Real Estate: What to do now to avoid costly issues after your home goes under contract

By Richie Vraux

So, you are planning to list your home for sale. There are few things you should be aware of to keep your out-of-pocket expenses to a minimum.  

Your real estate agent should recommend you do a pre- listing inspection before listing your home. The up-front costs can run you $500 to $1,000, but it may be a small cost compared to if the buyers’ inspector finds these deficiencies, at your home. At that time, they will want those issues completed by a licensed contractor. 

We know that will be much more expensive than if you could have fixed it yourself, and you won’t have to scurry around to find the electrician or plumber in the timeframe of the contract, usually 30 to 45 days. I know most sellers will not want to lay out the cost of this inspection in advance, but in the event you can’t get everything completed prior to close, they may ask you to pay those expenses at closing, 

Those costs will be much higher than expected, most likely in the thousands of dollars.

Make sure your inspector is NACHI (National Association of Home Inspectors) certified. A typical home inspection will take two to four hours depending on the gross living space and what a full inspection entails.

He/ she will inspect all the systems, including a water test.  If it is on a well, make sure that the well water meets acceptable drinking water levels. A simple water test should check the radon levels. They should check for radon to make sure the readings are below EPA acceptable air levels; 4.0 pCi/L and also recommends radon concentrations in drinking water do not exceed levels higher than 20,000 pCi/L.

Electrical - Make sure your wiring was installed properly, and your box is adequate for the needs in your home. An inspection will also reveal things like double tapping circuit breakers and or double tapped exposing a possible overload of appliances.

Plumbing - Make sure the pipes are in good order and are not sweating. The heating system is important, You don’t want to find issues with this when it is below zero.  

Heating and AC - Keep on top of your furnace. Get your system evaluated and cleaned yearly to avoid a cold or a hot house. Have your attic inspected. Make sure it is adequately insulated and there is NO mold. If your attic shows signs of mold, check it out immediately. First find out where it is and how it started. It could be a roof leak or another source of moisture. Mold is scary to most people and can actually kill a deal so make sure your home does not show any signs. Windows- Make sure your windows actually keep out the cold and free of unwanted breezes.

 A new septic system can be costly, as much as $15,000, so check it out and make sure it is functioning properly. If it needs to be pumped- do it. If you don’t have a septic design, the town will usually have a design on file, or you can go to the state website and search there. It is always better to know what septic design was designed for rather than not.

After your inspector has completed his inspections, he/she will present you with a full- in depth report of your entire home, with recommendations and pictures showing all your house deficiencies. Read it entirely and take his advice as to the remedies to prepare your home for sale. Again, the deficiencies you address now will save you time, money and a lot of unneeded aggravation.

If you need real estate advice contact Richie Vraux, a Broker/Realtor with Better Homes and Gardens-The Masiello Group, 76 Tandberg Trail, Windham, Maine, 207-317-1297, or by email at richardjvraux@gmail.com