4 Major Repairs to Avoid When Selling Your House in San Diego

When you thought of moving, did a list of obstacles pop into your mind? When it comes time to make a move, if you are like me, you start thinking of all the minor and perhaps major repairs you’ve been putting off. These repairs are called differed maintenance. You can only put off repairs for so long. In general, the more you have put off doing minor repairs, the higher odds are that they have become major repairs.  

When considering making a move, you want to know what homes similar to yours in the same neighborhood have sold. Your goal of selling your home for a higher price may motivate you to make the repairs on your own to save money or hire a handyman person. For larger projects bringing in a contractor to do the work makes sense.  

Keep in mind also, when you are selling, you must disclose any major repairs. You will undoubtedly require to advise the brand-new owners of all of the work done or face possible liability and financial repercussions later on. 

Additionally, should repairs fail, your insurance provider may not cover the damages should you make the repair work on your own or work with an unlicensed neighborhood handyperson. The bottom line, hire a bonded and insured specialist and maintain a paper trail for your insurance coverage and any warranties for the work being done.

Minor upgrades like Interior paint, touching up your landscaping, upgrading bathrooms, remodeling your kitchen, and improving energy efficiency all make a huge difference in raising the value of your home before you sell.

Experience shows there are four major repairs to avoid doing yourself or cheap when selling your house in San Diego. These four repairs should involve a Licensed and Bonded contractor specialist. As a homeowner looking to sell, you want to avoid liability for future problems using a professional tradesperson. 

Electrical

Mistakes in installing or upgrading electrical fixtures could trigger a fire. Whether you have a fuse box or a circuit breaker panel in your home, it’s imperative to make sure that the electrical wiring is up to date and equipped to handle your home’s electrical load. Some standard warning signals that your electrical system needs professional repairs include:

Electrical panels over 25 years old can be dangerous and should be replaced. Power surges and normal wear and tear make changing Electrical panels a must. When circuit breaker panels fail, it can cause life-threatening house fires. The smell of something burning is your indication that you need an immediate electrical inspection. Outdated electrical panels may lack the capacity to allow for adequate electrical flow, leaving you with frequently tripped breakers. Installing dedicated circuits to run your outlets will help you avoid overtaxing on a particular outlet or circuit. Like the outlets, many electrical panels are at capacity and will need to be replaced before your new appliances that draw more electricity may be introduced. If a home has fuses versus circuit breakers, there’s nothing wrong with fuse-based panels; they indicate an outdated, obsolete electrical system. It’s best to replace fuse-based electrical systems with circuit breaker electrical panels. Other indicators that an electrical system may be compromised and need immediate attention by a licensed professional electrician include; warm to the touch electrical panels, rust or corrosion, buzzing or clicking sounds, dimming of the lights intermittently, or direct damage the electrical panel.

Plumbing

Water flow issues are common upon inspection. Too much pressure coming into the home can lead to burst pipes. Water leaks and flooding can lead to extensive damage. Problems like drain clogs, leaky pipes, dripping fixtures can lead to more severe plumbing concerns and require a licensed plumber. Plumbing isn’t meant to last forever; like electrical systems, 25 years is a good lifespan for plumbing. By starting the replacement process sooner, you can reduce the risks of water damage and other major repairs. Additional signs may include low water pressure often caused by an old rusted water heater. Old iron pipes are suspect as they get clogged over time, reducing the water pressure that moves thru them.

You might notice leaky pipes on the floors and water stains on walls or ceilings; however, pipes are often hidden behind walls. Water can run down the pipes and travel away from the source of the leak, making it challenging to pinpoint where the leak is located. Backed-up drains and low water pressure can also signal piping problems.

You may be able to tighten a gasket to stop the drips of a leaky faucet; however, if you see corrosion, you may break the fixture instead of fixing it. Replace outdated faucets is a budget-friendly way to improve your plumbing, avoid plumbing emergencies and give your bathrooms and kitchen a face-lift.

Discolored water, anything but clear water, is a warning sign of trouble. Watercolor can give you indications of the problem. For example, orange, red or yellow, indicates rust in your water, typically from outdated pipes. Older Metal pipes could have a lot of rust within them; over the years, rust and corrosion will eat holes in the pipes. Blueish water is caused by worn-out brass or copper fittings, whereas algae in the water supply can cause green water. Never drink black water; it indicates there is some growth in the pipes or water supply. Petroleum or sulfur smell is also an indication of contaminated water.

Pipe materials are a significant consideration when diagnosing plumbing issues. In general, it’s essential to know what types of pipes you have and how old they are. Commit to replacing them before their lifespan expires, and you can avoid costly repairs and hassles.

In every home, two main pipes are water supply pipes and drain pipes.

Water supply pipes are generally under more pressure. Commonly made of brass or galvanized steel, these materials can last 80-100 years. Because of the amount of pressure they are under, they can cause damage when they leak. Cooper piping is notorious for pinhole leaks and typically lasts 70-80 years.

Older homes have Cast-iron drain pipes that last about 80-100 years. Newer homes use PVC, which lasts 25-40 years. 

Foundation

Hire a professional without exception to make any structural repairs before marketing your house in San Diego. Fully eighty percent of structural claims are a result of foundation movement. Frequent earthquakes, sandy substrates, and erosion caused by poor drainage or standing water may cause movement and settling of the foundation. According to the NAH, the National Association of Homebuilders, the home’s foundation is the most significant source of liability in owning a home. Lenders are reluctant to grant mortgages on homes with foundation issues.  

Here are some external signs you may have a foundation problem:

Standing water around the foundation, foundation upheaval settling or sinking, Gaps between the garage and the driveway, gaps between the house and trim, bowing of walls, horizontal or vertical cracks in the drywall, leaning porch columns. Finally, a leaning chimney or separating from the house are all signs of foundation issues that must be addressed by a professional.

Some interior signs of foundation issues may include:

Damp crawl spaces, wall cracks, uneven floors, sagging or sloping floors, any gapping or walls are pulling away from floor or ceiling, bowing or bulging of walls, cabinet doors that don’t stay closed, doors or windows that won’t open or close smoothly.

According to experts, nearly 90% of cracks are caused by settling, not a foundation or structural issue. I cannot over-emphasize the need to hire an expert when embarking on these four major repairs. I’m not a contractor or foundation expert; I’m a Realtor just trying to inform potential sellers and buyers.

Roof

While it might seem a simple matter of replacing a few roof tiles, it’s best to hire a licensed roofing contractor to fix loose shingles, repair holes, repair rust or cracks, or replace the roof.

Some signs that your roof may need special professional attention: The roof is old, typically asphalt shingle roofs last 20-25 years. One of the first questions I ask a home seller is, “how old is the roof.” How about missing shingles on the roof or stains on the interior walls, ceilings, garage walls, or ceilings. Soggy walls may indicate roof or other plumbing leaks that need immediate attention. Remember, mold problems come soon after water problems, so reach out to a licensed professional immediately. Other clues to roof issues are visible sagging of the roof, look at the roofline, or a more subtle problem could be rising monthly energy bills.

Selling directly to Sell Home Fast In San Diego can help you avoid repairs altogether when selling your house. 

Sell Home Fast can save you time, money and help you avoid liability. It’s a seller’s market in San Diego, which means that licensed tradespeople are busy and backlogged with work, meaning you could wait weeks to get an estimate for the work. Why wait for repairs to be completed before you sell? At Sell Home Fast, we guarantee your closing date, which can be in a matter of a few days or weeks, whichever is most convenient for you.  

Sell Home Fast saves you time, money, and needless worry. Our professional investors buy houses as-is and pay cash. Typically, you’ll get an offer 24-72 hours after we do a visual inspection. You’ll get a fair offer that reveals comparables in the neighborhood minus any work that needs to be done; it’s that simple.  

You’ll get a fair and transparent offer detailing what money you could make if you complete the repairs versus selling without the repair so you can compare and choose which best suits your circumstances and timeline. Call or Text Kevin McClenahan – Local Realtor at 858.284.7778 if you’re considering moving. You’ll have questions, that’s normal. Let’s get together, preview your home, and get all your questions answered to move forward with confidence.

A few additional tips that should help you sell for the highest possible price in the most convenient timeframe for you, with the least amount of stress, are as follows;  

I encourage you to stay focused on the business aspect of selling your home, keep your emotions in check.

Interview a Realtor and ask them to preview the home, assess its value, and inform you of any repairs they think you need along with estimated repair costs.  

Hiring an agent may cost more in commission, but it can take a lot of the guesswork out of selling and, in the end, net you more money you can pocket. Remember, nine out of ten home sellers use a Realtor to oversee every aspect of the sale.

Only seven percent of homeowners decide to sell on their own. I would encourage you to set a reasonable sale price, keep the time of year in mind, and have a backup plan involving a Realtor. Remember, days on the market is a critical statistic, and you don’t want to go too long on the market without buyer offers. In other words, you don’t want your listing to go stale.

Prepare for the sale, don’t skimp on the visuals in your listing; high-resolution pictures and even a video help sell a home. Remember to disclose any issues and repairs with the property.

Call or Text Kevin McClenahan – Local Realtor at 858.284.7778 if you’re considering moving. You’ll have questions, that’s normal. Let’s get together, preview your home, and get all your questions answered to move forward with confidence.