Ten Things To Repair Before Selling Your Home
Thinking of selling your home but don't know if you should make repairs first? Of course so! Any repairs you make will only impress the buyer and will help you get most, if not all, of your asking price no matter what the market is doing. Here are a list of ten items every homeowner should repair.
1. Paint - A fresh coat of paint on the inside and out will do wonders for your home. Make sure that before you paint you make any repairs to the drywall or exterior wood. Take the opportunity the repair any damage before painting the home.
2. Floors - Make sure the carpet has been steam cleaned and free of any odors or pet stains. If the hardwood or tiles are damaged, make any needed repairs. Make sure the flooring isn't squeaking. Fix any loose trim work.
3. Windows - Get any broken or damaged windows repaired. Replace any missing screens. If windows are not operational, have them repaired or replaced. Windows that will not open are a fire hazard and will be written up by the buyers home inspector.
4. Make sure all the appliances are clean and in working order. Make sure the dryer vent pipe extends to the exterior of the home and does not discharge into the crawl space.
5. Clean and remove clutter from the garage and basement. Throw out any unneeded magazines, old newspapers or sales papers, and move any boxes of seasonal decorations to a storage facility or shed.
6. Make certain the roof is not leaking. Common areas where roof leaks occur are around the vent stacks, roof vents, chimneys and flashing. It's best to repair the areas if needed rather than not know a problem exists and the inspector finds it.
7. Make sure the kitchen and bathroom fans are vented to the outside of the home. Exhaust fans should vent to the exterior and typically do so through the roof or the exterior wall.
8. Make certain the sinks, plumbing, and faucets are not leaking. Check the caulking for gaps where the counter top and the wall meet.
9. Make sure none of the light bulbs are blown and that the rooms have plenty of light in them. Before buyers arrive, go around and open all the curtains and blinds to allow daylight into the room.
10. Clean the fireplace and verify the screen works properly. Make sure the gas is on if you use gas logs and have it lit during the viewing to show the buyers it's beauty.
1. Paint - A fresh coat of paint on the inside and out will do wonders for your home. Make sure that before you paint you make any repairs to the drywall or exterior wood. Take the opportunity the repair any damage before painting the home.
2. Floors - Make sure the carpet has been steam cleaned and free of any odors or pet stains. If the hardwood or tiles are damaged, make any needed repairs. Make sure the flooring isn't squeaking. Fix any loose trim work.
3. Windows - Get any broken or damaged windows repaired. Replace any missing screens. If windows are not operational, have them repaired or replaced. Windows that will not open are a fire hazard and will be written up by the buyers home inspector.
4. Make sure all the appliances are clean and in working order. Make sure the dryer vent pipe extends to the exterior of the home and does not discharge into the crawl space.
5. Clean and remove clutter from the garage and basement. Throw out any unneeded magazines, old newspapers or sales papers, and move any boxes of seasonal decorations to a storage facility or shed.
6. Make certain the roof is not leaking. Common areas where roof leaks occur are around the vent stacks, roof vents, chimneys and flashing. It's best to repair the areas if needed rather than not know a problem exists and the inspector finds it.
7. Make sure the kitchen and bathroom fans are vented to the outside of the home. Exhaust fans should vent to the exterior and typically do so through the roof or the exterior wall.
8. Make certain the sinks, plumbing, and faucets are not leaking. Check the caulking for gaps where the counter top and the wall meet.
9. Make sure none of the light bulbs are blown and that the rooms have plenty of light in them. Before buyers arrive, go around and open all the curtains and blinds to allow daylight into the room.
10. Clean the fireplace and verify the screen works properly. Make sure the gas is on if you use gas logs and have it lit during the viewing to show the buyers it's beauty.
About the Author:
Hubert Miles is the founder of Waterfront Houses USA, an online marketing service that provides Beach Houses in the US and Canada. Find Caribbean Beach Houses.