5 Essential Maintenance Tasks You Need to Handle Before You Sell Your Home in Ellicott City

If you’re selling your home in Ellicott City – or if you’re only in the planning stages – these are the five essential maintenance tasks to tackle first.

When you’re thinking about selling your home, these are the five major maintenance tasks you should handle before you get in touch with a real estate agent:

Lawn and landscaping
Gutters
Roof inspection
Heating and cooling
Windows

Here’s a closer look at each.

Maintenance Task #1 to Sell Your Home in Ellicott City: Lawn and Landscaping

Buyers will form an impression of your home before they even set foot through your front door. In fact, they’ll be thinking about whether your home looks appealing while they’re still on the street in front of your property. That means you need to take serious steps to make sure your curb appeal is on point. Cut the grass, trim the bushes, edge around sidewalks and other pathways, invest in new house numbers if necessary, and clean the windows until they’re sparkling. If buyers form a favorable first impression of your home from the outside, they’ll carry it with them inside.
Related: The ultimate guide to setting a price for your home

Maintenance Task #2 to Sell Your Home in Ellicott City: Gutters

You should clean your gutters before you list your home. There are two reasons for this: first, having clean gutters helps head off potential problems that can turn up during a home inspection. Second, cleaning the gutters gives you a chance to check for current issues that may be affecting your home (and that could affect a buyer’s decision).

Maintenance Task #3 to Sell Your Home in Ellicott City: Roof Inspection

There are a lot of reputable roofing companies that offer free annual roof inspections, so you should take care of one or more of them before you list your home for sale. Just like cleaning your gutters, having a free roof inspection gives you a heads up about prospective issues so you have a chance to repair them before you put your home on the market.
Related: 5 mistakes most first-time sellers make

Maintenance Task #4 to Sell Your Home in Ellicott City: Heating and Cooling

Have your heating and cooling system inspected by a professional before you talk to a real estate agent. That way, if you need to make repairs or replacements, you can handle them now rather than later. This is especially important if you know that your HVAC system needs maintenance or service; eventually, after a buyer makes an offer, they’ll bring in a home inspector who will check out the system, and if any issues pop up, the buyer will ask you to fix them anyway.
Related: 5 great adventures to take next weekend in Baltimore

Maintenance Task #5 to Sell Your Home in Ellicott City: Windows

Buyers love to see sparkling, clean windows, so while you’re scrubbing away, make sure your windows are in good repair and that the sealant is in good shape. Again, this is an issue that many buyers will ask you to fix anyway, so by handling it now, you’re getting a head start and avoiding future troubles.

Are You Buying or Selling a Home in Ellicott City or a Nearby Community?

If you’re ready to buy or sell a home in Baltimore County or Howard County, we can help. Check out these listings:

If you’re thinking about selling your home, we can help you sell it quickly – and at the best possible price. You can:

If you have specific questions, fill out the form below or call us at 443-955-1227 – we’re here to help you with any aspect of your real estate transaction.[wpforms id=”220617″]