Ideally, we all keep our homes well maintained and do our touchups and small repairs as we live our lives. Right. Let’s face it, sometimes that doesn’t happen. You want to get the best price for your home, so it pays off big time to take a hard look around. Get at those little jobs and fix what you can. Be realistic, too, about bigger jobs that might be off-putting to a potential buyer. We’ll tackle some of those larger fixes in another post and stick with some small can-do ones here.
Water is Scary
Anything to do with plumbing and water issues just has to be addressed. I’ve had people fix their leaky bathroom shower head knowing full well the people buying the home were very likely to renovate the bathroom and rip it all out. But one thing that scares buyers is evidence of water damage. Where did it come from? How much damage did it do in places you can’t see? How long has it been going on? Will it happen again?
Little Fixes Add Up
As you get ready to show your home, follow the Just Do It slogan. Door handle loose? Fix it. Laminate countertop peeled or chipped at the corner? Fix it. Front step wonky or rotted, fix it. If the stair railing to the basement is wobbly, fix it. You sure don’t want someone falling during a showing. And you don’t want people noticing and counting up all the little things. That equals This Home is Going to Take a Lot of Work before they even think about moving in.
A home is a very intimate place, and homeowners sometimes take it personally if a potential buyer points out flaws and issues of concern. Don’t get mad, just get it done! Don’t assume people will want to do the work you should just because your house is priced right. Let me help go through your home and we can tackle those small things before people get the wrong idea.