The Real Estate Browser Volume 10, Issue 5 | Page 18

18 — Say you saw it in The Real Estate Browser of Lynchburg — Volume 10 Number 5
www.LynchburgRealEstateBrowser.com
How to Get Your House
Ready to Sell in 4 Steps
By Angela Colley
House: Hill Street Studios/Getty Images; trainer: Ljupco/iStock
Wondering how to get your house ready to sell? If you’re looking to sell your home during prime house-
shopping season this spring, you’d better get cracking now.
How to get your house ready to sell
Unfortunately, getting a house ready to sell is
not as easy as slapping an ad on Craigslist. If you
want your humble abode to stand out from the
competition, that could take months to do right.
So, here’s how to whip your place into shape by
fixing any problems and upgrading the eyesores.
Because like it or not, your home has sustained
some wear and tear over the years. Here’s how to
assess the damage and find out which renovations
will pay off down the road.
1. Tally the age of various items
No matter how great your home looks at first
glance, any savvy buyer will point to various
parts and pop the question: How old? And since
guesstimates won’t cut it, you will need to gather
some paperwork to get your house ready to sell. If
you’ve purchased your home in the past few years,
check your home records or seller’s disclosure for
the age or last repair of big items (namely your
roof, HVAC system, water heater, and gutters), or
dig up copies of your own maintenance records or
receipts.
How long items last depends on a lot of factors
such as the model and how well it’s been main-
tained, but you can get a general idea of average
lifespan from the National Association of Home
Builders. For example:
• Wood shingle and shake roof: 15 to 30 years
• Central air-conditioning unit: 15 years