It’s a good time to look around and see how your property fared through the winter months. Walk around the outside of your house looking high and low for any wind or water damage that you might have sustained during a winter storm. How is your paint holding up? If you need to touch up or do a total paint job, then this would be the time to begin planning so you can get it done before winter sets upon us once again. What projects have you been putting off? It isn’t easy to get things done these days due to the lack of supply inventory and shortage of labor. Have you been wanting a whole house generator for those power outages that characterize some of our winter days? You better start now to track one down for installation by winter. Do you want a solar or natural gas/propane unit? Think of your buyer when you eventually sell (yes, you will sell eventually despite what you think today). What will they be comfortable with? A premium generator professionally installed could give you the separation you need in a competitive selling market. Is it time for that new floor covering? Carpet doesn’t last forever, and you might as well enjoy it while you are in the home rather than putting in new carpet for your buyer to enjoy after you leave. There are some amazing new flooring products out there many of which you can install yourself. If your roof is getting ragged, you might want to contact a roofing company to start making arrangements to have it replaced. They are a long way out in their scheduling, and you will want to have the work done before you need to so as to minimize any leak-resulting damage to your home. Is it time for some new hardware? It is amazing how often we will approach a home for sale that has worn out front door handles and locks. That is the first impression! This is fairly common up into the $900,000 range. Unbelievable. Spend a few dollars and enjoy the hardware while you are in it and when you go to sell, this little investment will yield a return many times over to you. Are your drawer pulls still in good shape? They are another minor investment that could make a difference for you. Did the kids or pets leave their calling on the blinds a few years back? All of these things are items that you get used to seeing and really don’t see any more. Look around with a fresh eye for the itty-bitty things that will freshen your life and enhance your investment. If you are happy hand watering your landscaping, it might be the time to install an irrigation system. There are many new simple systems these days that will relieve you of the burden, and, more importantly, your potential buyer of the burden of irrigating by hand. Sure, you get some enjoyment from it and can continue to hand water the roses but make the investment to save yourself time and earn yourself money in the long run. Many people refinanced their home over the past two years due to the exceptionally low interest rates. If you are one of those, what have you done with the equity money that you pulled out, or with the monthly savings from your reduced rate? If you put it back in your property you will be enhancing the value for resale and/or your enjoyment of the property. Don’t let your home deteriorate. It is unlikely that our market will be forever like it was during the COVID years and when you get on the market in a competitive situation you will need to be in good condition to compete. It is common to overlook tired out of date broken things in your home over the years. You just get used to them. We all do it. Get a fresh breath on life and invest in your environment. You will enjoy it every day. There aren’t many investments about which you can say that you get a return on a daily basis. How about the irritating sound of a breaking disposal, squeaky garage doors, dirty windows, those things from 2008 in the back of the fridge, the broken boards in the fence, etc.? It’s time for that dream project while we see where things are going. When it comes to choosing professionals to assist you with your Real Estate needs… Experience is Priceless! Jim Valentine, RE/MAX Realty Affiliates, BS.3481, 775-781-3704. dpwtigers@hotmail.com.
