As published in the Savannah Morning News - 2 June 2013
Last week we talked about visually
expanding your space to create the illusion of larger rooms. Space is luxurious! It is a treasure, and buyers want more of
it.
So, now we will explore maintenance
and repairs. Boring? Not really, because it can mean the
difference between selling your house, or not.
Buying a resale home is sort of like
buying a used car…if a car is clean, smells fresh inside, and has all the
maintenance records to prove it has been well kept, a person can reasonable
conclude the car has been loved and appreciated. It becomes a jewel on the market and should sell
quickly. Well, this applies to houses
too.
It starts with the outside. A lot of assumptions are made as a buyer
drives up to your house. If the outside
is clean, the yard is manicured and the flower beds are weed-free and mulched,
a buyer will take a closer look. Next,
the front porch will be scrutinized…are there mud daubers and cob webs? Is your front door clean and freshly
painted? Is your outside light
sparkling? If not, look at it from a
buyer’s perspective. A negative
experience on the outside will set up expectations for the inside.
What about wood rot, gutters sprouting
weeds, pots with dead plants? All of
these are signs of neglect, but are an easy fix and part of regular home
maintenance.
Find inexpensive ways to make simple
but effective changes, like an attractive collection of potted plants with a
splash of color. Concentrate on the
front yard and entranceway, where first impressions are most likely to be
formed. Fix the wood rot; have the front
door painted in one of today’s popular exterior colors, and pressure clean the
house, driveway and walkways before you list your home for sale.
After you have examined the outside,
do the same on the inside, room by room.
Put on “buyer’s glasses”, and look at it the way they would. Make a list and tackle it item by item, room
by room.
If you really want to make sure
everything is in tip top shape, have a professional inspection done on your
home. Leaky faucets, damaged window
screens and closet doors that slip off their tracks may seem insignificant, but
buyers will make note of these small repairs and tally them up. Doors and windows that don’t lock are not
safe and are unacceptable to buyers. It
does not matter how long you have lived that way, it won’t pass
inspection.
Often, buyers overestimate the cost
of fixing these items and can assume they are indicative of bigger
problems. Don’t give buyers excuses to
walk away or to submit a low ball offer appropriate for a true
fixer-upper. Be proactive and repair those
things that show up during the inspection.
Another important point: don’t skimp on repairs. Don’t glop on the wood filler and paint over
it, thinking that will do the trick. If
it looks like a do-it-yourself job, buyers will notice! That applies to caulking as well…it should be
neat, fresh and not obvious. Make sure
it is done on a clean surface, not over mildew that shows through. Cutting out a piece of wood, instead of
replacing the length of board, may cure the wood rot, but it usually does not produce
the best esthetic solution.
All these little short cuts may get
you off the hook, but buyers are adding up what it will take to do it right. Their offer to buy your home will most likely
be reduced by their guesstimate of repair costs. If you can’t do the work, hire a handyman that
can complete your list in a minimum amount of time at a reasonable rate.
Remember, you want a buyer to fall
in love with your house and appreciate it the way you have over the years. Spruce it up and make it sparkle...they will
come.
Next
week in Moving Mom…Does your house pass the “Hotel Test”? Stay tuned! |
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