True story. A couple walk into a “for sale’’ oceanfront condo that adjoins their good friends’ unit. The wife is awestruck by the stunning ocean views and smitten by the perfect staging job. She says to her husband: “I want this house. It’s beautiful, and we wouldn’t have to do a thing. We even love the neighbors. I know we weren’t actually looking, but we can afford it, so how can we resist?’’ The house happens to be only 30 minutes from their permanent residence, and she loves the fact that they could escape anytime.

Her one concern? The exorbitant condo fee, mostly for flood insurance, but that was not going to get in the way of owning her dream home.

Her next step was to call me:

“This is it. This is the house. You have to see it, Marjorie. It’s perfect for our family.’’

“OK, I had no idea you were looking, but yes, sounds great. Let’s take a look.’’

She talks about the “amazing views’’ and its “turn-key’’ condition (it’s a flip), and then she tells me about the condo fee. My radar goes up.

As I start my research, I see the flood insurance cost on this unit is almost three times as much as nearby properties of similar size. Come to find out, the Federal Emergency Management Agency subsidizes insurance for some waterfront properties, but when a home is rebuilt or has substantial work done, such as this one, it might not be. The insurance rate will definitely be an issue for resale, I told her. She says the ocean view is worth the cost.

I decided to see the unit without her.

Now, I know she had seen it only once with “honeymoon’’ eyes. But with my experienced eye, I notice right away that there are issues; not only was the workmanship poor on the cabinets, tile floor, and ceilings, but the sparse insulation, gaps in the windows, and loose siding were even more concerning. The one thing you want with beachfront property is for it to be watertight. This one was not.

Did the buyer notice these flaws?

“No,’’ she says, “I need to go back and look. But Marjorie, it’s on the ocean. We’ll get that fixed.’’

I pressed harder, explaining my experience with these issues and knowing red flags when I see them. She refused to let me burst her bubble.

I could tell she wanted that house, but after she spoke with her friends next door, she knew that flood insurance was no longer her only concern. Discussions of “shiny,’’ “perfect,’’ and “turn-key’’ finally gave way to acknowledgment of potentially unknown costs due to construction and maintenance issues. The fact that the owner had another offer that would force them to act quickly sealed the deal. They would not move forward.

That buyer is my sister, and I’m relieved.

Buyers, don’t let the shiny new appliances or ocean views fool you. Please work with an experienced agent who will help you see the flaws. That agent will be your biggest advocate, even if you are blinded by the beach. By the way, my sister suggested her story would make a good column. She doesn’t want anyone else to get caught up in the waves like she did.

Marjorie Youngren is a broker at RE/Max Leading Edge in Lynnfield. E-mail your questions to mpyoungren@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter @remaxmarjorie.