Home Maintenance Issues That Can Lower Your Property Value

Most of the homeowners put their main emphasis on upgrades to boost their home’s appearance. But here is a secret that they often miss – ignoring maintenance issues that often cause major damage to your home. 

This need not always be a major one. Even a small roof leak or a poor drainage system that might seem like a task to put on priority today, can turn into the most expensive repair and a major red flag for the buyers. 

Read more to explore the home maintenance issues that can lower the property value. 

Key Takeaways

• Small issues such as leaks, drainage concerns, or plumbing problems often result in major structural issues later on.
• Buyers typically consider maintenance problems as a clear sign of major problems that lowers confidence.
• Water is usually considered a major issue for property value, whether it is related to poor drainage or roof leaks.

Roof Damage and Leaks

A roof in disrepair will be one of the quickest ways to decrease the value of a home. People view the roof of a home as a prime sign of how well a home has been maintained. Thus, a roof that is showing signs of wear, missing shingles, or actual leaks in the roof will signify that there are more problems in the home than just the repair of the roof.

Small Roof Leaks have a way of causing big problems very fast. Leaks from Roof Damage are likely to cause water damage to walls and ceilings and lead to issues with mold growth. 

A new Roof is among the list of the best projects for return on capital from the National Association of Realtors with an average cost of $7,500 recovering 100% at resale with a new roof. Always try to fix a roof leak as soon as you can.

Roof Inspections – Every few years, a professional visual examination of the roof should be done, especially after bad weather. This allows for minor repairs to be solved before any damage becomes a large and expensive repair.

Foundation Cracks and Settlement

Foundations can be one of the most serious mistakes that affect a property. Smaller hairline cracks in a poured plaster wall are usually of little matter; however, horizontal cracks and other types of cracks and structural damage in a supportive wall and or basement can indicate serious problems with settlement and or water attack. 

If your home has a brick exterior, check for what are commonly referred to as “stair steps” which are cracks that run in a stepped fashion from the bottom up. It is also common for cracks to appear at the joints of the walls and ceiling.

 These types of cracks can signal serious problems and require urgent attention. Depending on the severity of the damage, repairs to a foundation can be relatively cheap or extremely expensive. Either way, the damage will affect other parts of the home and must be fixed before they cause further damage.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development lists foundation defects as one extremely common group of defects in resale homes that can make a home unsuitable for financing by keeping buyers away as other defects are exposed. 

While some repairs can be extremely minor, others can cost as much as or more than major renovations or even new construction to correct based on the level of damage and amount of additional affected areas or structures. In either case, the more that repair is put off, more damage is caused, which costs more in the long run.

Poor Drainage and Water Management

Water that is not sent away from a home is likely problematic. Pools of water around homes allow moisture to wick up into the home’s core walls, potentially seeping down into the home’s basement or creating a range of problems for exterior finishes as they degrade. 

By ensuring that a home’s negative grades are looked at, that gutters and their downspouts are cleaned and that downspout extensions are built to direct water at least 6 feet from the home’s foundation, homeowners are protecting one of the home’s most lavish systems: the roof.

Another kind of problem area for homes is poor water management, or negative drainage around the home. Sometimes it is visible, like a low spot in the yard near the basement, and other times it can be hid from view and only cause problems after long periods of time. As with any other hidden problem, the best way to save on costly repairs is to prevent them from happening in the first place. 

For homes with negative drainage around the exterior, repairs are usually not very pricey and can be completed by any homeowner with average skills and a few basic tools. But it is also very important to note that many home buyers will be able to tell if a home has had delays with water leaks or not. 

As a result, any signs of water entry, such as water stains in the ceilings or walls, efflorescence on the concrete, or soft marks in the yard near the home. It can drop the value of the home considerably in the eyes of potential buyers.

Keeping gutters free of debris, extending downspouts a minimum of six feet from the foundation and correcting negative grading are all simple, efficient ways to protect more expensive systems from damage.

Plumbing Problems

Another issue with aged plumbing is the unknown extent of additional necessary repairs throughout the home. Items such as slow-draining sinks, fallen water pressure, corroded pipes or evidence of past leaks behind walls can badly affect a home’s appraised value or prompt the buyer to ask for thousands of dollars in refunds at closing.

Another key area that shapes rental properties is the plumbing. If the plumbing is not up to par, it can cause quite a few issues when it comes to tenant turnover. Not only can it cause discomfort for the new tenant, but it can also cause problems for the seller in terms of liability. 

Property management companies for long-term rentals learn that in order to keep good tenants and to keep a good contract with them, maintenance is a must – Earnest Homes prioritizes early plumbing upkeep as part of their broader maintenance strategy.

Replaced fixtures and fixed any leaks to assure that pipes will not form costly leaks in the future. Inspect supply lines on a regular visit as well.

HVAC System Neglect

Faulty Heating and Cooling systems can be an extreme concern to aspiring buyers and to an appraiser, often equating to high repair costs for owners. Because systems such as these typically last about 15-20 years, even clean units are sometimes nearing the end of their service life when they are 10-15 years old. 

However, systems that have been well-kept are likely to sell for more than comparable units that have been let down.

Many of today’s HVAC systems have lifespan forecasts of 15 to 25 years, and owners can prolong that lifespan with regular servicing.

Outdated or Deteriorating Exterior Features

Issues outside with chipped paint, rotten wood, cracked driveways and poor fencing can bring water into the interior envelope causing major structural issues over time. Even simple repairs of painting, rotten wood, filling in cracks in driveways and mending fencing can keep a home in good condition and show well.

Maintenance of exterior property parts can cost very little when done on a planned and routine basis and does not have to include fully gutting a home and rehabbing it.

The Real Cost of Waiting

Small issues can quickly turn into big issues and possibly cost far more than they would have if they had been fixed in the first place. However, the cost of the repair is only the tip of the iceberg as the problem can also cause a property to be listed for a lower value, take longer to sell, and lose its rental income. All with providing less cutting power for any offers received on the property. 

In the end, the money that a property owner spends on maintenance for their property will protect the overall worth of the property and return in the long run.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, property value is not just a factor of the location and present market conditions. The way one has taken care of the home is an evergreen and always working way to attract buyers, appraisers and investors. 

Even in practical life, just waiting for something to turn into a major issue that will even cost extra is not a right approach. The most successful property owners find out the issues at the right time, find the right maintenance to fix them and protect everything. 

FAQs

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