After purchasing a house, you can easily update the flooring, paint the walls, and make a host of other aesthetic changes to transform the space into something you love. However, there are a host of things that may be quite challenging, if not impossible, to change. Make sure you know what to look for. Make sure you know what not-so-easy-to-fix factors you should be focusing on.

Foul Smell

If you walk into a potential property, and you are greeted with a foul odor, take heed. It's one thing to have a foul stench because there is trash in the kitchen waste basket, but some odors are indicative of a larger concern. Take a mildew smell, for instance. This type of scent is often the result of long-term water damage somewhere deep within the bones of the home, such as the baseboards or wall frame.

Purchasing a home with this type of issue will lead to a lot of money spent on repairs. You also want to be mindful of strong pet odors, as urine can seep deep within the under-layers of a floor, causing you to have to spend more money to have the floors replaced once you purchase the home.  

Poor Cell Signal

Take a few moments to test the quality of your cell-phone signal. When it comes to navigating your social-networking sites and other web-based apps on your phone, you can rely on Wi-Fi access. However, when it comes to sending text messages and making phone calls, you need a strong cell signal, and if you won't be investing in a landline, it's important that you have good signal.

If you aren't concerned about having good signal in every area of the house, at least test the signal strength in the more common areas, including the master bedroom, kitchen, and living room. If the signal isn't good, make sure you are thinking about what you might be giving up by purchasing the home.   

Dysfunctional Layout

Consider whether or not the layout of the home is something you can live with. For example, if the master suite is upstairs, but you would prefer a suite on the first floor, or if the laundry room is in the basement, but you would prefer a laundry area near the bedrooms, these aren't issues that you can easily fix.

To resolve these issues, you would be looking at a significant remodeling effort. Go beyond whether or not the home has the square footage you want or even the number of baths you desire and ensure the layout is conducive to your needs and wants.

The purchase of a home is a significant process. Make sure you are taking your time when you are looking at homes for sale.