I can’t believe an entire month has gone by since we started our 6-month checklist to move!
By now, we started going through all of our paperwork as our first key step. And we still have a few months of going through all of that to make sure we get to all the different drawers, all of the different sections, all of the different filing cabinets of paperwork by time we get to moving day. But I don't expect you to be done at this point! I certainly am not there in my moving checklist…
Now that we're getting to the 5-month mark to moving day, I wanted to add another key item to our collective to-do lists.
As you look around your house at this point, you're probably starting to notice little things that could use some improvements. Before you list your house for sale or stage your house, one thing that you definitely want to look at is what needs to be fixed.
Check out all the walls in your house first. There are probably areas where someone has dented or scraped a wall while moving furniture or maybe somebody came in with a suitcase and it rubbed against the wall just enough to make marks.
Second, take a look at countertops and floors. Do they need to be professionally cleaned, refinished or completely redone? Although these are some of the easier items for new homeowners to fix on their own, they can also be some of the first items that deter them from thinking the house is worth buying.
Consider your major appliances, including your water heater, air conditioner and any other system that may need to be cleaned or upgraded.
Most importantly though, start to consider anything in your home that might trigger a poor inspection or a safety risk. Is the roof leaking? Do you have faulty wires anywhere? Are your staircase banisters sturdy and in good condition?
What else do you notice that might need to be addressed as important home features to fix to attract the right buyers to your door?
Once you’ve gone through every room in your house, my advice here is to take on the easy things yourself. If you see wall scuffs and you have all your interior paint colors still in the house, you can easily do these repairs on your own. Just shake up your paint cans, remove the lids and use a little paintbrush in the paint that’s left over on the inside of the lid to spruce up the walls.
If you're needing to refinish countertops or floors, you want to make sure that you hire a professional to handle these projects. Same with appliances, electrical, plumbing, roofing, etc. You want the work to be permitted and recorded by someone who has a license in these tasks so you can prove the quality of work in an inspection.
Make your phone calls now. Leave enough time in your plan, in case their books are completely full. If you need to wait for an appointment a couple of months from now, you still want to make sure that you get in before you list the home.
So start taking a look now, making a little list of things that you think you want to do before you get to listing day. If you already have one, this is a great time for you to also talk to your real estate agent. Have them do a walk-through of your house as well, and have them take a look and see if anything needs to be repaired. Between the two of you, there should be at least a few tasks to get started on this month. Good luck!
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