One of the quickest ways to lose money on your home investment is by having to take on costly repairs! There are certain things that are unavoidable and should be taken into consideration when the seller determines the price of the home. However, some homes have hidden damages that the buyer and seller might not even know about. Ultimately, it’s a ‘buyers beware’ world in the real estate market. It can be extremely helpful to have a trained eye on your side who truly cares about your outcome!
If you’re buying, building, or maintaining real estate, identifying and preventing damages is a crucial part of homeownership. So here are a few things you should be looking out for.
Foundation Damages
Foundation Repair probably creates the most dread out of any other home repair. What many people don’t know is that ‘foundation damage’ can range from just a crack (repairs as low as $300) to a sinking living room (repairs upwards of $10,000).
The signs to watch out for include pooling water, sloping floors, cracks along the seams of the walls or on the floors, and even doors/windows that may get stuck in their frames. Homeowners should always be keeping an eye out for tilts in the walls or floors.
To prevent damage, creating drainage to move water away from the foundation is the best measure you can take. Use sloping mulch or rock around the edges of your home to help with water flow. Consider the best place to put a drainage ditch, so that water has a place to exit the property efficiently.
Roof Damages
Roof Repair, in time, is, unfortunately, part of owning a home, but there are many ways to lengthen the life of those shingles. From weather damage to fallen trees, your roof has to deal with a lot. What many don’t realize is that heat can be just as damaging as hail or pounding rain.
Making sure proper ventilation is installed in the attic will ensure that the shingles aren’t deteriorating. In the summer, when heat builds up inside the attic, tired shingles may crack due to the intense heat, creating the perfect infiltration path for incoming rain.
When it storms, effective rain management is imperative. If you get the chance, installing asphalt shingles is a great way to defeat challenging weather. Underlayment, drip-edge, and efficient gutters are all important parts of a healthy roof.
This is the first line of defense your house has against the elements. Investing in its durability is a great way to lengthen the life of the entire home. And keeping an eye on it is just as important.
Ultimately, when choosing a home or maintaining one, it helps to know an expert. The purpose of a realtor is not just to help you find the right home, but to act as a guide throughout the entire buying, designing, and signing day process. Finding a realtor that you can trust brings peace of mind knowing that you have cutting edge industry experience on your team. That experience can save you time, money, and stress in every facet of the process.
And when a Griffin Realty Group agent helps you pick a home, we hope to be of assistance well past the actual transaction! We can help you make investment decisions that will ultimately extend the life of your home, and raise its intrinsic value.