Exterior Maintenance
Hello and Happy Fri-YAY!
Today we are going to talk about exterior maintenance when going to sell your home! I will go over some tips to make sure your house is looking great from the outside when you go to list!
Curb Appeal - “It’s what’s on the inside that counts…. NOT necessarily.” Houses are not like books, the outside is just as important as the inside!
Sidewalks: Pressure wash your sidewalks, make them look nice and fresh instead of dull and dingy. Edge the grass around your sidewalks. Kill the weeds growing in between the cracks. Take some time to fill some cracks or have a foundation expert take a look for severe cracks or holes.
Windows: Clean ALL exterior windows, hose them down with water and a mild cleaning solution. Fix rotted wood, get the cobwebs, spider webs and egg sacks out of the corners and window screens, clean the space between your screen and the inside seal. Talk to your pest control service and make sure those bees, wasps and dirt daubers nests are out of your window eaves! Take this time to see if you have any broken windows that need repair or get some quotes on some new ones as well, if necessary.
Front Door: Make sure that your front door is looking good! A fresh coat of paint, in a neutral color. If necessary, repair any holes, fix any broken screens on your storm doors etc... A nice “Welcome Home” sign or greenery wreath on the front porch is a nice detail, it makes purchasers feel at home (it looks nice in pictures too). Make sure your locks and knobs open and close accordingly. Check to see that your doorbell is working or if you don’t have a standard doorbell, take the time to decide if you want to leave that Ring or let the new buyer have it. You will be in charge of painting or repairing any damages the Ring might leave if you choose to take it with you.
Front and Back Porch: Be sure that your porch lights have light bulbs and are cleaned up and working! Take some time to put some fresh potted flowers or greenery on your porch, maybe a chair. Fresh welcome mats, sweep up around the porch, get rid of birds nests and pests nests. You want to make it warm and inviting. When you are selling your home, leave the porch lights and flood lights on at night, so when a buyer drives by, they can see your house!
Retaining walls and stairs: Take some time to make sure your steps are all there and that your retaining wall isn’t cracked or damaged. Get with a foundation expert on caving stairs and moving/cracked retaining walls.
Lights and cable wires: Be sure all your flood lights are working and that your cable wires are correctly bundled.
Decks and patio areas: Pressure wash your deck and patio areas, make sure rotted wood is replaced. Try a fresh stain (avoid a color stain, stay with neutral wood colors that match the home.) Fill up holes or damaged wood from carpenter bees, dogs etc... Repair broken springs. Fix those slumping fans etc.. if you have a covered deck. Is your deck up to code? Does it need some work? It might be the time to look into repairs!
Exterior: Pressure wash your siding, make sure the paint is looking good! Fix any rotted wood or broken vinyl! Make sure your gutters are cleaned up and debris free.
Roof: If you have an older roof, be sure to make sure you don’t have any leaks etc… check to make sure chimney caps are sealed, and eaves and flashing are taken care of properly.
Lawn Maintenance: Make sure your grass is cut, flower beds groomed, koi ponds are working and that everything looks aesthetically pleasing. Fill up those dog holes and clean up dog poop! If you have chicken coops, rabbit hutches, dog pins etc.. make sure they are cleaned up and smell free! Trees and shrubs should be manicured and not hanging over the home.
Pool Maintenance: Make sure your pool water is clean, pumps are in working condition, liners are taken care of etc… Make sure around your pool looks inviting and manicured as well. Have a list of what items are staying with the pool.
Fire Pit Areas and Outdoor Fireplaces: Make sure your fire pit or outdoor fireplace is cleaned up and looking nice!
Garage Doors: Make sure they are in working condition, be sure paint is not bubbling or peeling and if your grandma hit the garage door back in Christmas of ‘95 that you get that repaired ;)
Crawl Spaces and Access doors: Make sure they are easy to access, cleaned up and well lit, and waterproofed if necessary.
These are some helpful tips to make your home look great, stay in good condition and look desirable for potential buyers!