S. Leanne Paynter ☼ Broward County, FL
United Realty Group, Inc. - Davie, FL
Davie, Plantation, Cooper City & Weston Specialist

This is one of those things that buyers definitely notice.  I've seen a few homes that had some really moldy-looking caulking.  Ugh!

Aug 20, 2015 03:45 AM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Nina this is a good suggestion and it really isn't very difficult to do.

Aug 20, 2015 03:45 AM
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

George Souto ~ and yet, George, one of the things I see in house after house and one of the most frequently written up items in inspection reports is decayed grout and caulking!

Aug 20, 2015 04:14 AM
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

S. Leanne Paynter ☼ Broward County, FL  "ain't that the truth," Leanne. It's one of the easiest maintenance items in a home and yet also one of the most ignored. And you're so right.... buyers really notice.

Aug 20, 2015 04:15 AM
Troy Erickson AZ Realtor (602) 295-6807
Good Company Real Estate - Chandler, AZ
Your Chandler, Ahwatukee, and East Valley Realtor

Nina - This is a great article regarding caulking and grouting, and how home owners should make sure they update these things when necessary. Like the article says, ignoring these things can lead to mold, mildew, or worse.

Aug 20, 2015 05:03 AM
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Troy Erickson ~ I show (and sell) homes all the time with ugly, moldy caulking. Personally, I find it disgusting and I don't understand how people live like that.

Aug 20, 2015 05:08 AM
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Nina,

Wonderful tip. we just did that last year.  It drives me crazy to see cracked grout. LOL A

Aug 20, 2015 07:18 AM
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Ron and Alexandra Seigel ~ cracked is bad enough, but when the caulking is black it's like having dirt under your fngernails!

Aug 20, 2015 07:45 AM
Patricia Feager, MBA, CRS, GRI,MRP
DFW FINE PROPERTIES - Flower Mound, TX
Selling Homes Changing Lives

Thanks - the timing is perfect! I needed to read this.

You're a great friend to everyone on AR for sharing this information. It's simple and easy to read and doesn't sound as complicated as I thought!

Aug 20, 2015 07:38 PM
Carol Williams
Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA
Retired Agent / Broker / Property Manager

Nina Hollander , I am a big proponent of sealing grout on an annual basis, or more often if heavy use.  I found the best (and healthiest) way to clean my grout is a hand held steam cleaner.   I can't stand dirty grout!   Thanks for the post.

Aug 20, 2015 08:29 PM
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Carol Williams ~ hi Carol, I can't stand dirty grout either, especially as it's typically found in the rooms that should be clean and pristine--bathrooms and kitchens.

Aug 20, 2015 09:42 PM
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Patricia Feager, MBA, GRI, Cert Negotiations Expert, Military Relo Prof   Good morning, Patricia.  Michael Thornton also posted yesterday on a 25 cent fix. There's lots of home maintenance that is easy and inexpensive to do and it's a mystery why people neglect these items.

Aug 20, 2015 09:43 PM
Roy Kelley
Realty Group Referrals - Gaithersburg, MD

This is good information for home owners. All of us are faced with maintenance chores.

Aug 21, 2015 03:38 AM
Kathy Streib
Room Service Home Staging - Delray Beach, FL
Home Stager - Palm Beach County,FL -561-914-6224

Nina- what a great article to share.  It truly is easier to keep up the grout work as it is needed. 

Aug 21, 2015 03:51 AM
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Roy Kelley ~ I'm still always amazed at how much homeowners neglect the most basic of maintenance and then get stuck with a big job when they want to sell their homes.

Aug 21, 2015 05:45 AM
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Kathy Streib ~ hi Kathy.... I think lots of things in life are easier to tackle if one doesn't wait till they've become a big problem before doing so.

Aug 21, 2015 05:45 AM
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Los Angeles Pasadena 818.516.4393

Hi Nina -- I had this done this year -- simple maintenance can easily get out of hand if not addressed on a regular basis.  

Aug 21, 2015 06:17 AM
Larry Johnston
Broker, Friends & Neighbors Real Estate and Elkhart County Subdivisions, LLC - Elkhart, IN
Broker,Friends & Neighbors Real Estate, Elkhart,IN

Hi Nina Hollander ,  Great information for the sellers to know before putting their home on the market.

Aug 21, 2015 08:39 AM
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Larry Johnston ~ good morning, Larry. You're right. But my question always is why do sellers wait until they are ready to sell? Isn't it much nicer to live in a home where grout and calk look clean and fresh and not like dirt under one's fingernails?

Aug 21, 2015 09:33 PM
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Michael Jacobs  Good morning, Michael, that is something so many homeowners don't seem to take seriously--that if you don't deal with small items up front, they turn into bigger and most expensive problems to fix.

Aug 21, 2015 09:34 PM
Michael McCrimmon

Wonderful suggestions!

Michael McCrimmon- Charleston Home Inspector 

Aug 25, 2015 08:27 AM
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Michael McCrimmon thanks, Michael. One of our local top inspectors sends out a monthly report on items of interest to homeowners, so I try to share.

Aug 25, 2015 08:28 AM