Home selling season is almost here! Check out this DIY home inspection guide, part 2 of our “What to Fix” series, if you’re looking to sell your home this coming spring or summer season.
If you’re wanting to put your house on the market this coming “selling season,” you might be eager to start on the exterior. Rightfully so, curb appeal is a huge factor in the buyer’s market. In this blog, we’ll be taking you through the ins and outs and what to inspect outdoors so your home is appealing from the start.
Pro Tip: While there are plenty of these tasks you’ll be able to fix yourself, a lot of these exterior inspection repairs may be best left to a professional with years of experience. If you’re worried about completing a task, especially within a timeline, consider hiring a contractor.
Outside:
- Roof
Perhaps one of the most important aspects to a home and one of the most looked at areas by potential home buyers. While it may be tough to thoroughly inspect without climbing onto your house, many of these problems can be identified from the ground. Here’s what to look for:
- Curling shingles
- Loss of texture on shingles
- Noticeable sags in the roof
- Painted over vents
- Missing shingles
- Chimney & Gutters
Downspouts and gutters keep water away from your foundation and keep your home dry. Many gutter issues can be taken care of through maintenance on your own, but if your notice issues with a chimney, we recommend reaching out to a professional.
- Clogged gutters
- Unsealed gutter joints
- Rusty downspouts or gutters
- Chimney leans or missing bricks
- Water in a gutter does not run toward a downspout
- Windows
An overview of a window could leave you thinking everything is in great condition, however inspectors will spend a bit more time to be sure the seal and structure surrounding the panes are in working order. Here are some common things inspectors search for that you can get ahead of the ball on:
- Broken glass
- Bowed frames
- Rotting or decayed wood
- Chipping paint (depending on the buyers home loan, chipping paint is a failure!)
- Difficulty opening and closing
- Missing caulk around the joints and frames
- Building Structure
Okay, perhaps THIS is the most important aspect of your home to be inspected. Houses are built to withstand a lot – crummy weather, minor impacts and plenty of other incidents can happen and barely leave a mark on a home. Here are a few things you can check out for your potential buyers:
- Leaning stairways
- Cracks in the foundation
- Leaning, bowing or sagging walls
- Flaking, peeling or bubbling paint
- Cracked or missing siding
- A solid six inches between the ground and the siding
ProTip: A little paint goes a LONG way! Especially when it comes to your foundation. Painting the exterior leads to a 55 percent ROI, according to a HomeGain 2012 Top DIY Home Improvements for Seller survey.
5. Property
In addition to exterior and home itself, potential buyers and inspectors will be sure to check out any obvious issues surrounding the property that may lead to future issues. Here are a few of those items:
- Unstable structures (do a wobble test on your railings and posts)
- Inadequate drainage
- Hazards in front of any walk paths
- Signs of wildlife or rodent issues
- Tree limbs touching or hanging over the house
Did You Know? If your driveway or walkways are uneven, they are considered a trip hazard. Before hiring a professional to level the ground and pour new concrete, you may be able to break up and remove concrete yourself to save the added expense.
By following our suggested interior & exterior home inspection checklists, there are several items you can get a head start on before lining up professionals to handle the larger inspection items. And of course all major DIY projects create debris, so give us a call for a rented roll off dumpster for your pre-selling repairs. Taking the time to inspect and making these improvements can increase your overall sale price. Contact us today and ask about how we can help with your home repair cleanout.