4 Easy Repairs to Do Before Selling Your Atlanta Home

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Do you plan on selling your home soon?  Perhaps you have asked yourself, “What repairs should I do before selling my Atlanta home?” If so, I’ve put together a list of 4 easy things you can do to get your Atlanta home ready to sell.  This is not an exhaustive list, but these are things that I see show up time and time again on inspection reports that can be easily fixed.  I always tell sellers that it is best to fix small items BEFORE listing your home because you never know what a buyer may feel is important and want to ask to get fixed.  Plus, buyers can get really picky about who fixes problems in a house.  For example – I can remember a listing where the buyer asked that a professional plumber fix a bathroom sink stopper.  You know, that little drain plug in the center of the sink.  It’s a fairly simple fix that requires a quick drive to Home Depot to buy a new faucet plug and almost anyone could fix it (or a nice handy friend could do it). My point is, if a plumber has to come out and fix it, most likely the plumber will charge a minimum trip fee (say $100) for an issue that really costs about $20 to fix.

Easy Repairs to Fix on Your Own –

  1. Replace any broken sink/bathtub stoppers – as mentioned in my example above, this is a quick fix and if you can’t figure this out, a handyman would be able to repair it quickly (or a quick youtube video can show you how).
  2. Properly supported hot water expansion tankHot water expansion tank support – Take a look at your hot water heater.  There is an expansion tank that sits on top of it.  If it is laying horizontal, most homeowners don’t realize that this should be supported to prevent fatigue on the joint.  Taking a metal strap (like this that you can find at home depot) or even a fabric strap material will do.
  3. Check your toilets – Inspectors always check to see if the toilets move when you gently try to push them side to side.  Many times it’s a simple tightening of the bolts at the base of the toilet (but just be careful to not screw too tightly or you could break the porcelain).  Click here to watch a quick video of how to tighten a loose toilet —-> View Here
  4. Replace any lightbulbs that are not working – this is probably the easiest fix anyone can do. No explanation needed!

Repairs to Fix with the help of a Handyman –

If you are feeling like being an overachiever, I’ve also listed a few more items you could ensure are fixed.  Sometimes there are repairs that take more time or skill than you may have and it is easier to have a handyman help fix.  If you do seek out a handyman – here are some easy fixes for a handyman to do before selling your Atlanta home:

  1. Decaying woodRe-sand and paint any exterior wood that is decaying.  This is more of a cosmetic thing but it will get written up in reports and some buyers find it more important than others.  A simple sanding and fresh coat of paint will do the trick.
  2. Fix any leaky faucets – you may have that spare bathroom sink that drips the slightest amount of water.  Just fix it.
  3. Have your HVAC system serviced – it’s better to have a qualified HVAC expert look at this to ensure your HVAC system is functioning properly.  I’ve seen parts disconnected that shouldn’t and can cause buyers to freak out when it can be a fairly quick fix by a professional.
  4. Exclude any exterior openings to prevent rodents entering the house.  Any little openings on the outside of the house will get flagged by an inspector. A lot of times, a little wire netting to cover up any gaps will do the trick.  I would definitely walk around the house & in the attic and look for any openings and get them plugged.  If a buyer asks for a pest exclusion, this can cost up to $1,000+ by professional companies whereas if you can do this yourself, it may only be a few hundred bucks paid to a handyman.

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Ready To Sell Your Atlanta Home?

If you are ready to get your home sold, I would be happy to discuss with you the next steps to get your house ready for the market.  Check out my Seller’s Guide HERE for more details.
To get an idea of what your Atlanta home may be worth, simply click this button to receive a FREE and instant quote!
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