Over the years, homes tend to acquire several minor and even major damages most of the time homeowners notice it a little too late, hence requiring major home repairs project that is most of the time costly and time-consuming. This is the reason why regular home maintenance check-up is necessary to spot these little damages on the floor, roofing, house foundation etc.
Remember that a damaged house depreciates its value the time you decided to sell your home. Prompt home repairs and maintenance is a must. Charlie Brown published an article in 411 Home Repair the importance of taking good care of your home via home repairs. Read the tips below to find out more.
Importance of Home Repairs: Taking Care of your Home
Whether you have plans to sell your house or live in it for the rest of your life, it is essential for all homeowners to carry out repairs and regular maintenance. Minor fixes can help you prevent serious problems in the future.
Comfort
Major components of the home such as heating and plumbing need to be monitored regularly. They have a significant effect on how comfortable you can be in your home and replacements can be costly. If features of your home are no longer efficient, they may need to be replaced to reduce energy consumption and monthly bills.
Value
Routine maintenance and upkeep maintains the appearance and comfort of your home along with helping to maintain or increase its value. A home is a special investment and maintaining it helps you protect it. Repairing and maintain a home costs less than waiting for problems to get worse.
Safety
Image Courtesy of 411 Home Repair
Home repairs are necessary for safeguarding your general wellbeing. By inspecting your home regularly, cleaning and repairing it, you will have the assurance that your family is safe. Keep fire hazards at bay with professional chimney maintenance and test smoke detectors to ensure that they are functioning properly. Repair all electrical issues such as malfunctioning electric appliances and exposed wiring.
Prevent the risk of falls by making sure that your floors are intact. Lighting also plays a key role in home safety by improving visibility and dissuading trespassers. Make sure that all your lights are in working condition.
Prevent Expensive Repairs
Performing regular maintenance and handling minor repairs as required will minimize the possibility of expensive repairs. Most appliances need to be inspected regularly, cleaned and changed. The efficiency of appliances like refrigerators is improved when they are cleaned and well-maintained.
Emergency plumbing services are essential for effectively dealing with leaks to prevent flooding and structural damage. Performing this type of maintenance will give you peace of mind.
Repairs make it possible for appliances to remain operational for a longer time and enable them to work efficiently.
It is important to asses the condition of parts such as the roof on a regular basis because your roofing protects your home. Professional roofing companies are available to inspect your roof. Maintain your roof and avoid water damage.
Deal with pest infestations immediately. Pests such as termites and cockroaches can rapidly multiply if the infestation is not addressed as soon as the signs are noticed.
Adapting to Seasonal Changes
Routine maintenance is also important for adapting to seasonal changes. Energy conservation is crucial when you co and heat your home. Temperature efficiency is determined by how you seal your house. Taking steps like closing gaps to stop leakage from areas such as doors and windows as well as changing filters regularly will help to maximize efficiency. Learn more here…
Home maintenance check-up must be done on a regular basis so that if you can spot little problems in both the interiors and exteriors of your home, you can do repairs right away if you can do it by yourself or call a professional to get the job done. But why is it important? There are several reasons why, and Moonworks has an article stating them. Read and be informed of the reasons for home repairs and maintenance.
Top 7 Reasons to Renovate Your Home
Home renovations are costly, time-consuming and messy. Still, many people choose to renovate their homes for a variety of reasons. There are almost as many reasons to fix up your home as there are projects to choose from. Here are the top reasons for renovating your home.
Image Source: Moon Works
1. To increase your comfort or enjoyment of the home.
This one comes first for a reason. Although there are many good reasons to renovate your home, your own comfort and enjoyment are important factors that shouldn’t be overlooked. If you renovate solely based on how it will impact the future sales price down the line, you may end up living in a showplace that doesn’t feel like a home. Your comfort and enjoyment are more important than what improvements will make the most money when you eventually sell.
2. To fix a safety issue.
Some home renovation projects just can’t be put off. Electrical problems, roof leaks, or a crack in the foundation are some problems that must be taken care of to keep your family safe and prevent catastrophic or total loss of the home.
3. To improve the home’s value.
If you plan to sell the home within the next few years, you may want to renovate some or all of it with an eye toward getting the most you can when you put it on the market. Some projects that have the best immediate return are opening up the main living space, replacing the front door, and updating the kitchen or bathroom.
4. To upgrade the home’s function.
Maybe you need more space, or a second bathroom would make things a lot easier during those busy mornings. Maybe your husband wants a man cave, or you would like a deck or a patio for outdoor entertaining. Renovating so that the home functions better for the residents is a good idea, as long as the upgrades don’t hurt the home’s value or decrease usable space.
5. To increase the efficiency of the home.
New windows, a heat pump, and added insulation are examples of improvements that can decrease energy costs and pay for themselves over time. More efficient homes are also more attractive to buyers if you want to sell since they know costs will be lower on an energy-efficient home.
6. To update the home’s style.
An older home can have a dated look that makes it less attractive to buyers or can look more plain than upscale. Updating your home’s style can be a whim based on new trends or a way to prepare a house for sale. The best bet is to use timeless styles that send the message of sophistication.
Those are good reasons, but another important reason for regular home repairs and check-up is to prevent your home from completely depreciating its value the moment you decide to sell it. Always remember that a house with lots of holes on the roof, faded paints in the interiors, damaged stairs etc. is difficult to sell as well as buyers don’t want to shoulder repair costs.
But the question, is it worth the repair cost? Should You Fix Up Your Home or Try to Sell It As Is? Elizabeth Weintraub has the answers to these questions in her article in The Balance.
Should You Fix Up Your Home or Try to Sell It As Is?
Image Courtesy of The Balance
You’re ready to list your home for sale…then you look around. Maybe you’ve spent time and money updating the exterior of the house but the interior is still in serious need of attention. Maybe there’s dry rot, or maybe it’s just outdated.
What to do? Should you spend more time and money on fixing it up or just try to sell it as is?
The Dilemma
This is one of those questions where the answer depends on variables. What’s the condition of competing homes for sale? Is it a hot, cold, or neutral real estate market? What’s the likelihood of a return on your investment?
Many sellers put way too much money into fixing up their homes before listing them for sale. They repair flaws that a buyer might never notice or just won’t pay extra for.
Tip: Talk to your agent before making any repairs to weigh the pros and cons with your particular home and your personal situation.
Selling a Home in “As Is” Condition
Let’s say that the property in question needs a lot of work. It has holes in the walls all the way to the exterior and urine-soaked wood floors. Much of the electrical system doesn’t work and the bathroom tub has fallen through the joists. All the faucets leak.
This is not a home that can be easily or economically fixed. A coat of paint won’t help. In this case, you might want to just price the house low enough to attract multiple offers. You can probably anticipate that only contractors and flippers will make offers.
Do Homebuyers Want Fixer-Uppers or Fixed Up Homes?
Some homebuyers say they want to buy fixer-upper homes but they’re generally looking for those that require only light cosmetic repairs. Buyers who gravitate toward fixer-uppers are those who either don’t qualify to buy a more expensive home or they want to make a profit by fixing up the home themselves.
Most “fixer” buyers are willing to do simple repairs such as paint the walls, put in new carpeting, or replace light fixtures. They don’t want to rebuild a foundation or move walls.
Fixer-upper buyers will discount the price of the home to allow for the repairs then discount it a bit more for the inconvenience. Say a home is worth $100,000 fixed up but it needs a new roof. A new roof might be expected to cost $10,000. A buyer most likely will not offer $90,000 for this home. She could buy an identical home with a new roof for $100,000 and not have the hassle.
A buyer for this type of home might offer $75,000 or even less. The seller would be smarter to pay for a new roof and sell the home for $100,000 in this scenario.
And keep in mind that many buyers will not buy a home that needs a new roof. They worry that the work involved will cost more than what they anticipate. Perhaps replacing the roof would involve tearing off the sheathing and repairing rafters which could add to the cost.
Most buyers want a home that’s in move-in condition. You can limit the number of buyers who might be attracted to your home by not making repairs.
Before Fixing Up Your Home
Smart sellers will weigh the cost of the proposed improvements against the home’s market value after the repairs or upgrades are completed. Such an improvement might not be warranted if an upgrade won’t return the investment. Before you decide to lift the roof and install skylights in the master suite, realize that kitchens and baths carry the highest return.
You might also want to take an afternoon off to tour other homes in the neighborhood of sale with your agent. Note the condition and amenities in these homes. Read the rest of this post here…
It is really important to do regular maintenance check-up in your home and do home repairs right away to prevent these problems from getting out of control. Also before selling your home, do some home makeover like roof repairs, repainting the interiors, do some landscapes etc. As much as possible, leave no stone unturned when checking the house. That way you can land a good price for your home when you sell it.
If your property is from Baltimore and you want to sell your house fast after your repairs and renovations, we at Dependable Homebuyers is right here to help. Visit https://www.dependablehomebuyers.com and we’ll help you find the right buyer for your beloved home.
Dependable Homebuyers
1402 Belt St, Baltimore, MD 21230
(443) 266-6247
