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
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