Deferred Maintenance (from the “Dictionary of Real Estate Terms”): a physical depreciation owing to lack of normal upkeep. Example: The appraiser found the following examples of deferred maintenance on the subject property: broken window glass, missing roof shingles, peeling paint and broken guttering.
Just like your car your home needs seasonal tune-ups. Here are a few maintenance musts.
1. Replace missing or damaged weather-stripping around doors and windows. Along with caulking and other air-sealing measures, such as adequate insulation, this can cut your home heating bill by up to 15%.
2. Get a HVAC check-up before you turn on the heat. For about $100 a certified technician will replace filters, make sure all the parts are working and give the system’s vents and combustion chamber a good cleaning.
3. Have the gutters and downspouts cleaned and inspected to make sure water doesn’t pool near the foundation from misdirected runoff. Foundation repairs can run into the thousands so prevention goes a long way.
4. Get your fireplace inspected by an expert who’s certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America.
5. Bleed the radiators and boiler if needed. Call in a professional to evaluate whether the entire system needs flushing, boiler included.
6. Flush out the lawn’s sprinkler system. That prevents leftover water from freezing in the middle of winter and bursting a pipe.
7. Seal concrete walkways and cracks. A contractor should fill any small fissures (under 1/2 inch) with an acrylic-based compound; larger ones need a vinyl-based patch so that water doesn’t seep in and freeze during the winter.
8. Drain the gas and oil from a gas-powered lawnmower (or get yourself an early christmas present and get an electric powered mower – keep your eyes out for the for the swaps, you get a free electric mower if you bring in your gas mower) before putting it away.
Can deferred maintenance affect the value of your home? Yes.
Contact the appraisers at www.socalappraisalserv.com for your value questions.
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