8 Home Maintenace Tips That May Help You Protect Your Property Values

With all of the turbulence in the real estate market, many of us may feel slightly out of control when it comes to the value of our homes.  And while there are some things that are out of your control (the foreclosure down the road, anyone?), there are a few things that you can do to influence your home’s value.

1.  Schedule a Home Inspection every few years.  Having an experienced professional Home Inspector take a look at your home every couple of years can be very valuable because it will help you stay on top of any repairs that need to be made, especially ones that may not be obvious.  CLICK HERE to learn more.

2.  Keep your home under termite bond.  Termites are gross, they are destructive, and therefore, they are expensive.  Need I say more?  The South is particularly at risk for termite infestation given our warm humid climate, so shop around and find someone who can help you protect your home from these pests!  Personally, I think our Bayshore neighbor, Casey Bennett (with Value Pest) is the best around!

3.  Give your home a fresh coat of paint, and don’t forget the ceilings.  Keeping the walls AND ceilings of your home looking clean and fresh will go a long way towards maintaining your home’s value.

4.  Add crown molding.  Crown molding really can help your home appear a little bit more “finished.”  With new lightweight composite products, this can end up being a pretty easy project.

5.  DECLUTTER. DECLUTTER. DECLUTTER.  I don’t think it can be said often enough that staying on top of the clutter is a great way to protect your property values.  Afterall, if you do decide to sell your house, you don’t want it looking like an episode of Hoarders when the appraiser comes out.

6. Deep clean.  It goes without saying that most people would prefer to buy a clean house.  And since property values are based on what someone would actually pay for your house, keeping it clean is a good idea.  There are great professional cleaning companies who can help, but recruiting your teenager isn’t a bad idea either.

7.  Replace outdated light fixtures and plate covers.  This is a really simple project than can improve the overall feel of your home for a potential buyer.  This can be done by making a trip to your nearest home improvement store for brand new fixtures or by simply spray painting old fixtures to give them an updated look.  Some ideas include using an oil rubbed bronze or brushed nickel finish spray paint to cover old 80’s brass.  Google some home improvement blogs to give you more ideas.

8.  Improve curb appeal.  This one is easy and fun!  Sweep off your front stoop, knock down the cobwebs, put out a fresh welcome mat and some flowers and you are good to go.

If you are thinking of listing your home then, of course, we just covered some great tips, but you can also  CLICK HERE to read more about how to prepare your home for sale.