Does your home have deferred maintenance?   Are you planning to sell your Charlotte home, yet don’t want to invest the extra money to repair items on the home that need attention?  You may want to re-think that plan! 

Bear in mind that most, if not all, buyers will perform a home inspection prior to Closing on the purchase of your home.  When they do, any deferred maintenance will be cited on the inspector’s report.  The inspector will document any and all defects in all the systems of the home including HVAC, plumbing, electrical, kitchen appliances, etc.  If you know of maintenance items which you have deferred and need to be addressed – I strongly recommend these issues be addressed prior to listing your Charlotte home for sale.  Buyers become concerned when they view a property and there are obvious items that need to be addressed; they then wonder what ‘hidden’ items have not been addressed either–and how costly are those items?

Maintenance recommendations:

1. Have the HVAC inspected to ensure it is working properly.
2. Do you have a termite bond on the property?  If so, is it transferrable?
3. Are you having your home routinely inspected for pests (including termites) and annual crawl space/basement moisture levels checked?
4. Are there plumbing issues?  If there are leaks, repair them right away; water damage in a home can ‘get away’ from you and be very costly to repair if permitted to worsen.
5. How old is your roof?  Have you noticed any leaks demonstrated by water stains on the ceilings or wet insulation in the attic?  If so, have it checked out and repaired before listing your Charlotte home for sale!
6. Do you have a pool or a spa?  Is it serviced on a regular basis?  If not, you may want to have a preliminary pool/spa inspection.
7. Do the windows open and close properly?  Are there any broken seals?
8. Are there any issues with your fireplace(s)?  If so, address them now.
9. Is there an outdoor fountain or water feature?  Be sure that it is functioning properly–this is a big ‘plus’ in selling your home–make sure the buyers see it as such.

If you are selling your home, repair the basics. If there are issues with systems and you trying to save money, then think again. Your potential buyer will see these items if they are savvy, and will ask their agent to negotiate on their behalf to cover the costs in the price of the home for the deferred maintenance–and it will be more than it costs YOU to repair.   The items will also come up on the home inspection; the buyer may ask for it to be repaired, or they may just walk away.  Don’t take that chance–be overly prepared; you’ll wind up making more on your home in the long run.