Although it’s hard to predict how much your home will sell for years from now, it’s safe to say that several things will affect its value over time. While a lot of these factors are out of your control, there’s one thing you can do to protect, perhaps even grow, your property value—maintenance.
Home maintenance may seem like a straightforward matter, but there are some tasks tied directly to your property value that you may not be aware of. Below are three of these critical maintenance tasks.
1.Water and Plumbing
A faulty water system could destroy an entire building on its own. In fact, getting a leak is likely to cost you much more in damages than a fire would. Be alert when plumbing fixtures like toilets, faucets, and the like start to leak. These need to be fixed as soon as possible before the water damage leads to far more expensive repairs that would’ve never been an issue if you had acted sooner.
While these issues tend to show up more frequently, other tasks can have longer intervals of time between checks. For example, seals, washers, shut-off valves, and pressure release valves should be examined at least once a year. High water pressure is another thing you need to regularly look out for as it can do serious damage to pipes, connections, and even appliances.
2.Heating
Your furnace needs quite a bit of attention. Every once in a while, make it a point to clean or even replace its filter, which you should check at least once a month. You may have to make more frequent checks during the warmer months as dust, insects, and other debris tend to be more abundant during this time.
Furnaces tend to have a life span ranging of 15 to 20 years. You’ll know it’s time to pick up a new one when yours starts making a persistent noise and takes a significantly longer time to start.
3.Paint
You wouldn’t be wrong in thinking that painting upkeep is primarily for cosmetic purposes. It’s true. However, when you’re trying to sell your home, a nice and fresh coat of paint sends a strong message to your potential buyers – that your property is neat and very well cared for.
Paint also plays a significant role in preserving your home. On the outside, your siding and trim depend on a coat of paint to stay protected against the elements. Paint also protects your interior walls from regular wear and use.
Being proactive in maintaining your home can mean a lot of work. A good way to make things easier is to start by doing the most important and urgent tasks first as these will likely pay off the most. Have your important tasks lined up and accomplish them incrementally; this will do you and your sale a whole world of good.
Still, it’s not too late to sell a home that could’ve been maintained more. As a property investor, Blue Hen Homebuyers will buy any property as-is. Call our offices today at 910-802-2222 to learn more about our services.