Selling Your Home? Be Sure to Check for Mold

Experts say that May is the best time to sell a house in New Jersey, so now is the best time to prepare your house. Here are four steps you should take before your house goes on the market.

1. If you have ever watched HGTV you know that to sell a house you need to “de-clutter.” Even if your house is knick-knack free there is still another “de” word that you need to think about, and that is “depersonalize.” This can be a difficult task. Personal items can be both beautiful and expensive. You may have paid more than a mortgage payment for the exquisitely done family portrait that hangs above your mantle, but having items like that in your house makes it harder for a buyer to imagine making your home their own. Those items must be removed and put in storage.
2. Next, re-painting is a good idea in many homes and absolutely necessary in others. If you have rooms where the walls look dirty or have scuff marks, they should be repainted. Even some walls that are in pristine condition should have a fresh coat of paint. If you have a brightly colored accent wall, repainting is a must. Although a bold red accent wall may make your room pop, some people may not be able to imagine their furniture in that room. It is best if you can repaint with light neutral colors so buyers can envision what the room would look like with their favorite color scheme.
3. Sometimes seemingly small things can make a huge difference when selling a home. Make sure that your knobs and handles are in good working order. When a potential buyer opens a cabinet (and yes, unfortunately, they will open many of them), if the knob is loose they are likely to worry that other parts of the house have not been properly maintained as well. It is amazing to think that something as simple as a quick tightening with a screw driver could make a real difference when it comes to selling your house.

4. Now that your house looks like it is in good working order, you should make sure it actually is. Most buyers will ask for an inspection prior to buying your home. The time of the buyer’s inspection is not when you, as the seller, want to find out about “hidden” problems. One problem that is often overlooked by homeowners is mold. You may have become accustomed to a musty smell in your home and not notice it. A potential buyer will. We at Mold Solutions by Cowleys will be able to find the mold, identify the source of the mold, remediate the mold and help you to fix the underlying issues so the mold won’t return. 

Preparing your home now will help ensure that you have the best chances for a quick and profitable sale when your home goes on the market.