Maintaining Your Homes Value - Six Quick Tips

In today's real estate market, selling your home may not be as easy as in years past. The home that stands out as "better than average" has the advantage.

One way to insure that your home sells for top dollar in the future is to keep up with the repairs and maintenance every home needs. Not only will your home remain attractive, but it will likely sell more quickly and for more money some years down the road. Being proactive about handling routine beautification and maintenance tasks will help your home retain its value over the years, and will be less costly in the long run than putting things off.

Here are six things you can do to stay on top of home maintenance issues:

Maintain your interior. If you have the carpets cleaned regularly it will not only improve the appearance, but will improve their wear as well. Check wood and vinyl flooring for warping and tears and replace it when needed. Make sure wood cabinets are properly cleaned and finished to improve the longevity of the wood.

Check for plumbing leaks. Small leaks can often be overlooked until they become large leaks. Repair the plumbing problems early. The cost of repairing water damage is often ten to twenty times the cost of repairing the leaking plumbing itself. Don't wait until the problem shows itself with a water spot on the wall or a soaked carpet. Leaks are most damaging on the second floor of a home, as the water runs inside the walls or first floor ceiling and causes extensive damage.

Paint your home before it really needs it. Don't wait until the paint is cracked and peeling, or you can't remember the color of the stucco. By that time you may be looking at costly repairs in addition to the painting.

Keep your yard in good shape. Trim the bushes and maintain the lawn and shrubs. Keep mature trees trimmed from overhanging the house so they don't deposit leaves and debris on the roof, which accelerates the aging of shake roofs. Follow your community's rules for brush clearance for fire safety.

Check the roof often. The rainy season is not the time to find out you have a missing or cracked shingle, or some other unseen damage. If you don't know how to check your roof, call in a roofing inspection professional.

Inspect your home. Walk around your home and yard frequently to look for things that need repair or replacement. Be objective. Put yourself in the place of a homebuyer. What would you be looking for as you walked around the house and yard of a home you were about to buy? If your home is more than 10 years old, it is a good idea to call in an inspector and have a "Whole House" inspection. This will give you an idea of things that might need attention and can save you money on more costly repairs in the future.

Owning a home is a great joy. It's also a big responsibility. Taking on the responsibility proactively will make home ownership more joyful, and prosperous, for you in the long run.

Erick Larson is a Realtor serving clients of Sonoma County Real Estate. He also owns Home & Value Advisors, which provides real estate finance, design and renovation services. For information about real estate in another area of Northern California, visit Davis Real Estate.