Deferred Maintenance is One of the Top Threats to Your Home

Other than the threat of damage from mother nature, fire and inadequate or no home owners insurance, deferred maintenance is the nextbiggest threat to your asset. A classic example is a home I sold recently. The buyer was onsite every day while the home was being built, which is every builders nightmare. So let's just say this was a really solid house.  Solid as a rock. The home was built in 1988 and had the original kitchen and bathrooms. It had a gourmet kitchen with a Jennaire cook top and grill on its island, double ovens and a trash compactor. Similar homes in the neighborhood that had the kitchen and bathrooms renovated that were in immaculate condition sold for $230,000 - $250,000 in the past six months. My listing sold for $184,500. Even worse, the appraisal came in at $176,500. Any way  you do the math, the home owners who kept their homes in top notch condition recouped the most in the sale regardless of the market.

What are the other added benefits? You come home to inviting rooms after a long day and say "ah!" You wake up in the morning with that cup of coffee and it's comfort and beauty sets the tone for the day. You can entertain clients, family and friends with pride. The holiday pictures paint a beautiful shot of your living environment. The holidays are just around the corner, by the way.

So what I am saying here is you can't give away dirt or neglect, must less sell it. If you want to have some of the people in the trades I work with give you an estimate to make something beautiful or just make it work, please don't hesitate to contact me. For example, my electrician put the pool pump on a timer and that saved me hundreds of dollars on my power bill each Summer. My HVAC guy comes out twice a year and makes sure my equipment is maintained so that I get the most out of its efficiency and life of the equipment. My General Contractor is also an Interior Designer so she helps me with colors and paint. I call her my "buy one get one free girl." My window treatment girl has helped me with all of my windows to control light and keep my utility bill even lower in the Summer. My Pest Control guy keeps the spiders and bugs from in and around my home. Our home is our castle. Our point of refuge and recovery from the world. It should be a sacred place and say a lot about who we are. As I look around my breakfast
table at the piles of work around my laptop, I know I have a ways to go to be
there. Reminds me that I need an assistant. Oh, and I can't forget my cleaning
crew at Spotless Creations. Those girls save my life!

Call my 24 hour hotline long before you think about selling and I will put you in good hands. I will also send you a copy of my free report "The Top Ten Things You Can do to Make Your Home Sell for Top Dollar."  Call 800-277-4010 extension 1003 for a  recorded message. When you get ready to sell, you will not have to sell it at a "fire sale" price. Until next time, here is to your health, your family's health and the health of your home. Happy trails to you!