Looking with a buyer’s eye
Real estate pros offer tips for taking care of your house like you’re selling it
Home sellers, take note: Today’s buyers are more educated and savvy than ever before.
As a result, they tend to be more cautious. One small issue that they notice while viewing a for-sale home could raise red flags about potential major problems lurking behind the walls. They may second-guess their interest in the property, asking themselves: How much money and aggravation might this issue cause me down the road?
Ultimately, they may talk themselves out of purchasing the home.
It’s best to take extra special care of your home long before you consider putting it on the market. Here’s how to see your home with a buyer’s eye so you can avoid problems that may scuttle a future sale.
Repairs
When you approach a home repair, anticipate future questions and try to resolve the issue in a manner that would give comfort to a prospective buyer. For example, if you are fixing a small crack in your foundation, consult the original builder to see if you can find out what happened and why (you might even find that it is covered by the builder’s warranty). When you have the issue corrected by a contractor, make sure that he or she prepares a detailed — and legible — invoice that explains the problem and the work done to repair it. The gold standard is to get a transferable warranty that you can give to the next owner.
Maintenance
Buyers walking through a home are trying to determine (both consciously and unconsciously) if the property has been well-maintained. Even if buyers don’t catch a potential issue, their home inspector almost certainly will. As real estate agents, one thing we’ve found over the years is that buyers tend to “horribilize” issues (we borrowed this term from a fellow agent). In other words, the buyer will imagine the worst-case scenario. For example, let’s say the HVAC filter hasn’t been changed in a while and is dirty. From the seller’s perspective, the cost to replace the filter is only a few dollars. Buyers, however, may think the clogged filter has strained the HVAC system, which will shorten its life, and wonder what other routine maintenance issues have been neglected in the home. Regularly and proactively maintaining your home will pay dividends when you decide to sell.
Boundaries
In preparing to list a home for sale, we ask from our seller clients — those who own townhouses, rowhouses and single-family detached homes — for a copy of the plat, also known as the survey. This is a document that the homeowner likely received at the time he or she purchased the property and is included with the original closing papers. Anytime you or your neighbor installs a fence, driveway or other landscaping/hardscaping feature, make sure it is on the correct property. If there is an encroachment, even a small one, you will want to consult an attorney. There is often a simple legal solution at the time the encroachment occurs, such as recording an easement or sending a simple “permission” letter. Encroachment issues are potentially troublesome when selling a home; they can lead to delays, additional costs and, in some cases, can cause a deal to fall apart.
Permits
While opinions differ on this point, depending on the job, it’s best to err on the side of caution and secure a permit when altering your home. Certainly, if you are undertaking a significant repair or planning to advertise an alteration as a feature of your home, the work should have been permitted. Cutting a corner to avoid a permit might sound like an attractive way to save money, but it will likely cost you more in the long run.
Water
Water-related issues result in some of the most costly home-inspection items we see. Water can create a whole host of problems, including foundation issues, mold and roof problems. The good news is that these issues can be easily avoided, at little cost, if you are vigilant and proactive. Keep your gutters clean and make sure your downspouts empty away from your foundation. Ensure that the ground around the perimeter of your home slopes away from the foundation. When a home is constructed, the builder will dig out a big hole, pour a foundation and then fill in the empty surrounding space with fill dirt, hopefully with a proper slope away from the foundation. Because that soil is loose, it tends to settle over time, creating a negative slope toward the foundation. Since this happens gradually over years, most homeowners don’t notice the problem until they discover they have a water problem in their basement.
Etcetera
Make sure your caulking and roof flashing are in good shape. Ensure that your air conditioning condensate drain lines are clean, and you have a backup system that alerts you when they are activated. Check your dryer vent to make sure it is clean and blows the hot moist air outside, not into your attic or between walls. Make sure all tree limbs, bushes and other foliage are not touching the house (at least a foot clearance is recommended).
Paperwork
As you acquire paperwork related to your home, ask yourself: Is this something a future owner might want or need? Whether it be a plat, manual, architectural drawing, irrigation system map or copies of contractor invoices and permits, it’s best to keep paperwork. For tax purposes you’ll also want to keep track of your capital improvements to the property.
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