What should I fix before listing my home in Fargo Moorhead?

Preparation is key when thinking about listing your home. One of the first places to start is what items can you fix or repair prior to listing. This can create a smoother process with less issues during the home inspection. Every region has it’s own unique issues that stem from things like weather, building process & materials, and soil type. When thinking about listing it helps to partner with an realtor that has experience in home inspection and construction. Long before listing I work with you as the seller to compelte a pre-list walkthrough and repair gameplan customized to your home. Here are a few common items or places I recommend inspecting to determine if they are in need of fixing:

Grading Around the Home

In the Fargo Moorhead area grading is a very common issue during the home inspection process. We tend to see a lot of negative gradind, which is where the soil slopes towards the home. This can lead to excess moisture from rain and snow to flow towards the foundation and potentially cause water issues in your basement. This also increases the hydrostaic pressure on your foundation. Water management is super important for the overall longevity and health of your foundation. With grading try to focus on the first 4-10 feet and if possible have a 1/4 per foot slope away from the home. One important note is to make sure when improving yoru grading you keep any soil, mulch, or other material at least 2 inches from the bottom of the siding as this can create other issues.

Loose Toilets

Another common item we find in homes is loose toilets. To check if your toilet is loose simply take your leg and press against the bowl. If the toilet wobbles or slides its probably to loose. Anytime there is a loose toilet I always recommend getting it reset with a new wax ring. This is a pretty easy DIY project or you can find a local Fargo Moorhead plumbing company to do this. While in some instances just tightening the bolts makes sense, resetting the toilet helps to ensure the wax ring doesnt have a groove or chunk missing due to the movement of the toilet. This can lead to an undetected leak or other water damage.

Electrical Items

Another easy fix is minor electrical issues. Most of the basics can be completed by you the homeowner. Specifically go around and check for a loose outlet or switch. In most cases it’s as easy as tightening the screws once the cover plate is removed. If the outlet or switch gets pulled to far into the wall when tightening the screws so the cover plate won’t go back on a spacer is needed. There are small plastic spacers that go aroudn the screws and help keep the outlet far enough out to get the cover plate on and still tighten the outlet. Another easy fix with electrical is replacing or installing cover plates for those that are damaged or missing. These are very inexpensive repairs that elimintate one more point of friction in the home selling process.

Cosmetic Touch Ups

Lastly, I’d recommend looking around for any cosmetic touch ups that may be needed. Homes are meant to be lived in and dings and scratches happen. Take an hour and walk aournd the house with a little paint or a rag to clean and fix those spots. These minor details help eleviate a potential buyer from having a poor first impression.

These are only a couple fixes that are commonly seen in homes we look at. If you’re wanting to get a more in depth repair gameplan reach out to scheudle a free no obligation Pre-listing walkthrough. I love helping to educate clients on how to best position themselves for the market.

Best Regards,

Eric Miller

Properylink Realty Group brokered by Real

701.400.7854

eric@buyfargohomes.com