Fixing Up Your Home For Sale

One question many home sellers confront is what repairs, if any, to make before beginning to market and sell a home. Stats indicate that few buyers will seriously consider purchasing a home until it has been inspected to ensure there are no major flaws. Such assurance can protect home buyers from purchasing a substandard home.

Many home sellers have their property inspected before placing it on the market in order to know its status in advance and have time to conduct any repairs that are necessary. If time for repairs is not factored in, home sellers may find themselves forced to lower the price to account for damage instead.

HOME REPAIRS

Failing to plan ahead may force a home seller to push back the marketing timetable while repair work is done, thus slowing the pace of the home selling process. While some may have the time, home sellers who need to move into their new home, or who are dealing with a new job, may find the complications difficult.

We recommend that home sellers who need repair work done should consult multiple contractors to get competing bids, and look for those who guarantee work for buyers and are willing to complete any additional work discovered in the course of repairs at no additional charge. Professionals tend to be thorough in their investigation, allowing them to maintain confidence in their bids and their work.

FINDING A GOOD CONTRACTOR

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the best way to find a good contractor is to ask friends, family and co-workers who have had work done about the expense and quality of work they received. One way to check on a contractor’s work is to ask not only for references, but to see jobs currently in progress.

To ensure the professional has the experience needed, homeowners can ask what projects similar to the one under discussion the contractor has done in the past year. Contacting current and past customers as references can give a clear sense of whether previous clients are happy with the contractor’s work.

Another way to ensure professionalism, the FTC notes, is to ask what permits the work being discussed might require, and to check that the contractor has any licenses or registration required by the state in which the work will be performed.