Simple Plumbing Fixes Can Keep Your Home Sale from Going Down the Drain

*By Keith Loria
While prospective buyers don’t often check the plumbing when out looking at homes, it doesn’t mean that you should ignore your home’s plumbing system when getting your home ready to be listed on the market.

In fact, during an open house, you may get a prospective buyer who flushes all the toilets, turns on all the faucets and checks out the showerhead, or you might get a more seasoned “expert” who looks under the cabinets for leaks or checks for water spots in key areas. However, the last thing you want is for a sale to be ruined because you didn’t take the time to fix a simple plumbing issue.

Major plumbing renovations may be huge selling points, but sellers can get just as much credit by simply fixing leaks and changing out a few faucets.

Before allowing prospective buyers into your home, make sure you have strong water pressure and that there are no stains on any of the porcelain. If you have a difficult stain to remove, you may want to hire a local housecleaning company on a one-time basis, as they often have the materials to get rid of tough stains.

When it comes to making sure your home’s plumbing is up to par, if you do nothing else, be sure to take care of any leaks in your plumbing system, as these can be an instant deterrent for buyers. You should also check as much of your plumbing as possible for corrosion or rust. Take the time to thoroughly check any plumbing that’s easily accessible, since potential buyers will likely be checking for signs of any problems here too.

If your house is more than one story, prospective buyers will more than likely look at the ceiling to check for water stains from leaking pipes. Even if there was a problem that was fixed long ago, take the time to paint over the area on the ceiling where the leak was visible so no alarm bells go off.

You should also make sure that sinks and tubs are draining easily, and if not, there are plenty of un-clog solutions you can buy at your local supermarket. You can also clean the drain yourself of any hair and debris.

When prospective buyers come into your home for a tour, they tend to focus on things where they can use their hands, so make sure all the hot and cold water knobs are easy to turn and that the faucets do not leak. If they do, replace the washers.

Not only is it important to make sure everything is up to par and working before prospective buyers come into your home, it’s also crucial to make sure everything looks nice and neat. For instance, having nice shiny fixtures makes a good first impression and it doesn’t cost much to replace old, outdated ones. Taking the time to match the faucets with the decorating scheme in the bathroom will also give the house a polished, finished appearance.

No prospective buyer wants to run into problems when they are consider purchasing a home, so taking care of these simple plumbing issues can keep a sale from going down the drain.

To learn more about getting your home ready to sell, contact our office today.

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