Tips for Selling Your Home
Is Your Home Physically Fit?
To give your home a competitive edge when it's time to sell,
make sure it is in good physical condition. This not only makes your
home more attractive and desirable, it also simplifies the negotiation
process when the time comes for the buyer's pre-purchase inspection.
According to home inspection experts, approximately half the resale
homes in the market today have at least one significant defect. Routine
maintenance is the best way to prevent major, costly problems from
developing in the first place. If you have been putting off those
repairs, now is the time to make them.
A Home Seller's Check List
Over the years, ASHI has identified a list of common problems
that typically appear on buyer's home inspection reports. Early correction
of these problems can increase a home's appeal and its selling price.
It also sets the stage for a favorable home inspection report for
the buyer, and thereby helps to expedite the sale. The following 6-point
checklist can help you achieve these marketing goals. *(Also see Home
Buyer Checklist).
1. CHECK THE MAJOR SYSTEMS
After size, style, and location, a home buyer's primary concern is
the condition of the home's basic structure and major mechanical systems.
Most buyers do not want to invest a great deal of money correcting
problems in such critical areas.
A pre-listing home inspection of the visible and accessible home
components can reveal most of these problems, and include recommended
repairs, if needed, on the following major items:
- Roof structure and covering
- Foundation, basement, and/or crawl space
- Central heating and air conditioning systems
- Electrical system
- Plumbing system
2. MAKE MAINTENANCE IMPROVEMENTS
A number of maintenance improvements are relatively easy and inexpensive
to make, yet they can substantially improve a home's appearance, efficiency,
and comfort. A professional home inspector may make helpful maintenance
suggestions, such as:
- Trim trees and shrubs which touch or overhang the house
- Apply new caulking and weather stripping as needed around windows
and doors
- Clean gutters of debris and leaves; repair or replace cracked
or broken gutters, downspouts, and extensions to ensure proper drainage
- Replace bathroom caulk or grouting where necessary to prevent
seepage and improve appearance
- Ventilate closed basements and crawl spaces, or install a dehumidifier,
to prevent excessive moisture build-up
- Regrade soil around the foundation, as needed to keep water away
from the house
- Replace dirty filters in the heating and air conditioning systems
- Have the heating and air conditioning systems professionally
serviced
- Have chimneys professionally cleaned, and install chimney hoods
or caps as needed
3. PAY ATTENTION TO DETAILS
Fixing even minor items can go a long way toward improving that important
first impression of our home. Here are some typical improvements which
might be suggested by the home inspector's findings:
- Repair leaky faucets
- Tighten loose doorknobs
- Replace damaged screens
- Replace broken panes of glass
- Replace burned-out light bulbs
- Secure loose railings
- Repair and coat driveway
- Patch holes or cracks in walls and ceilings, then repaint
- Repair peeling wallpaper
4. TAKE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Home inspectors also pay attention to items relating to protecting
the home and its occupants from danger. They can alert you to important
safety precautions which home buyers will appreciate, such as:
- Installing smoke detectors on each level
- Installing Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI's) in "wet" areas,
such as kitchen counters tops, bathrooms, and exterior outlets
- Keeping flammable products away from heaters, water heaters,
and fireplaces
5. MAKE COSMETIC IMPROVEMENTS
An attractive, clean, and neat home will appeal to a buyer's emotions.
In addition to making repairs such as those listed above, remember
to:
- Keep the lawn mowed and the house neat
- Clean the exterior walls and trim; repaint if necessary
- Open windows shades and curtains to create a bright, inviting
atmosphere
- Keep the kitchen and bathrooms clean, since buyers scrutinize
these areas
6. PREPARE FOR THE BUYER'S INSPECTION
It's a good idea to assemble in advance various house records that
can be used to answer questions from buyers and home inspectors. The Home
Buyer Checklist identifies some of the important factors to consider
when choosing a home. In addition to an affordable sales price, they
will also want to be sure that the neighborhood and house meet the
needs of their family.
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