Too often little repair jobs pile up over the course of living in a home. Taking care of these repairs now will ease the burden when it comes time to put your house on the market.
Here is a checklist of home repairs to get your house in top condition to quickly attract a buyer and fetch a good price:
Outside/Entry Way
- If the driveway has many cracks and breaks, consider resurfacing or resealing.
- For a gravel driveway, remove weeds and smooth out the stones.
- Clean and repair shutters.
- Replace missing gutters or downspouts.
- Fix the fence. Power wash and paint or stain if it’s not been done in the past 3-5 years.
- Trim landscaping. Add flowers to the flower beds or put out potted plants.
- Power wash the siding and/or porch.
- Grease squeaky doors and hinges.
- Tighten doorknobs.
- Touch up paint on the door or window frames.
Living Areas and Bedrooms
- If there is wallpaper and it’s peeling or looking dingy, remove it.
- Refinish hardwood floors.
- Patch cracks or holes in walls and interior doors.
- Clean carpet stains. Shampoo rugs and carpets.
- Magic erase or repaint scuffed up walls. Pick a neutral color, but not bright white.
Kitchen/Bathrooms
- Replace broken light fixtures. Switch out old ones for updated ones.
- Replace cracked or chipped tiles. Scrub the grout and tile until it sparkles.
- Remove hard water stains from drains, tubs, sinks, and toilets.
- Replace caulking around the tub, sink, toilet, and joint between tub and floor.
- Stop dripping faucets by tightening or replacing.
- Clean range top burners and run oven on cleaning cycle.
Garage
- Degrease the floor to remove stains.
Laundry Area
- Repair shelves or cabinets.
- Clean floor around and in between washer and dryer.
How to Find Additional Repairs to Make Your Home Appealing to a Buyer
To add to the checklist for your particular home, drive up to your home and look around as if you were a potential buyer. What eyesores jump out at you? Walk in the front door and investigate each room. What else do you notice that needs to be fixed? You could also ask a close friend who can be honest with you to do a walk through.
Taking care of these small repairs now can take a huge weight off your shoulders (and your time) when it comes to actually listing your home.
For more help listing your home, contact Amy Shair.
