Beige Home

You’ve heard of red flags (actions or beliefs by people that might cause you to run from them) and green flags (those actions or beliefs by people that make you feel safe in their presence) but… have you ever heard of beige flags? Beige flags are mostly harmless, seemingly innocuous things that aren’t really harmful but aren’t necessarily desirable either. As it turns out, beige flags exist in real estate too: usually in the form of house details that you overlooked when you were just too excited to get to closing. 

If you are still on the house hunt, these beige flags are little nitnoid things that might go unnoticed at first but over time could grind on your nerves. Be on the lookout for… 

Lack of Closets 

Today’s modern homes are generally built with an abundance of closets, so much so that in looking at new construction, the thought isn’t even really considered. However, not every home you see is going to be new or recent construction. Many older, established neighborhoods have historic homes that are cute as a button. Older homes, though, weren’t built with excess (or even enough) closets. If adding closets is out of budget or you don’t own an abundance of armoires, lack of closet space may be a beige flag. 

Pedestal Sinks

A bathroom is a bathroom, right? When you see the number of bathrooms on the MLS data sheet, you may see write that off as acceptable and move on. However, the type of sink in the bathroom is worth looking into. When new homeowners get settled, they end up finding that pedestal sinks are a huge beige flag. There’s no storage and no surface area for hand soap or towels. Be mindful of this when looking at a potential home’s bathrooms. 

White Everything 

A neutral design palette may draw you in with aesthetically pleasing listing photos but once settled, you may find yourself cursing those pristine surfaces. White walls? They show every ding and blemish. White doorframes? You’ll see each and every finger and hand print. White cabinets? Expect to spend a lot of time scrubbing them down. You may be up to the task. You may also roll your eyes every time you have to buy another pack of magic erasers. 

Tell us in the comments… have you ever experienced a beige flag in a new home?