Consumers should remember that maintenance costs need to be considered when purchasing a home. All homes require constant care. General estimates indicate that every home will require between 1 percent and 3 percent of the home’s value in annual maintenance costs, and this figure does not necessarily include major or emergency repairs.
Prevention Saves Time and Money
The ongoing maintenance of a home is a significant contributor to holding or increasing its value. According to Kathleen Kuhn, president and CEO of HouseMaster, “Homeowners should plan a solid preventive maintenance schedule, so problems can be fixed before they become more costly and damaging. Quite often when we inspect homes, many of the damages we find would have been preventable with some routine monitoring and smaller repairs. But left unchecked, minor concerns grew into more significant defects.â€
There are many other benefits for current and potential homeowners when they incorporate preventive maintenance into their annual planning. Preventive maintenance:
- Avoids expensive emergency repairs: Contractor fees rise in proportion to the urgency and the hour of the service call.
- Saves money and aggravation: Repairs planned for completion during off-peak times are less expensive and stressful.
- Minimizes homeowner insurance premiums: Correcting deficiencies before they represent an insurance claim will keep premiums reasonable.
- Eliminates costly consequential damage: When major home components, like a roof, fail, the damage to home interiors and furnishings can be substantial.
- Homes in good condition sell at higher prices than neglected counterparts.
Create a Maintenance Checklist
Every house is different, but there are some common elements every homeowner can include on a regular maintenance list:
- Check the grading and drainage around the foundation
- Seal driveway and walkway cracks
- Check fencing and gates
- Check and trim trees near the house
- Check for deteriorating/damaged siding
- Check for loose, damaged, or missing roofing and flashings
- Clean all gutters and leaders
- Check weather-stripping and seals on all windows and doors
- Insulate water lines that are subject to freezing
- Check condition of the water heater
- Check ventilation openings for nests, blockage
While this list is not comprehensive, it’s a good start to identifying some potential trouble spots in any home.
Do Your Own Research
In order to personalize your home maintenance checklist, it’s important to learn as much about your particular home’s operations. Many Web sites and newsletters contain valuable information and tips, and housemaster.com® contains a wide array of resources for homeowners, homebuyers, and home sellers such as a Home Defect Survey, A Preventive Maintenance Checklist, Common Home Concerns Overview, and Home Inspector selection guidelines.
Even if you are not comfortable making repairs on your own, simply learning more about spotting potential problems can help reduce the extent and cost of contractor repairs. Kuhn adds, “More and more homeowners are calling us to inspect the homes they currently own to help them identify potential problems and develop a plan of action for home maintenance. A home is a major investment. We tend to monitor our financial and investment portfolios quite closely, and it’s equally important to monitor the status of our homes.â€
Remember, these tips are only general guidelines. Since each situation is different, contact a professional if you have questions about a specific issue. More home safety and maintenance information is available online at housemaster.com.
This information is provided with permission for general guidance purposes only and as a courtesy of housemaster.com. Neither HMA Franchise Systems, Inc. nor the local HouseMaster® franchise warrants its accuracy and assumes no liability related to its use. Contact the local franchise office and/or qualified specialists for advice pertinent to your specific house or circumstances.
© Copyright 2008 HMA. Each HouseMaster franchise is an independently owned and operated business. HouseMaster is a registered trademark of HMA Franchise Systems, Inc.
Filed under Buy Your Dream House, Home Buyers, Home Inspections, Home Repairs by 
With so many tools, resources, and companies available to help you sell your Rock Hill or Fort Mill home by yourself, many people wonder whether or not it’s worth it to higher an agent. They ask themselves, “Why would I want to pay someone up to 6% to do something I could do myself?”
While it can certainly be tempting to view the sale of your home this way, there are often many things you don’t consider that a competent real estate agent can help you understand and navigate. In fact, if the purchase or sale of your home is the biggest financial transaction you’ll ever make, do you really want to go it alone?
Here are 7 reasons why you might want to strongly consider working with a licensed real estate agent:
1. Market Knowledge
First off, a competent real estate professional will have the necessary knowledge to help you decide on a listing price that will generate a quick sale, they can help you decide what improvements to your home will help it sell faster, and they can give you insight into other homes that have sold in your area so you can be sure you’re home stands out from the competition.
2. Negotiating with Home Buyers or Sellers
Top real estate agents can really pay off for you when it comes time to negotiate with either a home buyer or seller because they’re able to remove themselves emotionally from the transaction. Often times, when someone tries to either buy or sell a home for themself, they get caught up in the emotion of the transaction. By having a professional involved on your behalf, you have a third party working on your behalf.
3. Serves as a Buffer
If you’ve ever bought or sold a home before then you know how stressful the process can be. A good buyer’s agent will take the time to understand your likes, dislikes, wants, and needs so that when the time comes to start looking at properties you don’t waste any time looking at homes you’re not interested in.
The same holds true with a good sellers agent. In this case, they’ll serve as your shield from all the tire-kickers and nosey-neighbors that just want to poke around. They should make sure that your home is being seen by serious, truly-interested buyers looking to purchase your home.
4. Handles Volumes of Paperwork
Unfortunately, we live in a society where lawyers are an extremely well fed bunch. The number of lawsuits continues to rise with no end in sight and as a result, in most legal transactions every precaution is taken to ensure both sides are protected. Well, as you can imagine, this produces a mountain of paperwork that must be dealt with.
Now, if you make the decision to NOT work with a real estate agent, you’re opening up yourself to the volumes of paperwork that will be produced in order to ensure the purchase or sale of your home goes smoothly. However, with a real estate agent on your side, it’s their job to wade through these volumes and make sure all the t’s are crossed and the i’s dotted in your favor.
5. Answers Questions After Closing
Even after all the signatures have been scrawled and the keys exchanged, questions might arise days, weeks, or even months after the closing. With a competent real estate professional on your side, instead of you having to dig up the answers, one quick call to your agent and things should be resolved. As any good real estate agent will tell you, even though the sale is complete, that doesn’t mean the work is done.
So, as you weigh the options of whether to navigate the oft-times turbulent waters of real estate alone or involve a professional, just keep in mind all the hassles and headaches involved in the process. If you’ve got a big bottle of aspirin and don’t mind the endless hassles, go for it.
Otherwise, save yourself the trouble and let a real estate professional help you buy or sell your next Rock Hill, Fort Mill, or Tega Cay, SC home!
Filed under Buy Your Dream House, Carolina Real Estate, Hiring An Agent, Home Buyers, Home Sellers, Sell Your Home by
Many news reports point to the sub prime lending mess as the cause for the housing slump. But home sellers should know that plenty of people with good credit are simply cautious buyers, which can keep sales down. In most areas it’s a buyer’s market, so people can be picky. “Most buyers in this market will try to re-negotiate based on the findings of their home inspection. If the seller is unwilling to make repairs or lower the price, they may walk away because they knew other properties are available,†says Kathleen Kuhn, president and CEO of HouseMaster.
With approximately two million home inspections collectively performed by its franchise offices, HouseMaster is aware of a number of conditions that are more likely to scare buyers away.
But sellers do not have to stand by with their fingers crossed to secure a fair sale.
“More and more home sellers are getting a pre-listing home inspection that helps identify potential deal-breaking issues before the house is listed on the market,†Kuhn says. “This way, sellers can fix problems and worry less about a buyer walking away late in the deal process.â€
According to Kuhn, the following are “The Fearsome Four” when it comes to real estate deals:
- Roofing Concerns: A new homeowner does not want the expense of roof replacement shortly after closing. Many sellers believe that if their roof is not presently leaking it is in acceptable condition. But an astute buyer knows that a worn roof needs to be replaced before it leaks.
- Electrical Problems: Older panels are often undersized and might even pose a fire hazard. Although an upgrade is usually straightforward, the potential fire risk can be scary for prospective buyers.
- Structural Issues: Major structural issues are one of the least common defects found in homes, but when they do occur, they can be costly to repair, and can really stop a buyer in his tracks. Fortunately, there are often repair options that will make the sales process go smoother. But it will often require another inspection by a structural engineer or repair professional, and additional time, to determine what can be done.
- Synthetic Stucco or Exterior Insulation Finish Systems (EIFS): Overall EIFS can be effective, economical alternatives to traditional stucco. Unfortunately improper installation can lead to trapped moisture behind the siding. This can cause structural damage and mold, and can cost tens of thousands of dollars to correct.
“Sellers lose some advantage when they are caught off guard by issues, even minor ones. In a market where every edge counts, sellers can use tools like pre-listing home inspections and repair records to show that they are conscientious and have taken appropriate steps to sell responsibly and competitively,” Kuhn says.
Remember, these tips are only general guidelines. Since each situation is different, contact a professional if you have questions about a specific issue. More home safety and maintenance information is available online at www.HouseMaster.com.
This information is provided for general guidance purposes only. Neither Sharon Salisbury, HMA Franchise Systems, Inc., nor the local HouseMaster® franchise warrants its accuracy and assumes no liability related to its use. Contact the local HouseMaster franchise office and/or qualified specialists for advice pertinent to your specific house or circumstances.
Sharon Salisbury is NOT associated with HouseMaster and this information is provided with permission as a general resource for home buyers and sellers in the Rock Hill, Fort Mill, and Tega Cay SC area.
Filed under Buy Your Dream House, Carolina Real Estate, Home Buyers, Home Inspections, Home Repairs, Home Sellers by
This Property Has Been Sold!
If you’re looking for a beautiful, move-in ready 3 bedroom, 2 bath home in a quiet Rock Hill, SC neighborhood, I have just the home!
This meticulously maintained 2,220 square foot ranch home is nestled in the quiet neighborhood of Tyson’s Forest. It boasts gorgeous hardwood floors, a large open kitchen, and a large deck with screened in porch.
The Tyson’s Forest neighborhood is a restricted deed neighborhood with a very active Home Owners Association, swimming pool, and tennis court.
436 Tyson’s Forest Drive
Large, Open kitchen with hardwood floors
Large, Open Living Room with Custom, Conveyable Shelves
Tyson’s Forest Swim and Raquet Club
More details about 436 Tysons Forest Drive:
- Exceptional, move-in ready home
- 3 bedroom/2 bath
- Great room with open floor plan
- Large kitchen with island
- Masonry fireplace
- Master bath with double vanity
- Large walk-in master closet
- Large, screened in porch
- Beautiful hardwood floors through out
- Wooded, private back yard
- Large deck with gas connection for gas grill
- Neighborhood pool, tennis, and club house
- Crown molding throughout
- Quiet street, quiet neighborhood
- Laundry/mud room with large wash tub
- Home Warranty
For a walkthrough of this beautiful 3BR 2BA home in Rock Hill, SC contact Sharon today!
Filed under Announcements, Buy Your Dream House, Carolina Real Estate, My Listings, Rock Hill SC by
Anytime you purchase a new house, it’s important to perform your own inspections before signing on the dotted line. By carefully checking the main systems of any house, you can save yourself countless hours and headaches down the road.
Here’s are some great tips about how to check the plumbing of any home before you buy it:
* Find where the water meter is and determine if the shut off valve is working. If the water comes from a well the shut off valve should be inside the house.
* Check the size of the water pipes in and around the house. In order to have adequate water pressure when there are a few water lines open in the house there should be a three quarter of an inch to 1-inch line directly from the main water source. Inside the house the diameter of the pipes is generally a half-inch in diameter.
* Determine if the plumbing has any lead pipes. Typically homes that were constructed before 1986 tend to have plumbing that is lead or galvanized. This is not always the case though as newer homes can have a lead pipe leading to the water meter.
* Be sure the plumbing has protection for freezing weather. The protection can be things such as wrapped pipes and vents, which will close off in the winter when the weather gets extremely cold. If the home uses well water the well should be protected from freezing weather as well.
* Inspect the hot water heater. You should check the water heater’s capacity, location, and how old it is. Some areas in the home can have high levels of mineral deposits that are in the water that can settle at the bottom of the water heater. When these deposits build up in the water heater tank there will be less room for hot water. If you check the water heater and there is a large build up of deposits you may want to ask for a new water heater.
* Find out what type of sewer system the house uses. If the house uses a septic tank find out where it is located, the capacity of the tank, and where the lateral lines are located.* Check all the faucets around the house and make sure they do not drip. This
can seem like a minor thing but a dripping faucet can end up costing you a lot of money on the long run.
* Go to all the bathrooms and flush all the toilets. Make sure they empty and fill correctly.Source: www.handyhouseholdhints.com
So, take the time to check all these things BEFORE you buy and you’ll thank yourself after you’re enjoying your new home!
