard for a long time, which is somewhat odd since water and metal tend to be a bad mix. Look for rust. If you see it on the inside, the home has maintenance issues.

As with many items these days, plastic is the king when it comes to gutters. It does not rot or rust, so it is ideal. Unfortunately, plastic gutters do not tell us much about how the homeowners treated the home before deciding to sell it.

Gutters are actually one part of a two part systems. Capturing water off a roof is great and all, but not if you fail to do something with it. Specifically, a gutter system needs downspouts if it is going to be effective.

Assuming there are downspouts, look for a turn at the bottom of them. This turn should keep the water from hitting the ground at a vertical angle. It should also send the water in the direction that moves it away from the home such as along a curb.

Different parts of the country have different climates. If you get snow in the winter, the gutters should be packed up under the edge of the roof. If they stick out, they are new and improperly installed because snow will rip them off.

It can be hard to evaluate a home that has been buffed out by a seller in anticipation of listing it. The truth is found in the details. Get in the gutter and you should be able to tell what you have on your hands.