Essential Fall Maintenance Tips for Home Sellers
If you own a house, you probably know by now that it requires some regular maintenance work. But what if you’re planning on selling your home? Should you skip all the work and let future buyers deal with it? The answer is no! Even though there’s less competition on the market in the fall, that doesn’t mean homebuyers are less picky. So, you have to make sure that your home is in tip-top shape. And this doesn’t refer only to home updates but also to home maintenance. So, here are some essential fall maintenance tips for homes sellers.
No. 1 Inspecting the roof is one of the essential fall maintenance tips for home sellers
If you’re planning on selling your house, you should know that most homebuyers request a home inspection before buying. And in case the inspector finds major issues, the buyers can choose to back out of the deal or ask for a lower price. Therefore, it’s best to identify and fix any such issues before placing your house on the market. And since roof repairs or replacements are incredibly costly, you should start your inspection there. And make sure you hire professionals to do the repairs. Here are some of the things you should check:
If you have an asphalt shingle roof, check for any damaged or missing shingles and replace them. Otherwise, water will leak inside your home.
Check the roof flashing and fix it if necessary. This element is used to redirect water from the key areas of the roof, so if it’s damaged, it will result in indoor leaks.
Check for vegetation on the roof and remove it. Whether tree branches are reaching the roof or moss has grown on it, you have to remove them because, in time, these things can deteriorate the roof.
One of the essential fall maintenance tips for home sellers is inspecting the roof.
No. 2 Take care of the gutters and downspouts
While you’re up there on the roof, you should also inspect the gutters and downspouts. The debris accumulating in the gutters and downspouts can cause costly roof damage. If the water doesn’t flow freely, it can result in standing water infiltrating through the shingles. Or, if your roof is flat, standing water can cause rotting and sagging. Not to mention that clogged gutters and downspouts also cause drainage issues that can result in puddling water. And potential buyers will notice that immediately. Therefore, make sure that you clean the gutters and downspouts thoroughly.
No. 3 Store your outdoor furniture
Extreme temperatures and bad weather are not very kind to outdoor furniture. Therefore, it’s essential to remove those seasonal items before they deteriorate. If you don’t have a garage or any other place to store them, you can rent furniture storage until you manage to sell the house. After all, you can also use it to store some of the non-essential indoor furniture if you plan to stage your home for sale.
Store your outdoor furniture to protect it from extreme temperatures and bad weather.
No. 4 Pay extra attention to curb appeal
Since first impressions are crucial for homebuyers, you should find ways to boost your home’s curb appeal. Firstly, make sure that you trim and prune your bushes, shrubs, and trees. After all, they need a haircut every once in a while, the same as your. You should also clean the flowerbeds, rake the leaves, and mow the lawn to give your yard a tidy look.
Pay extra attention to the curb appeal, and don’t forget to rake the leaves for a tidy look.
No. 5 Do some thorough cleaning
Doing thorough cleaning is one of the essential fall maintenance tips for home sellers. When potential homebuyers come to see your home, they’ll first notice dirt. And this will distract them from seeing any of your home’s beautiful features. Therefore, professionals advise cleaning your house inside and out. Yes, you should clean the outside too. Specifically, you should clean your windows and power wash, or pressure wash the sidewalks and porch.
No 6 Take care of minor repairs and updates
Any home repair or update, no matter how small, can increase the value of your home. Therefore, you shouldn’t skip this, mainly if it’s not very costly or time-consuming. For example, you can seal the deck, patch up the small cracks in the asphalt, repair or replace deteriorated wood fence pickets, lubricate squeaking hinges, etc.
No. 7 Inspect the heating systems
Since winter is just around the corner, ensuring your heating systems work properly is crucial. On the one hand, you have no guarantee that you’ll sell the house this fall, so you wouldn’t want to freeze during winter. On the other hand, malfunctioning heating systems can cause potential home buyers to back out of the deal. So, call and HVAC inspector and make an appointment. Depending on the type of heating system, the expert should check the furnace, chimney, heat pump, and/or fireplace. Make sure you clean or replace filters and exhaust fans.
No. 8 Check the doors and windows
After you make sure that the heating systems work properly, you should also check the doors and windows. Any gaps or cracks will allow cold air to get inside, resulting in higher energy bills. And of course nobody wants that. Moreover, apart from the cold air, moisture and water can also seep in and cause damage to the walls and floors, as well as mold.
No 9. Prepare for winter
It doesn’t matter if you will live inside the house until you sell it or if you move out early; you still have to attend to it regularly. Sometimes, potential homebuyers like to pass by the house even when there’s no scheduled viewing or open house. And if they see the outside of the home in a poor state, they will likely lose interest. Therefore, you should always shovel the snow during winter to make your front yard look tidy and inviting. And don’t forget to remove the snow from the porch as well. Be prepared for winter by purchasing snow shovels, brushes, ice melt, and scrapers.
Conclusion
Every home need some regular maintenance work. However, if you’re planning on selling your home, this is more important than ever. On the one hand, every small thing can increase the value of your home. On the other hand, regular maintenance work can help you avoid future costly repairs. Not to mention that in case of major issues, homebuyers can negotiate a lower price or back out of the deal. So make sure you take into account these essential fall mainenance tips for home sellers.