DIY-home-inspection... Selling Your Home

Consider a DIY-home-inspection if you've got the desire to sell your home or perhaps a necessity due to a change of job, a growing family or investment needs, it's a good idea to get it in the best shape possible. Whatever the reason, a variety of small repairs and general cleaning tasks will make your house more desirable and therefore easier to sell - at the price you're asking. That's the important part. My wife has been a successful real estate professional for the last 6 years... she states, as do other real estate professionals, that there are two factors that most often determine whether a buyer stops her search for a home at a particular house or walks off to continue house-hunting: a realistic asking price and the cleanliness of the home.

You must understand that the moment a prospective buyer pulls into the drive your home is on display. Take the time, before putting it on the market, to give it a thorough cleaning... inspect your home-inside and out taking care of any minor repairs. It's important to do a DIY-home-inspection to take care of those minor irritants that are comfortably ignored while living in the home because they are very likely to stand out as a detracting factor to a potential buyer. It's not a bad idea to hire a professional home-inspector for about $350-$400 and let them identify problem areas that you can correct prior to putting your home on the market. Most of the items found are easily repaired by the DIY handyman.

Plan Your DIY-Home-Inspection

Basement & Garage Plan- An unfinished basement can be seen as a potential living space so keep it clean and organized. A garage could be seen as a living space as well but more than likely these days a potential home buyer is probably more interested in parking their car there. The main point is that less is more. People like open clean spaces. The less clutter you have in your basement or garage the larger it appears. Go the extra mile in your garage by applying an epoxy garage floor paint. These epoxy products are easy to apply and the results are awesome. If you have a lot of clutter you may want to consider renting a storage unit while you home is on the market to eliminate the clutter. Another good way to organize these spaces is to purchase large plastic bins for your clutter and place them on shelves.

Electrical Repair Can be a little intimidating but there are things you can do yourself. Purchase a polarity checking device and check all your electrical outlets. This device will tell you if the wires are connected correctly to the outlet and if it's properly ground. A faulty outlet, switch or fixture will raise questions about the integrity and safety of your homes electrical system and the cost of fixing the needed repairs. Replacing an outlet or light switch is usually no problem for the homebase-diy but if you're uncomfortable with electrical repairs by all means call a licensed electrician.

Floors and Stairs Squeaky floors are probably the most irritating thing about older homes built on crawlspaces. I know... I have one and short of tearing up the floor and installing a new subfloor using today's best-practices and materials I haven't found much you can do to eliminate the problem. A DIY-Home-Inspection of your crawlspace can give you a good idea if there are structural problems causing the squeaks. Squeaky stairs and wobbly handrails can also foster a false impression about your home's structural soundness so make sure your home has no serious structural problems.

HVAC Since a well-maintained heating and cooling system can translate into lower energy bills. A periodic maintenance plan performed by a licensed and reputable HVAC company can translate into a full price offer for your home.

Kitchen and baths The kitchen is hands down the most important space to conduct a DIY-home-inspection in your home. Today's family's love to gather in the kitchen especially if your home has an open floor plan. Taking this into consideration, the condition of your kitchen and bathrooms will make or break the sale of your home. If you plan to invest money prior to the sale, you can put it to good use updating your kitchen. For the do-it-yourself'er on a budget, consider refacing your cabinets, putting down a laminate wood floor, or a concrete countertop.

Plumbing Repairs If you've got a dripping faucet or running toilet buyers will get the impression that the whole plumbing system is in need of repair. Toilet repair kits are inexpensive and easy for the DIY'er, just head down to your nearest home center and pick up a toilet prepare kit.

Walls and Ceilings Can give your home a great first impression if they are painted in neutral shades, are uncluttered and clean. Go the extra mile and paint the baseboards, chair railings, door and window casings and crown moldings in a bright white to contrast the walls and really make the room pop.