Your spiff-up-home-for-sale checklist is almost complete. You have your paint; you’ve cleaned up the yard; you replaced the carpet; and you (finally) updated that hideous pink tile in your guest bathroom. Your home now looks suitable for sale.
Don’t get too excited; there’s another checklist. The major, internal repairs and updates that will increase your home’s health and value. In this article, we’re going to discuss three of the most important repairs that are also the best investment for a return.
Ensuring that your roof is in good repair, or that your plumbing and wiring are up to date, will reassure potential homebuyers that they’re buying a safe home with few needed repairs.
Maintain or Replace the Roof
Every homebuyer wants to know that he or she will be “under a good roof.” He wants to know that his family will be safe in his new home. A broken, leaking roof is not reassuring.
Windstorms and hail can damage your roof, and aging shingles leave your roof vulnerable to leaks. Roof leaks can severely damage the structure of your home by soaking and decaying beams and walls. It’s bad news for your insulation, and the moisture will also welcome in hazardous mold.
A bad roof means a series of repairs that no new homebuyer is going to want to tackle.
Old House Means Old Pipes
Old homes mean old, rusting pipes. Pipes have a life limit. Depending on the material, pipes can last several decades (80 to 100 years), but pipes used for drain lines (PVC) only have a lifetime of 25 years. Even if you’re not living in an old home, if you see the following signs, you may need to find a capable plumber soon.
1) Corrosion on exposed pipes—such as flaking, and discoloration.
2) Low water pressure may mean there is a leak somewhere in your piping system.
3) Rust in your water—particularly after not being used for a long period.
Update or Replace Wiring
Faulty wiring has been the culprit to numerous house fires and other disasters. But who knows if the wires behind your walls are up to code? So how do you know if you need to replace your wiring? A few signs include flickering lights, blown fuses, and outlets warm to the touch. Wiring insulation ages and decays. If your house is over 40 years old, or if the utility box, outlets, and switches look old, they probably need replacing, or at least inspected.
Jami Castleton is a freelance writer that loves writing about homes and home repairs. She writes articles for companies that offer roof repairs and garage door repairs in Albuquerque.
Leave A Comment