If you want your property to keep its resale value, it must be in good condition.
Besides, even in a seller’s market, a house in disrepair will fetch a lower price than if it had been in impeccable shape. Here’s what you can do to take care of your residence over the years to ensure it retains its full resale value.
Repaint as Needed
Peeling paint, especially on garage doors or exterior window frames, is usually a sign that the homeowner has not been proactive regarding house maintenance. Poorly applied paint inside the residence, like walls with clearly discernible plaster patches, is just as likely to put potential buyers off.
It’s best to repair and repaint walls as needed instead of letting the paint surface deteriorate and bring down the look of the rooms.
Don’t Ignore Suspicious Noises
Your house is trying to tell you something! Many unusual noises can unexpectedly appear overnight, warning you that there might be a problem. For example, you may hear pipes rattling inside a wall or wind whistling through a no-longer-airtight window. These are just a few signs that you need to carry out inspections and, perhaps, repairs.
Inspect Your Building’s Envelope
Your property’s roof, exterior walls and foundation must be examined at least once a year. Doing so is particularly essential for your home at the beginning of spring, after a hard stormy winter.
Check the foundation: if there are cracks, fill them in. Replace any roof shingles that are curling or that have fallen off. Reseal around doors and windows as needed.
In a nutshell, take care of the building envelope. Water damage can occur suddenly and force you to carry out very expensive renovations.
Detect Cracks and Mould
A house can settle—and this is normal. However, this process should end within a few years following its construction. Consequently, cracks appearing along the interior walls may be a cause for concern. This is also true if you discover mould stains. The presence of mould may prove to only be a cosmetic issue, and so less worrying, but it may equally have spread deeper and lead to health problems.
You should hire an expert to confirm that your home’s structure is sound!
Clean Weekly
How often do you clean your home? Do you just tidy up or do you eliminate dust and dirt as well? The latter is quite important!
By allowing grime to accumulate, it will build up on the interior finishes and may eventually stain them. A home in which the walls, floors, cabinets, and other surfaces are frequently cleaned will stay bright and sparkling longer.
Don’t forget to vacuum behind and underneath the furniture and to thoroughly wipe down the wood mouldings. The narrow edges along windows and sliding doors are likewise often overlooked, but still benefit from a good scrubbing. Plus, you should clean all the residence’s walls and ceilings once a year.
Proceed Bit by Bit
To not become overwhelmed by the number of jobs to complete, we recommend that you work one task at a time. But avoid procrastinating! Additionally, when it comes to weekly cleaning, making a to-do list is a must. It will guarantee that you don’t miss anything in your efforts to keep your home in good condition.
A well-maintained residence, although it may not be trendily decorated, will be looked upon favourably by visitors and prove to them that the current owners have taken care of it. Doing so is essential to retaining a home's market value!