When you’re considering putting your home up for sale, there are several things that you need to keep in mind before doing so. Between hiring a real estate agent, assessing your property, and prepping your home for sale, the process can quickly become overwhelming. Because of this, it’s important that you take everything one step at a time.
The most important and first thing to do before selling your home is to ensure that it is fully ready to be put on the market. For many homeowners who keep up with the required maintenance of their home, there are typically just a few repairs that need to be made. However, for others, there could be significant and costly repairs that are necessary to make before putting your house on the market.
To help you with this process, we’ve identified and outlined the most important repairs that are necessary for selling your home.
Why Are These Home Repairs Necessary?
With a competitive housing market upon us, it’s a great time to sell your home. You may even be able to get a significantly better price for your home now than ever before. In order to do so though, you’ll need to ensure that there are no significant issues or damages on your property that could reduce the value of your home or drive away potential buyers.
If major issues do exist, it’s likely that they will be uncovered by a home inspector during the closing process. Rather than finding out then, it’s better to know early on and take time to fix them properly. Otherwise, these repairs could become more costly and could affect the value of your home.
While it can be hard to imagine investing significant money into the current home that you want to sell, there are many options available to you for financing. They can help you pay for these renovations and ensure you are getting the best price possible when you finally sell.
Financing Home Repairs
There are many financial options to consider when making repairs to your home. Whether you opt to use personal savings, a credit card, or take out a loan, these options are all reliable ways to pay for the renovations you need to make on the home. Choosing the right option depends largely on which one is right for you and your situation.
For many, the option to dip into their savings account isn’t always a viable one. If this is the case for you, you may want to consider taking out a loan. Some of the loans that you can utilize are personal loans, home equity loans, or government-backed loans. While any of these options can be used, it’s important to research each one carefully to assess the pros and cons. If you’re not ready to take a loan out, you may be able to find a credit card with a low interest rate. Using one of these cards will allow you to pay for these renovations and then pay the debt off during the introductory period.
The Most Important Repairs
Structural Damages
Some of the more common and most expensive repairs that are deemed necessary to make during a home inspection are structural damages. Any damage to the main structure of your home can become a serious problem quickly. Catching these issues early on can save you a great deal of money and reduces the likelihood of more serious issues to the home down the road.
It’s important to hire a professional to investigate and handle these issues, but there are still signs you can be on the lookout for yourself. The most common signs of structural damage are shifting of the property and cracking. While slight movement and damage can be acceptable, it’s always better to get a professional opinion early on.
Other Damages
Within your home, there can be more than just structural damage present. Be sure to check for other existing issues such as water damage, holes in the walls, or issues with the roof. While signs of these issues should be apparent to the naked eye, anything that is missed is sure to be uncovered during a home inspection.
If you own a pet, it’s important to repair any damages they have caused over the years. Puppies and kittens alike are notorious for being destructive. Particularly when left unattended or untrained, the damage they cause can become costly at times. Additionally, untreated accidents in the home can cause a terrible odor to linger in your carpets and flooring. These issues are sure to be noticed by a homebuyer who has first-hand knowledge of the damage and smells of pets.
Faulty Wiring
Faulty wiring can be a dangerous threat to your home for a variety of reasons. The worst of these threats is the potential of an electrical fire. It’s always wise to have an electrician go through your home’s wiring systems to ensure that everything is up to code and working properly, especially if you are selling an older home. Most electrical issues such as frayed wires, damaged systems, and faulty switches are easily identifiable and can be fixed quickly by a trained electrician.
Heating, Ventilation, And Cooling Systems
Homebuyers want to ensure that the heating, ventilation, and cooling systems in a home are all working properly. When these systems are not working effectively they have to work in overdrive to produce the right heating and cooling. This can cause electrical bills to soar. Most homebuyers wouldn’t see this as a small issue, so it’s important to repair or get maintenance on your AC, heating, and air duct systems. A professional will be able to identify any problems and help keep your systems running efficiently for longer.
Damaged Flooring
Assess the current condition of the flooring in your home. This could range from hardwood floors, to carpeting, or even linoleum. While flooring may not seem like a major roadblock to selling your home, you may be surprised to learn that many buyers will turn away at the sight of damaged and stained flooring.
Homes that have hardwood floors that are in good condition can be more valuable than other types of flooring. Consider having your floors professionally refinished to remove any scratches and restore them to their natural state. For any rooms that are carpeted, you may want to consider renting a steam cleaner or hiring a professional to clean them. Unsightly stains can be a disappointing sight for prospective buyers. Finally, with linoleum or other similar products, make sure that they are not damaged. The sun’s harsh rays and years of wear and tear can wreak havoc on linoleum floors.
Plumbing Issues
Most of us don’t think about our home’s plumbing systems until something goes wrong with them. By ignoring them, however, you may not be aware of any rusting or damage that exists within your pipes. The minimum that a homeowner should have completed before listing their home is having their drains cleared and maintained. This way a plumber will be able to notify you of any damages that exist within your pipes that could lead to bursts, clogs, or rusting while also keeping your system in good working order.
Broken Windows And Doors
Broken windows and doors should be a quick fix for any seller, yet this step is often overlooked. Homebuyers pay more attention to these issues than some sellers may believe. Faulty doors and broken windows can be signifiers for more serious problems, and at the very least, are quite unsightly. When looking at these issues, buyers are thinking about how secure this makes the home and whether or not heating and air conditioning are escaping from the home. Be sure to fix any damaged windows and doors prior to selling your home.
Putting your house on the market is a big decision to make. This is why you wouldn’t want any of these issues to arise during the sale and prevent a buyer from making an offer. To avoid this, be sure to make the repairs that are necessary to sell your home at the price you want.