Looking with a buyer’s eye
Real estate pros offer tips for taking care of your house like you’re selling it
Home sellers, take note: Today’s buyers are more educated and savvy than ever before.
As a result, they tend to be more cautious. One small issue that they notice while viewing a for-sale home could raise red flags about potential major problems lurking behind the walls. They may second-guess their interest in the property, asking themselves: How much money and aggravation might this issue cause me down the road?
Ultimately, they may talk themselves out of purchasing the home.
It’s best to take extra special care of your home long before you consider putting it on the market. Here’s how to see your home with a buyer’s eye so you can avoid problems that may scuttle a future sale. can create a whole host of problems, including foundation issues, mold and roof problems. The good news is that these issues can be easily avoided, at little cost, if you are vigilant and proactive. Keep your gutters clean and make sure your downspouts empty away from your foundation. Ensure that the ground around the perimeter of your home slopes away from the foundation. When a home is constructed, the builder will dig out a big hole, pour a foundation and then fill in the empty surrounding space with fill dirt, hopefully with a proper slope away from the foundation. Because that soil is loose, it tends to settle over time, creating a negative slope toward the foundation. Since this happens gradually over years, most homeowners don’t notice the problem until they discover they have a water problem in their basement.