Is Your Home Physically Fit?

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 quick checklist can help you achieve these marketing goals.

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