Home Maintenance

9 Ways To Prepare Your Home For Sale
Posted by Metro Atlanta Home Group on Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at 8:00 AM By Metro Atlanta Home Group / October 14, 2015 Comment

A man painting a deck railing in preparation to sell his home.

Preparing Your Home For The Market

Before your house goes onto the market, there are a number of things you can do to ensure smooth sailing later on. First impressions are important, so preparing your home adequately is vital. Most of these things are pretty easy to do and will really help you maximize the value of your home. Watch the video below and then keep reading to learn nine ways you can prepare your home for sale.

 


#1. Get A Pre-listing Home Inspection

To save time after you receive an offer, a pre-sale home inspection is the way to go. For a very reasonable fee, a certified home inspector can alert you to possible issues that could cause a problem down the road so that you can address them now. Keep in mind, you may be required to disclose the inspection to potential buyers. If you’re confident in the condition of your home, a pre-listing inspection is a great way to assure potential buyers that your home is in great shape, which can lead to higher offers.

#2. Make Minor Repairs

Have you been putting off some basic maintenance items? Did the pre-listing inspection reveal...

Prepare Your Home For Winter
Posted by Metro Atlanta Home Group on Friday, November 14, 2014 at 7:00 AM By Metro Atlanta Home Group / November 14, 2014 Comment

Temperature gauge with ice showing sub-freezing temperatures.

Prepare Your Home Now To Prevent Costly Damage

With extremely cold air moving in from the north, temperatures in the Atlanta area are forecast to reach the low 20’s within the next week. Although temperatures will likely stay above freezing during the daylight hours, you shouldn't risk a burst pipe when the temperature drops at night.

Extended weather forecast for November 14, 2014 showing cold weather approaching the Atlanta area.

This weekend may be the best time to go ahead and prepare your home for winter, especially if temperatures drop lower than forecasted. Tuesday’s low may reach 20 degrees with 20 mph winds, so exposed pipes could be an issue.

How To Winterize Faucets/Pipes In Unheated Areas

Inexpensive outdoor faucet cover available at local hardware stores.

  1. Disconnect water hoses from outdoor hose bibs. Drain the water from each hose and store them for the winter.
  2. Close the water line shutoff valves for all exterior water fixtures. Shut off valves can typically be found under sinks, in your crawl space or basement, near your water heater and/or main supply lines.
  3. Open/turn on each of the exterior faucets to bleed the remaining water from the lines.
  4. Install covers on each exterior faucet for additional protection from the cold. These...