Many responsibilities come with owning a home. Landscaping, exterior upkeep, and interior cleanliness, to name a few. Of course, there comes a time when you need to sell your home. Whether you need to downsize or upsize, you need to ensure your current home is ready to sell. To do so, you need to ensure there are no serious issues with the plumbing, gas, electricity, and foundation. However, whether knowingly or not, foundation issues can drastically affect your position in the housing market. If you’re curious about how foundation issues affect your home’s value, this guide will help answer any questions or concerns.
It’s Costly
The main issue with any neglected foundation repairs is that it’s costly, and leaving your foundation in disrepair can lead to worse problems. That’s because foundation neglect is responsible for a plethora of further issues. A weak or cracked foundation can exacerbate water damage, pest infestations, weather-related damage, and house repairs. Ignoring your foundation repairs will only contribute to the problem. You save more money calling a professional service to inspect, repair, and protect the property than hoping it will resolve itself. The key thing to remember is the issue will not go away if left untreated. Do yourself a favor and call a professional repair company pronto.
It’s an Eyesore
Not to mention, foundation issues are an eyesore for the average homebuyer. If you’re listing your house on the market, the last thing people want to see is a house with much-needed repairs. While “fixer uppers” may seem attractive to buyers on HGTV, the reality is few people want the extra headache and fiscal responsibility that comes with a house in disarray. It’s aesthetically unpleasing. Part of selling a home is curb appeal, and foundation issues are an obvious sign that the home is not suitable for residence. Fix this up to attract more homebuyers. Doing so will increase your curb appeal to fit the needs of homebuyers in your area.
Can Attract Pests
Ants, termites, cockroaches, and mice are all common household pests. No one wants to live amongst them as they often carry diseases, destroy property, and are nauseating to look at. Termites are especially problematic as they will eat and destroy wooden properties. Over time, your entire house can experience a termite infestation in which wooden doors, cabinets, drawers, and other necessities are destroyed. Foundation issues lead to cracks and openings for critters to access. Neglecting proper foundation repair allows pests to habituate in your home. Like the other common issues listed, homebuyers will not want to purchase a home with a pest infestation. It’s one of the biggest hurdles on the market and poses a risky investment for realtors and independent home buyers. In addition to the foundation repair, if your home becomes a pest haven, you’ll need to hire an exterminator and resolve that issue which can lead to further expenses, time, and labor.
Provoke Further Issues
As previously mentioned, foundation issues often lead to secondary problems. A significant secondary issue many homeowners face is mold and water damage. A home’s foundation is responsible for keeping rainwater and groundwater outside the house, and modern plumbing systems ensure bath and kitchen water remain inside their respective pipes and water pumps. Still, a broken foundation can cause major plumbing issues and allow external water to flood the house. Not only will this damage your property, but resolving flood damage is a costly project. Any moisture in your home can further develop mold, which has serious health consequences affecting the respiratory system. If you or anyone living in the house is allergic to mold, this can evolve into more serious adverse health effects, like difficulty breathing or triggering an asthmatic response. Unkept foundation issues also jam doors and windows. The last thing you want on a hot day is not being able to open your windows, nor do you want to remain trapped because you cannot open your doors properly. Whether you know it or not, jammed doors and windows result from an uneven foundation. You can also see cracks in the walls and ceiling.
Reduces Buyer Interest
Again, when it comes to how foundation issues affect your home value, homebuyers note these issues. If you’re leading an open house to show off your property, there’s a great chance a potential buyer will spot noticeable problems. Since you’re dealing with foundation issues, even seemingly minor inconveniences, like uneven floors, can highlight more serious concerns. The homebuyer will want to know what action is taken to address these concerns and why they weren’t dealt with already. They need to know if they should address the issues themselves, which will lead to them asking for a lower price on the house. Since you want to see the highest return on investment possible, do yourself a favor and hire a professional foundation repair person to fix the issues before they evolve into more significant grievances.
Lowers the Value of a Short Sale
There is an option to sell your home without going through a realtor or direct home buyers. This is known as a short sale. A short sale is a sale of a property—typically through a third party—when the offer on a property is less than the amount due on the current mortgage. It ensures a quick transition of property without additional hurdles or obligations. However, while you will receive less than the asking price you’d get using traditional real estate options, you can work out a quick arrangement. Still, this comes with its own territory. With any home sale, you should make proper improvements ahead of time. While this isn’t required for a short sale, it does allow you to ask for a bit more than what you might receive if selling as-is.
Don’t make the mistake of waiting to fix your foundation issues. Call The Crack Guys today to learn more about our home repair services in Mississippi. The best way to see the highest ROI on your home value is to hire a professional team to fix it for you. That’s where we come in. Call now for a quote and schedule your appointment with us to address foundation issues as soon as possible.