DIY Maintenance Checklist

Deciding to sell your home is a long process of overthinking and trying to weigh your options: nobody wants to end this process knowing there’s over six months of work ahead of you. By then, the market could shift against you, or you could lose buyers who would be on the market right now.

What if you could make your home market ready in less than a weekend? This is the DIY maintenance checklist to make that possible!

1. Seal All Cracks in Concrete

Whether you’re putting in a wet-look sealer for pavers or you’re power washing your driveway and walks, you’re going to notice cracks. These might not seem like a big deal for you now, but they can become ten times worse if you’re selling your home in the winter. The freeze-thaw water cycle can cause these cracks to become massive in just weeks, which can hurt the opinion buyers will have of your property.

This can be a fix you do in a couple of hours that will have to sit and cure while you do other work on your home.

2. Remember to Deep Clean From Top Down

When people look at a property, they want it to feel like nobody else has ever lived there. This means no grime in the kitchen or bathrooms and floors and walls that feel fresh. The best way to achieve this is to stop and scrub the house down. You can hire a cleaning company, but it will cost hundreds to thousands for them to do an entire home in a weekend. It’s a better idea to take on a project per day while you do other things in your home.

This means wiping down fans and light fixtures, cleaning molding, floorboards, floors, and more. The rooms you need to focus on the most are bathrooms and kitchens, but every room should feel clean and fresh.

3. Take Care of Lawn Maintenance Early

The least expensive but most time-consuming work you can do is lawn maintenance. Your curb appeal will go a long way in convincing people to come in or even consider your property. 

Mow your lawn, edge the grass, and trim back any greenery that’s threatening to overcome walkways. It’s also a good idea to consider putting in new low-effort plant life. Plants that are native to your area will last longer with less work and will look great in the environment you live in.

4. Check All Insulation

Gather tools for insulation: it’s time to work on your energy bill! Insulation can be the difference in whether a home is energy efficient or not and whether buyers will be interested in the property. Your home should have attic and wall insulation, and if you have crawlspaces, it’s vital that this area is insulated as well.

Adding insulation to your attic can take two to four hours, depending on the size of it, so this can easily be done by professionals while you’re covering other projects within the home.

5. Reseal Any Exterior Wood

Your deck is going to be a highly sought-after part of your property! Before you think about looking up how to waterproof under deck spaces, you need to make sure your deck itself is up to the job. 

If your deck isn’t refinished every couple of years, it can be prone to mold and rot, which will make it need to get replaced sooner. Take the time to look at the health of your deck, and consider if it needs to be resealed, stained, or even power washed. This project can take a couple of hours, depending on how large your deck is, but it will make your yard feel brand new.

6. A Fresh Coat of Paint Helps

After you’ve cleaned out your rooms, it’s a good idea to paint any rooms that still look rough or discolored. This isn’t necessary for every room of your home, but there are areas, like bedrooms and the kitchen, where it will make a huge difference. Use neutral and light colors that go well with the flooring or cabinets where you’re painting.

7. Replace the Details

If you want to make your home feel brand new with the least amount of money and work possible, it’s time to stop and update the details. This means light plates, faceplates for outlets, and simple things like faucets and light fixtures. The best way to do this is to remove all of the old ones before you paint and then install new ones after the paint is finished.

This is a great task to do if your home is over ten years old and none of these areas have been replaced. If you want this project to go even faster, look into how to use self-drilling screws! 

You Don’t Have to Wait to List!

Nobody wants to wait through months of repairs and work to get their home market-worthy! Work with Callinan Properties to make your home a hot pick for today’s buyers.