If you are one of thousands preparing your house over the winter months to place on the market in the spring, congratulations!  The market at this point and time is slow and so it's a good time to make necessary repairs and replacements. 

When you market your house with a Realtor, you want to make sure that your house is in A+ condition, has great curb appeal, and the major mechanicals are all running smoothly.  One of the major hindrances to the successful sale of a house is the house inspection.  If an inspector finds A, B, C, and D wrong with a house and the seller only offers to remedy A and B, it can cause the sale to fall through. 

To prevent this from happening and to prepare you for a successful sale in the spring, here are the nine top home issues found by inspectors that if left untreated, can cause problems for you later.

  1. Electrical Wiring  Many times, wiring is found to be insufficient and even dangerous.  If a house still has a fuse box versus a breaker box, the inspector can report that the fuse box poses a safety hazard and thereby recommends replacement.  If this occurs, you are looking at a minimum of $1000 to get this remedied.
  2. Roof Damage  If it's a small leak or something more, inspectors can find potential problems that most of the time, can be easily remedied.  However, if a roof has passed it's lifespan of useful existence, the inspector might deem the roof a safety hazard.
  3. Heating Systems  Furnaces are great when they work, but when they break down in the middle of the winter (which by the way is most of the time), you don't have a choice but to get it fixed.  Yearly maintenance on furnaces will greatly extend the life of your furnace.  Also replacing filters every month or so will ease the load on the furnace motor.
  4. Overall Maintenance  Masonry that is crumbling, broken windows or appliances, plumbing or lighting issues are all potential deal breakers.  An inspector makes sure that these issues are not safety hazards, and recommends replacements, minor repairs or total replacement.
  5. Structure Problems  See that crack in the ceiling and think it's a major issue.  Think again!  It could be natural shifting of the house foundation or frame.  An inspector can make certain that these issues are minor and do not need remedies.
  6. Plumbing  We are slowly going by way of high grade plastic and PVC pipe for all plumbing repairs, upgrades, and new installs.  Until then, make sure all your copper pipes are tight, sealed, and not potential leak hazards, especially in the winter when there are dramatic changes in temperature.
  7. Inadequate Caulking or Weather Stripping  Although not a major deal breaker, it is to your advantage to keep up with this small but sometimes time consuming task.  Make sure if you've lived in the house for more than five years, that all caulking and weather stripping are still there!
  8. Poor Ventilation  In the 1980's we started building our houses air tight.  That was great for energy efficiency on our A/C and furnaces, but it was a disaster for mold, rot, and other related health issues.  A home that is not properly ventilated can be a disaster for you and your family.  If you have a whole house fan, use it.  If you don't open up your windows and air out your house.  If moisture in the basement is left untreated, it can cause rot and mold issues that can become costly.
  9. Cosmetic Issues  "What's wrong with my Partridge Family countertops and bright orange carpet of the seventies,"  said the home seller.  "An awful lot," said the potential buyer.  I have worked with buyers that will walk in and out within five seconds if outdated carpet, flooring, countertops, etc. are present in the house.  If you have lived in the house for any length of time, be sure and keep up with the maintenance, upkeep, and cosmetic changes of your house, so that your house will be the 1st to sell on your block this spring.  Good luck!

Christopher Smith

Skogman Realty

www.christophersmithrealtor.com

christopher@skogman.com

319-329-5988

Licensed Realtor in the state of Iowa