Homeowners know that maintaining their property requires dedication and patience. But what if you’ve already sold your house? Perhaps, when it comes time to sell again in the future or are moving out of state–you may think there isn’t anything more for me to do at my old place because now it’s just someone else’s problem with updating things like landscaping.
The truth is most people don’t consider how important keeping up on routine maintenance tasks can be even after they leave one home ownership lifestyle behind!.
A neglected house is a liability; it can devalue your property and derail that sale.
What small things might indicate larger issues elsewhere? Broken doorbells, leaky faucets: do you think these would make potential buyers ask questions about other parts of the building too?! But more importantly (especially if we’re talking about preventing disasters) routine maintenance goes beyond maintaining basic conditions in order to avoid catastrophe down the line – like burst pipes or roof leaks which would seriously hurt its marketability as well!.
1. Keep up the yard and walkways
A home’s landscape is often the first thing that buyers notice when they walk up to a property, so it’s important to maintain. Dead tree limbs and weeds in your front yard can be off-putting for potential buyers- have them cleared out by professionals or tend them yourself regularly! Here are some tips from Realtor Kyle Hiscock:
- Make sure grass isn’t more than 2 inches high – this gives passersby an unfair advantage because people will think there might not always have been someone living at this residence
- Check if you need water pipes replaced before listing as old ones may lead into leaks during rainstorms which could cost significant fees depending on damage done.
“If your home doesn’t have a well-maintained exterior, buyers will keep driving,” says Mr. Cheyenne. “Plus this kind of neglect can be an easy target for vandals who might want to break into the property and steal anything that’s not securely fastened down.” Consider setting lights on timers so it looks like someone is at home during evening hours when potential buyers are out looking around town; arrange for proper snow removal in winter months (including sidewalks/driveways), make sure mail isn’t piling up too high by hiring delivery services weekly instead if necessary–or consider getting rid of any boxes altogether!
2. Clean the gutters and check the roof
It’s easy to forget about your gutters and roof when you don’t plan on going anywhere. But neglect can cause a dangerous domino effect, with water overflowing from the gutter damaging foundation as well as leading towards drainage issues in some cases! And of course we all want buyers coming up our driveways seeing puddling instead moss-covered sidewalks or dirty leaves cluttering their view—just ask Alise Roberts at Alise Roberts & Company who deals often times with Pacific Northwest rains that results into such problems for clients here locally . So take care of those needs today so tomorrow isn’t needed.
3. Service your heating systems
It’s not good, but the hidden guts of your home need regular attention. That means having your HVAC systems professionally serviced so that when you list on open house day during wintertime – or any other time-the furnace doesn’t smell like dust and there are no duct leaks making it hard for buyers see how warm their new place will be! And if they’re lucky enough to snag an energy efficient model (which can help them save money), then make sure those filters get cleaned too; otherwise all those ecofriendly efforts could go down with one big ol’ fart fest.
When a house for sale, it’s important to take into account all the little details that can affect how buyers feel about their property. One tip from Roberts suggests keeping the thermostat at 66 degrees Fahrenheit so agents visiting your place will be able go inside comfortably without feeling too warm or cold–and make sure there are no pipes burst due to freezing temperatures! If you have any chimneys in need of maintenance (or even if they’re not), get them checked out before showing off this beautiful space as well; cracks may lead access an expensive fix should anything happen during inspection time.
