1. The site takes more than 3-4 seconds to load. Every extra second of waiting increases the chance a visitor closes the page before even seeing it.
2. The browser shows a 'not secure' warning. This usually means the SSL certificate has expired or is misconfigured — a problem that drives customers away almost instantly.
3. The last update to the site was over a year ago. A product catalog, hours or prices that never get updated hurt credibility, even if the rest of the site looks good.
4. You don't know who has access to the admin panel or hosting credentials. It's a silent security risk that only shows up once it's already a problem.
5. The site doesn't look right on a smartphone. With most traffic coming from mobile, a site that doesn't adapt well is already a hurdle for a large share of visitors.
If you recognize two or more of these points, it's probably time to hand the site to someone who takes care of it on an ongoing basis, instead of stepping in only when something breaks.
