The House Looks Perfect—So What Could Still Go Wrong During Escrow?

You found it.

The house looks beautiful. The kitchen is updated. The backyard is exactly what you wanted. Your offer has been accepted, and after weeks or months of searching for a home in Bakersfield, you can finally picture yourself moving in.

It can feel like the hard part is over.

Then escrow begins.

For many home buyers, this is when they discover that falling in love with a house and successfully buying it are two very different things.

Even a home that looks immaculate during a showing can uncover unexpected issues during inspections. An appraisal can come in lower than expected. Financing can hit a snag. Insurance can become more complicated than anticipated. Solar, title issues, repairs or even something discovered during the final walkthrough can suddenly become part of the conversation.

Most of these issues do not automatically mean the purchase is falling apart.

But they do illustrate why the period between an accepted offer and receiving the keys is so important.

Here are some of the things that can come up during a Bakersfield real estate transaction, even when the house appeared perfect when you first walked through the door.

1. The Home Inspection Finds Something You Couldn't See

A showing gives you an opportunity to decide whether you like a home.

An inspection is designed to help you better understand what you're buying.

Those are very different objectives.

During a showing, you might notice the beautiful countertops, spacious bedrooms and new flooring. You probably aren't climbing into the attic, evaluating the electrical panel or examining plumbing components.

A professional home inspector looks much more closely at the property and its systems.

Even a beautifully maintained home can have issues that weren't obvious during your tour.

An inspection might identify concerns involving:

• The roof
• Plumbing
• Electrical components
• HVAC equipment
• Water heaters
• Windows and doors
• Drainage
• Appliances
• Attic or crawlspace conditions
• Exterior components
• Evidence of previous repairs or damage

And sometimes the issue isn't necessarily catastrophic. It is simply something the buyer didn't know about before making the offer.

That's important because the inspection period gives buyers an opportunity to gather information and determine how they feel about the home's actual condition.

2. A Beautiful Remodel Isn't Necessarily a Perfect Remodel

Freshly remodeled homes can be particularly interesting during inspections.

New flooring, countertops, paint and fixtures create an immediate visual impact. But cosmetic improvements don't necessarily tell you what is happening behind the walls.

The question isn't only whether the remodel looks good.

It is also whether the work was done well.

Something can be beautiful and still have underlying problems. An inspector may notice questionable electrical work, plumbing concerns, improperly installed components or evidence that an issue was covered cosmetically rather than corrected.

This doesn't mean buyers should be suspicious of every remodeled home. Plenty of renovations are completed properly and add substantial value.

It simply means “recently remodeled” shouldn't replace due diligence.

New paint can't tell you the age of the HVAC system.

Quartz countertops can't tell you the condition of the roof.

Beautiful staging can't tell you whether the plumbing is functioning properly.

Buyers need both perspectives: how the home looks and how it performs.

3. The HVAC System Becomes a Much Bigger Deal in Bakersfield

There are certain components of a home that matter just about everywhere.

Then there are components that take on a little extra importance when you're buying real estate in Bakersfield.

Air conditioning is one of them.

A system may be functioning when you tour the home, but buyers should still pay attention to its age, condition and any information discovered during inspections.

There is a big difference between knowing a home has air conditioning and understanding the condition of the equipment you'll be relying on through a Bakersfield summer.

An older system does not necessarily need to be replaced simply because of its age. But knowing what you're purchasing helps you prepare for potential maintenance and replacement costs down the road.

That's exactly the type of information you want before escrow closes.

4. The Appraisal Comes in Lower Than the Purchase Price

Your offer was accepted at $525,000.

Then the appraisal comes back at $510,000.

Now what?

When a buyer is obtaining a mortgage, the lender generally orders an appraisal to help determine the property's value for lending purposes.

The appraiser isn't deciding how much you personally love the house. The analysis considers the property and relevant market data, including comparable sales.

Most of the time, appraisals may support the transaction without creating a major issue.

But sometimes they don't.

A low appraisal can create a gap between the agreed-upon purchase price and the value being used by the lender.

Depending on the terms of the contract and the circumstances of the transaction, that can lead to discussions about price, additional buyer funds or other possible solutions.

This is one reason writing an offer involves more than simply choosing a number.

A knowledgeable Buyer's Agent should help you understand the comparable Bakersfield home sales and the structure of your offer before you sign it.

5. Your Loan Isn't Truly Finished Just Because You Were Pre-Approved

Getting pre-approved before shopping for a home is extremely important.

But pre-approval is not the same thing as having a completed loan ready to fund.

Once you're in escrow, your lender still has work to do.

Your financial information and the property itself may go through additional review as the loan progresses toward final approval.

This is also why buyers should be very careful about making major financial changes during escrow.

Buying a new vehicle, financing furniture, opening a new credit card, changing jobs or moving significant amounts of money between accounts can potentially create questions for your lender.

The furniture sale may be amazing.

It can wait.

Before making a major financial move while purchasing a house, talk to your lender.

6. Homeowners Insurance Becomes a Problem

Insurance is something buyers sometimes don't think much about until they're already in escrow.

After all, you can just call an insurance company and insure the house, right?

Not necessarily.

Insurers evaluate their own risk, and the availability and cost of coverage can vary based on the property and other factors.

That means buyers should not wait until the final days of escrow to start looking into homeowners insurance.

You want enough time to determine whether the property can be insured at a reasonable cost and whether there are any issues that need additional investigation.

Your monthly mortgage payment is only one part of the cost of owning a home. Property taxes, insurance, HOA dues where applicable, utilities and maintenance all factor into the bigger financial picture.

7. The Seller's Disclosures Reveal Something You Didn't Know

A home can look completely normal during a 30-minute showing while having years of history you know nothing about.

That is one reason disclosures are such an important part of a California real estate transaction.

They may provide information about the property and conditions known to the seller that wouldn't necessarily be obvious from walking through the home.

Perhaps there was a previous leak.

Maybe a repair was completed several years ago.

There may be information involving additions, alterations, neighborhood conditions or other aspects of the property that deserve a closer look.

Receiving information in a disclosure does not automatically mean you shouldn't buy the house.

It means you now have more information to evaluate.

The important thing is to actually read the disclosures, ask questions and investigate anything that concerns you.

8. Solar Turns Out to Be More Complicated Than Expected

This one is particularly relevant to Bakersfield home buyers.

You see solar panels on the roof and think, “Great. The house has solar.”

But that doesn't tell you nearly enough.

Is the solar system owned?

Financed?

Leased?

Is there another type of agreement?

If there is an outstanding obligation associated with the system, what happens when the property changes ownership?

Solar can absolutely be a desirable feature, particularly in Bakersfield, but buyers need to understand the actual arrangement rather than assuming all solar systems are financially equivalent.

This is something that should be investigated during the transaction rather than discovered shortly before closing.

9. Repairs Become a Negotiation

An inspection report can be overwhelming.

Even a house in generally good condition may produce pages of observations because the inspector's job is to document what they find.

The question then becomes: What actually matters to you?

A loose door handle probably doesn't deserve the same attention as a significant plumbing issue.

Buyers sometimes make the mistake of treating an inspection report like a seller's mandatory repair list.

It isn't that simple.

How inspection findings are handled depends on the contract, the property, the nature of the issues and what the parties ultimately agree to.

This is where your Buyer's Agent can be especially valuable.

Instead of reacting emotionally to every line of a long report, you can look at the bigger picture and determine which concerns are meaningful enough to address.

10. The Title Search Uncovers an Issue

Another important part of the transaction is making sure ownership can properly transfer.

A title search may reveal matters that need to be resolved before closing.

Sometimes those issues are relatively routine and are cleared as part of the escrow process. Other situations may require more time or documentation.

The buyer may never have had any indication of the problem while viewing the property because title issues aren't necessarily physical problems with the house.

The kitchen can look perfect while paperwork behind the ownership of the property still needs attention.

That is one of many reasons an escrow involves so many different professionals working behind the scenes.

11. The HOA Documents Contain a Surprise

If you're buying a home in a homeowners association, you aren't simply buying the house.

You're also buying into the rules and financial structure of that community.

That is why buyers should review the HOA information they receive rather than putting it aside because it looks like a mountain of paperwork.

You may discover restrictions involving parking, pets, exterior modifications, landscaping, RVs or other issues that matter to you.

There may also be information about dues and other community matters that you should understand before completing the purchase.

Suppose one of the reasons you love a house is because the side yard looks perfect for storing your RV.

Finding out after closing that the HOA doesn't allow it would be a very unpleasant surprise.

Ask the question during escrow, not after you own the house.

12. Something About the Property Doesn't Match Your Plans

Sometimes nothing is technically “wrong” with the house.

The problem is that the buyer assumed something they never verified.

You might assume you can build a shop in the backyard.

Convert the garage.

Add an ADU.

Park a particular vehicle on the property.

Install a pool.

Run a business from home.

The property may physically have enough room, but that doesn't automatically mean your plans are permitted.

Zoning, easements, HOA restrictions, utilities and other factors can affect what can be done with a property.

If a particular future use is essential to your decision to purchase the home, don't rely on “it looks like it should work.”

Investigate it.

13. The Seller Hasn't Completed the Agreed-Upon Repairs

The seller agreed to complete certain work before closing.

Great.

But don't assume that means the conversation is finished.

Depending on what was agreed upon, buyers may want documentation or an opportunity to confirm the work was completed.

This is another reason the final walkthrough matters.

The final walkthrough isn't supposed to be your first opportunity to carefully evaluate the home, and it isn't simply a ceremonial visit before getting the keys.

It gives buyers an opportunity to confirm the property's condition before closing and determine whether agreed-upon matters appear to have been addressed.

14. The House Doesn't Look the Same at the Final Walkthrough

Imagine touring a beautifully furnished home.

The seller moves out.

Suddenly you can see the large stain that had been under the sectional.

Or there is wall damage where a television was mounted.

Or an appliance that was supposed to remain is gone.

Or something happened to the property between the inspection and closing.

Most final walkthroughs aren't dramatic.

But the walkthrough is important precisely because circumstances can change.

The home you're buying should be evaluated again before the transaction is completed.

15. Somebody Misses a Deadline

Real estate transactions involve a lot of moving pieces.

There may be buyers, sellers, agents, lenders, escrow professionals, title professionals, inspectors, appraisers, insurance companies and sometimes contractors all participating in some part of the transaction.

There are documents to review, inspections to complete, financing requirements to satisfy and contractual timelines to track.

Most buyers don't want to spend their days figuring out which document is due next or calling six different people to find out what is happening.

They shouldn't have to.

A major part of a good Buyer's Agent's job happens after the offer is accepted.

An Accepted Offer Is the Beginning of the Next Phase

Getting an offer accepted is exciting, especially in a situation where you had to compete for the home.

But buyers shouldn't mentally skip from “offer accepted” to “we own the house.”

Escrow is the period when you learn much more about the property and work through the details required to complete the purchase.

Sometimes new information changes nothing.

Sometimes it leads to another conversation.

Occasionally, something significant is discovered that requires the buyer to make an important decision.

The goal isn't to go into escrow expecting something to go wrong.

It's to go into escrow knowing that if something does come up, you have people on your side who know how to handle it.

This Is Why Your Realtor Matters After the Offer Is Accepted

It's easy to think the primary job of a Buyer's Agent is finding homes and writing offers.

That's only part of it.

Some of the most important work happens after you're in escrow.

Your Realtor helps keep track of the transaction, communicates with the other parties, helps you understand what you're receiving, coordinates inspections and other steps, discusses issues as they arise and helps you evaluate your options when the transaction doesn't go exactly according to plan.

And no two escrows are exactly alike.

One transaction may sail through.

Another may involve an inspection concern, appraisal issue and last-minute financing question before ultimately closing successfully.

Experience matters when the unexpected happens.

Buying a Home in Bakersfield? Don't Just Fall in Love With the House. Understand What You're Buying.

A beautiful house is a great place to start.

It just isn't where your due diligence should end.

The purpose of escrow isn't to find reasons to panic or convince yourself something must be wrong with the property. It is an opportunity to gather information, complete the steps required for your purchase and make informed decisions before the home becomes yours.

The McCarty Group's dedicated Buyer's Agents help Bakersfield home buyers through the entire process, from the first showing and offer negotiations through inspections, appraisal, financing and the final walkthrough.

Because finding the house is only the first milestone.

Getting you successfully from an accepted offer to the keys is where the rest of the work begins.