Essential repairs to consider before offering your house for sale

Buyers are profoundly affected by visual information when examining a potential house. You need to make necessary repairs before you put your house on the market. A house in good condition demonstrates pride of ownership. That increases the value of your home dramatically.  Look carefully at these items:

Inside the House

• Fix or replace damaged flooring, such as torn linoleum or cracked tiles.
  If you can't afford to replace damaged or worn floors, consider offering the buyer an allowance for renovation.

• Fix any drains, faucets, or plumbing fixtures that aren't operating.
  Repairs can range from replacing a faucet washer to buying a new toilet.

• Paint the interior.
  Fill and paint any cracks or holes in the walls. (You may need to repaint entire walls to mask some repairs.)

• Replace burned-out bulbs and broken electrical sockets.
  We may want you to turn on all the lights before a showing. At least they should all be working.

• Replace or fix broken stairs.
  Fix any creaks as well.

• Replace old locks and doorknobs.
  Make it easy and attractive for a buyer to walk in.

• Fix any doors that don't open easily, including the garage door.
  If your garage door opener doesn't work, repair or replace it.

Outside the House

• Replace cracked windows and torn screens.
  Nothing lowers the value of a property more easily than broken windows.

• Fix cracks in the driveway and entry walkway, and clean up stains.
  If the driveway requires major repair, it may be preferable to offer the buyer an allowance for the work.

• Paint the exterior.
  Touch up peeling paint, window frames, porches, and shutters. Repaint the entire exterior if it is drab or peeling.

• Replace broken gutters or missing downspouts.
  Good drainage is key to passing a home inspection.

• Replace or fix broken stairs.
  Any kind of safety issue is a big deal, and this one is visual as well.

• Reseal the deck and repair broken boards.
  A new coat of sealer can spruce up a fading deck. If nothing else, try to pressure wash the surface.

• Repair the roof.
  Replace shingles and tack down loose flashing. If the roof is old, you may want to replace it and adjust your sales price accordingly.

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