If you want to sell your home, you’ve got to make a good first, second and probably third impression. Doing so requires not just a great deal of preparation, but also some professional oversight. Before you decide to list your home, consider having it checked out by these professionals:
Foundation Expert
One surefire way to scare off a potential buyer is to have foundation issues. Problems with your foundation are neither easy nor cheap to fix, so it’s always a good idea to know if your home has them before you put it on the market. A good foundation expert will let you know exactly what the problem means for your home and which steps you can take to fix it before you show your home to potential buyers.
A Professional Roofer
While a bad roof isn’t necessarily a deal breaker for some buyers, it’s something that’s going to cost you a lot of money before you close on a home. In fact, you’re almost certainly going to have to repair any roof problems before your buyers can get approved for a Federal Housing Administration loan, so you’ll want to check with a roofing contractor long before you sell. A good contractor is going to not only let you know what’s going on with your roof, but also let you know your options and the timeline for fixing issues.
Plumber
Your home’s plumbing can cause more problems for a potential sale than you might realize. Most, if not all, buyers are going to want bad plumbing fixed before they close, and skittish buyers may get scared away because they’re afraid the bad pipes are harbingers of worse problems. A good plumber will be able to pinpoint issues with your plumbing, let you know what really needs to be fixed and help you figure out a plan to get your plumbing under control before your first showing.
Electrician
You’ll definitely want to consult with an electrician. A few bad lights might not mean much to you now, but they can be signs that major work needs to get done. Electrical work is usually beyond the scope of what most homeowners can do on their own, so getting a professional assessment is a good way to determine exactly what you might need to have fixed before you sell your home.
Getting all of these professionals in to look at your home is a good way to ensure that you won’t be caught by surprise when potential buyers have their own inspections done. With forewarning, you can defray some of the repair costs and build others into the sales price of the house. Best of all, though, you’ll be able to deal with any major problems at your pace rather than that of your buyers.
Source: Meghan Belnap/RISMedia’s Housecall
