“The most difficult thing is the decision to act; the rest is merely tenacity.”
- Amelia Earhart
The decision to sell your home is an act of faith. You are taking a step towards an unknown future: “Will my house sell for the price I need?”, “Will a buyer discover unknown problems that will impede the sale?, “Where will I live in the future?”, “Will I like it?”, “Will this be good for my family?”, “What about my job?”
All of the doubts about the future act to impede your progress. Before you begin the journey, you must be committed. A halfway effort will not have a happy ending.
As you start, begin training yourself to not just look but to see. See the reality of where you’re currently living. Don’t allow yourself to pass over this or that “minor problem.”
The purpose of this blog is to get your home ready to sell, and to get you ready to sell your home. You'll know what you need to do and how to go about doing it, so you can make the most money at the least cost both financially and emotionally.
Throughout the blog I will share my observations from literally 100’s of home inspections; prospective buyers’ comments and observations when visiting a home; the results of numerous conversations helping sellers and buyers work out home inspection and HOA violation issues.
Finally, I will put into perspective the issues I have found most difficult and expensive for sellers to address. I have tried to do this in a logical order of how a prospective seller might address problems. The potentially expensive items I have put first in the blog so the seller has the most time to work the issues, contact contractors, and get the job done. The early posts are not the things that can be left to hope the home inspector will miss.
So let's go...
Earle Whitmore
Not every chimney is brick and not every fireplace is wood burning. Chimneys constructed of framing and siding are not maintenance or problem free. Annual inspections are necessary to check for deteriorated or missing siding, problems with the metal crown or leaks where the roof and chimney meet...
Start with the outside of your house. Really look at it. Does it need painting, dry rot repaired, roof replaced, gutters cleaned and tightened up, driveway resurfaced, walk way redone, sagging porch corrected...
Ensuring that your chimney is in good condition is essential for the safety of your home. When you sell your home, you should anticipate a home inspector will check the chimney...
Your roof is one of the most important parts of your home, providing protection from the elements and adding curb appeal. A well-maintained roof should last for decades, but it needs regular care to stay in top condition...
Water, water, water….you want it all away from your house. All the water that lands on the leak proof roof is going to end up in a downspout and in your basement if you are not careful. Home inspectors tell me that 90% of the water problems people have in their basements is caused by surface water...
(Aka, want the best sales price in the shortest time?
See what Earle says.)
Direct: 703-750-2900
Text: 703-282-2816
earle@earlehomes.com
Earle Whitmore
Long & Foster Real Estate®
3060 Williams Dr, Suite 101
Fairfax, VA 22031
