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Plumbing and Kitchen Seller Issues

By
Real Estate Agent with Avar Realty, LLC

Plumbing and Fixtures

 

There are several good reasons to make sure all of your plumbing and fixtures look  good and are in good working order before putting your home up for sale. When potential buyers come to look at your home, they are likely to turn on faucets and flush toilets "just to see". This is no time to make a bad impression with grungy old fixtures, leaks or stained sinks. Before showing your home you should make sure that all faucets and knobs are clean and shiny. If needed, consider buying new ones.   They don't need to be expensive. An inexpensive but shiny and obviously brand new fixture will make a far better impression than an expensive but old and stained one. Another good reason to look after these items before putting your home up for sale is the likelihood of a home inspection prior to closing. Most savvy buyers will insist on allowing an independent contractor to perform a home inspection before  closing. The inspector will be checking for leaks, pressure and making sure any appliances included with the home are in good working order. If the inspector finds any problems in these areas, it could easily cause a delay in closing.

The Kitchen

Many experts recommend that you focus on the kitchen first when preparing your home for sale. For many potential buyers, the kitchen is the most important room in the house. Since the kitchen has the power to make or break an offer, you should do everything you can to enhance it before showing your home to buyers. Most experts agree that next to painting, improvements in the kitchen are the most profitable.

Remember though, money you spend here is a cost of selling; you don't want to do a full remodel, but rather take some affordable steps to show what you have in the best possible light. Start by creating space. You want the kitchen to look large, light and roomy. Clear the counters of all clutter. Take everything you can out of drawers and cabinets and move it to storage. You can almost count on buyers opening your drawers and cabinets when they come to see your home. What you want them to see is space, and plenty of it, not your old pots and pans. Consider paint. Paint is always the most profitable improvement. A fresh coat of light, neutral color paint on your kitchen walls will make them look spotless and new. Exactly the look you want.

Pay particular attention to the sink. It should be absolutely free of stains and of course there should be no leaks or drips! If your faucet looks old and dated, consider replacing it with a new one. It will go a long way towards improving the look of the whole kitchen for very little money.

Counter tops. If your counter tops are looking old and tired, you should consider new ones. Remember to stick with neutral colors though. Freshen up the cabinets. Replacing the cabinets is expensive and probably doesn't make sense. But you can paint them, or put new, modern looking pulls on them for very little money and give them a fresh look.

In short, buyers will be quick to notice any shortcomings in your kitchen. So you want to do everything you reasonably can to freshen up your kitchen and give it a new, open and large look.

 

Avar Realty is the premier flat fee discount brokerage in North Alabama. 

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