Stucco cracks in home for sale, realtor said homeowner 'repaired' the cracks ...

[debbie knox]

And the lines we see are the repairs. We love the interior of this home, had everything we needed. Then walked out side and around the property. The first time we noticed the cracks were after a rain, but then were told these dark lines are the repairs. That everything was fixed. You can see under two of the windows there was a major repair. We are 99% walking away from this home. Realtor said it an easy fix to paint the home. I have asthma and don't want to get into a situation of mold, mildew ... extensive repairs on top. Professional advice??

[Tom Rees]

Debbie, Go to the following link and choose an inspector to evaluate the stucco and building envelope and give you a professional opinion.

https://www.exterior-design-inst.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=88%3Aohio

[Mark Parlee]

Debbie,
You need to have this home inspected by an inspector that specializes in stucco if you want to proceed with the purchase.
The first inspection tool I use is my eyes and this place is a mess.
One of the big problems you are now facing is your emotional attachment with the interior and that attachment can cloud your judgment regarding the exterior problems if you are not careful.
Your first picture shows a roof to wall termination with damage. This damage is because there is no kickout or a wrong kickout, probably none.
Here are some pictures of one that had the hidden damage that we remediated. This shows what can be hiding under those surface stains.
It would be worth having someone with experience look at this.

[Ian Page]

Debbie
The realtor is blowing smoke...Yes, painting a home is relatively easy but it's definitely not a fix for what appears to be underlying issues with the stucco and potential structural problems. Aside from the stucco cracking/crazing, some of the window trim has been replaced/joined due to water infiltration and water run-off from the roof had definitely caused an issue around the window. Who knows what sub-surface damage has been caused which could lead to big $$$$ in repairs/remediation.
As a home inspector I wouldn't tell you to walk away, that's your call but I would tell you to set aside some substantial cash for probable issues in the relatively near future, if you decide to purchase.

[Markus Keller]

As others have stated we can't tell you what you should or shouldn't buy. Beyond that though due to the potential / probable issues I would run like my pants were on fire if I were in this deal.
With that amount of visible water saturation at the exterior walls its pretty safe to say that at least some of that moisture has migrated to the interior wall cavities. Back when I was a full time contractor I opened plenty of these types of walls. Sometimes the contamination was not too bad but most of the time the wall cavities were essentially a Petrie dish.
How bad the wall cavities are or aren't will depend on multiple variables such as framing set up, insulation in the walls, drainage plane or not, venting or not, etc. There is no way to know for sure without opening up some wall cavities to assess.
Fixing this type of issue consists of both interior and exterior work. The exterior walls need to be properly re-coated or better if someone can afford it re-clad with a better material. Just painting is the equivalent of putting a Bandaid on a cut that needs stitches.
If you love the house figure out if you can handle the post purchase costs. If you want to work on figuring it out better:
- Hire an inspector experienced with EIFS / Dryvit
- Hire an inspector with an IR camera and moisture meters that is used to doing water intrusion assessments
- Hire an inspector with a SeeSnake type set up who is willing to look for places were he might be able to get the scope in to see inside wall cavities.
What this means is you need a good, seasoned, dedicated inspector, not one of the el cheapo check box idiots.
Good luck.

[Jerry Peck]

Realtor said it an easy fix to paint the home.

What the others have said, plus this:

If your agent said the fix is just to paint it ... it's like what those auto insurance commercials - you've got the wrong agent.

Get an agent who is looking out for you, not for their deal and commission.

If you decide to not buy that house (for the reasons given by the others), the first thing you need to do in continuing your search for a different house is ... GET A DIFFERENT AGENT WITH A DIFFERENT BROKER ... one who will look out for your interests - unfortunately, those agents are few and far between, based on the experiences of most good home inspectors, but those types of agents do exist, unfortunately, those agents are just not easy to find.

[debbie knox]

Thanks for all the great advice!! We went back to the home another time, took more pics and saw it in better light. We have pass on purchasing this home! Looks like a money pit. Relieved after reading these posts. This will really give us something more to consider in our future home search. Thanks again!!

Debbie