Upkeep on Vacant Houses Listed for Sale

October 25, 2007 by donna.

I am constantly exploring houses that are for sale at Sabino Mountain to keep up with the market or to show buyer clients. Lately I have viewed some vacant houses listed for sale that need some of the following: trimming of landscaping so it does not overcome walkways; weed control; battery changing of smoke detectors (the chirping is very annoying); removal of dead plants, etc. On all my vacant listings, I visit at least twice a week and report to the Sellers any maintenance issues that come up and also want to check to make sure doors are locked and that there are no plumbing issues, etc. I am wondering if their agents are not going in their vacant listings or if they are telling their Sellers about the above-mentioned issues and they are just ignoring them. In the present day market it is essential to have the property look as good as possible and most of these shortcomings I have found would cost little to address.

Two other recommendations are to have a reputable roofer check your roof to see if it needs repairs or recoating. Jon’s Precision Roofing will do an inspection at no charge. Also, it is a good idea to have a termite company do a termite inspection. The cost is usually under $60. All homes in Tucson should continue with termite warranties; the cost is usually around $130 per year. There is an old saying in Tucson, “If your house does not have termites now, it will in the future”. Better to address these issues before the buyer finds them in a home inspection. That way you have more time to get competitive bids should you need remediation.

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