You might be one of many South Carolina residents who hope to sell your home this year. Once the for-sale sign goes up, your goal is to attract potential buyers and get as many viable offers as you can in the least amount of time possible. There are several maintenance pitfalls that you’ll want to avoid because they can bring a home sale to a screeching halt.
Working with an experienced real estate team is the best way to learn more about how to prepare for a home sale, including things like curb appeal, staging the home for showings, and more. A good agent can alert you to specific maintenance pitfalls that might impede your chances of selling your house.
Maintenance pitfalls ruin real estate deals
We mentioned curb appeal in the previous section. This phrase refers to the appearance and condition of the exterior of your home, as well as the property surrounding it. Keep the issues shown below in mind when assessing the maintenance condition of the exterior of your home:
- Sagging roof or roof in state of disrepair
- Peeling paint
- Broken stairs
- Cracks or holes in driveway or walkways
- Broken or clogged gutters
It’s best to resolve these issues before putting your house on the market. If that’s not possible, let potential buyers know you plan to make repairs before it’s time for the home inspection.
Fix these things before selling your house
Beyond the exterior of the home, there are several maintenance pitfalls on the inside that can scare buyers away. These include:
- Water damage and plumbing problems
- Electrical issues
- HVAC components in need of repair
- Mold
- Asbestos
Each of these issues can be expensive to resolve. Failing to make repairs not only places health and safety at risk but may undoubtedly deter interested parties from making an offer on your home.
Take care of as much ahead of time as you can
Avoiding these common maintenance pitfalls helps decrease the time your home might stay on the market. Try to put yourself in a buyer’s shoes. Would you buy a house with a leaky roof, broken air conditioner, or peeling paint that might contain asbestos? Making repairs ahead of time makes it more likely to get an offer for the asking price.