It’s that time again…. time to get the outside cleaned up from winter, time to spruce up the landscaping, and time to clean gutters and make sure all debris is cleared so that Spring rains can drain properly and avoid water damage. When we are showing houses for sale or on a listing appointment, one of the most common maintenance issues is the lack of preventive care. When there is water in a crawlspace, more often than not, it’s simply due to poor drainage around the exterior of the home but looks to be a bigger problem. And, when you see rotted wood around the roof overhang, it’s usually caused from clogged gutters and downspouts so the rain water cannot flow and ends up running over onto the wood structure.
Houses continue to sell throughout the winter and early spring even when exterior work may be needed. When inspection items occur, it is most common to escrow funds for the work to be completed when weather permits. Realtors and Lenders know this is common so buyers and sellers just have to work through the process and realize that sometimes Mother Nature causes a delay in maintenance. But, as long as funds and labor are available, there should be no issues with proceeding to closing on time.
If you are planning to sell, having a checklist and doing as much maintenance as possible prior to showings, the easier the process will go and chances are, you’ll get higher price during negotiations.
