As a homeowner, the value of your property is something you should be keeping a very close eye on. Especially if you plan on selling your house in the near future, you don’t want to depreciate your greatest asset. Here are four of the most common and most overlooked things that could be lowering the value of your home, and how you can fix them.
Outdated Kitchen and Bathroom Fixtures
As with anything, home styles go through trends and cycles. If your house is stuck in the past, its market value will be lower than that of a property that has been kept up-to-date. One of the areas where outdated style will be most apparent is in your bathroom and kitchen fixtures, including sinks, counters and cabinets. Check out Pinterest, learn what’s “in” at the moment and upgrade these fixtures to give your home a more modern feel.
Water & Termite Damage
Many houses, particularly older ones, are prone to water leaks. Your water problems could be caused by water not draining away from your house properly. To solve this problem, you can build up a mound of raised dirt around your foundation to channel water away from the house and put extensions on your gutters to get rainwater farther out into your yard.
Catching a termite infestation early on can save you stress and money. A bad infestation can deteriorate your home’s infrastructure dramatically, leading to a big bill when you need to renovate. As a homeowner, you should have your property inspected for termites once a year.
Poor Road Maintenance
Amazingly, even things outside of your property can bring down its value. Being located on a road that is worn out, torn up and in need of repair, for example, can make potential buyers wary of purchasing your home if you ever do put it on the market. Depending on what exactly is wrong with it, the road may just need asphalt or concrete bed repair from a professional, like those at T. Luckey Sons, Inc, or could need to be torn out and replaced altogether.
Unfortunately, this isn’t a problem you can fix on your own. In order to get your road repaired, you’ll need to approach your town or city. One of the most effective ways to be sure your request is taken seriously is to start a petition and have your neighbors sign it. The more names get behind your request, the more likely the city will be to take swift action.
Poor Yard Appearance
If the outside of your property looks bad, you’ll have a very hard time getting a buyer to pay a good price for it. Many homeowners take great care of the interior of their homes while neglecting the exterior. If you have old, worn fencing encircling your property, you should replace it with something more modern as soon as possible. You should also try to improve your outdoor space with some small landscaping projects and planting areas. The better your yard looks, the more a potential buyer will be interested.
For more advice on how to get the best price for your home in your real estate sale, work with a local real estate agent. Reach out and we’ll connect you with a First Team agent in your neighborhood to help you create a game plan for your home sale.
