Minor Home Inspection Issues

Realtor friends:

Here are a few observations on minor home inspection issues we have encountered in our thorough McKinney home inspections that could be beneficial to your clients — both buyers and sellers. Generally these involve minor items that do not rise to the level of a Deficiency or Potential Issue we document in our Inspection Reports; but they can have a significant impact on the appeal and perceived value of the property. Please feel free to share these with your clients. — Mike Martin, TREC-Certified Home Inspector — Advanced Inspection Services.

Landscaping and Home Exterior — These are the first things a prospective buyer sees; and the initial ‘curb appeal’ can make a big difference. We see quite a few homes with weeds in flower beds or dead spots in the lawn. Also some with peeling paint, damaged fences, unappealing trim or door colors. Don’t let these problems spoil a sale or reduce the perceived value. A significant percentage of houses are rejected by prospective buyers before they get out of the car!

Neglected Maintenance — When people are viewing a home, they notice doors or windows that are difficult to open, leaky faucets, worn rugs, dirty HVAC filters or dead light bulbs. These are not dangerous or serious defects; but they give the impression the home has not been well maintained. Buyers are likely to wonder what else has been neglected. The sad thing is — these issues are easy and inexpensive to remedy.

 

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Clutter — We all accumulate things we enjoy in our homes: furniture, family photos, awards, knickknacks and decorations. Not to mention the tools, notepads, magazines and other things we like to keep handy. They don’t seem obtrusive to us; but over the years a lot of clutter can build up.  This can be very distracting to a potential buyer — and make the rooms, storage and counter space seem crowded and less spacious.

None of these issues is difficult or  expensive to fix. An imaginative buyer may be able to overlook them and get a great value. But a smart seller will address these before the house is shown. Ask your Realtor to advise you how to reduce clutter to make your home more appealing and valuable.