46 ALL THINGS REAL ESTATE
Sunday, June 10, 2018
How to take care of your house like you’re selling it Ultimately, they may talk themselves out of purchasing the ome sellers need to understand home. that buyers today have access to It’s best to take extra special care more information and are more of your home long before you even educated and savvy consider putting it on Home sellers need to than ever before. the market. Here’s As a result, today’s how to see your understand that buyers buyers tend to be with a buyer’s today have access to more home more cautious. One eye so you can avoid information and are more problems that may small issue that they see with the condition educated and savvy than scuttle a sale in the of the home could future: ever before. As a result, raise red flags about today’s buyers tend to be potential major REPAIRS more cautious. One small problems lurking When you are behind the walls. addressing a home issue that they see with They may the condition of the home repair issue as a second-guess their anticipate could raise red flags about homeowner, interest in the home, questions in the future potential major problems and tr y to resolve the asking themselves: What is my assurance lurking behind the walls. issue in a manner that this won’t reoccur in would give comfort the future? Is this issue to a prospective buyer. For example, indicative that the home has more if you are fixing a small crack in than its fair share of problems? How your foundation, consult the original much money and aggravation might builder to see if you can find out this issue cause me down the road? what happened and why (you might BY STEVE WYDLER AND HANS WYDLER SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON POST
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Sokeland
even find out that it is covered by the this term from a fellow agent). In other words, the buyer will imagine builder’s warranty). When you have the worst-case scenario. For example, the repair corrected, make sure to let’s say the HVAC filter hasn’t been have the contractor doing the work changed in a while prepare a detailed (and legible) invoice Let’s say the HVAC filter and is dirty. From the perspective, that explains the issue hasn’t been changed in a seller’s the cost to replace and the work done to while and is dirty. From the filter is only a correct it. The “gold standard” is to get a the seller’s perspective, few dollars. Buyers, however, will think transferable warranty the cost to replace the the clogged filter has that you can give to the filter is only a few strained the HVAC next owner. dollars. Buyers, however, system, which will shorten its life, and MAINTENANCE will think the clogged wonder what other Buyers walking filter has strained the routine maintenance through a home are HVAC system, which will issues have been tr ying to determine shorten its life, and neglected in the home. (both consciously and We can’t list all the unconsciously) if the wonder what other maintenance issues property has been wellroutine maintenance here but suffice it maintained. Even if the issues have been to say regularly and buyer doesn’t “catch” a potential issue, their neglected in the home. proactively maintaining your home will pay home inspector almost certainly will. One thing we’ve found dividends when you decide to sell. over the years is that buyers tend to SEE CARE/PAGE 47 “horribilize” issues (we borrowed
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