Home Maintenance Does More Than You Think



Watch on your mobile device >>

For some, the phrase “home maintenance” might sound like a great way to spend a weekend, while to others it might seem like a dreaded, even avoided, task. However you view routine home maintenance, the fact of the matter is that this somewhat simple task, if done consistently, can increase your home’s value over time.

Increased Property Value

Benjamin Franklin once said, “An ounce of prevention is worth of a pound of cure.” This is certainly true when it comes to your home. In fact, proactive maintenance is essential to preserving the value of your home. If you ignore this important task, your home could actually lose 10% of its value over time.

There are a number of benefits you can expect from just making sure you home is kept in decent shape with occasional maintenance. For one, your curb appeal is improved by just simple acts of routine upkeep from time to time. Ultimately, your home reflects your attention to detail, or lack thereof.

Neglecting a home can greatly bring down the value of any property. Things like a house with chipped or fading paint, sagging gutters, or worn carpeting leads to a problem when it is time to sell. Not only does the work accumulate over time, so do the costs. A few simple fixes every year can add up to an increased home value over time.

Cost vs. Value

It’s easy to look at the cost of regular home repairs as a burden that might be able to be avoided. However, it is important to look at the value that you are placing in your home by performing the regular costs of upholding a well-built and maintained home.

A study out of the University of Connecticut and Syracuse University suggests that home maintenance can actually increase a home’s value by about 1% each year. Instead of viewing the routine tasks around a home as “chores,” these tasks should be looked at as a money maker. When you sell your home, you will reap their rewards.


Dr. John P. Harding, Professor of Finance and Real Estate at the University of Connecticut’s School of Business and an author of the study said, “It’s like going to the gym. You have to put in the effort to see the results. People and houses are somewhat similar – the older they are, the more work is needed.”

Some years what needs to be down may be more expensive than others, but it is the overall strategy to keep a “fit” home that should be the ultimate goal.

Proactive Maintenance Strategies

Budgeting for home repairs each year will prevent them from seeming like a burden each year. Knowing there will be a certain amount of money going to home repairs and upkeep makes them a regular part of your annual routine. They won’t be a source of financial devastation they can be for many families.

Other things to keep in mind to take the burden out of home maintenance include:

Play offense, not defense. Being proactive is vital in preventing a small problem becoming a mountain of problems. By having a regular inspections and creating a maintenance schedule, you are in control, for the most part, of home expenses, instead of the other way around.

Focus on a room a year. If you home is generally in good order, you may be at a loss of where to start. By targeting a room each year, you can inspect each and every item in that particular room and know where improvements can be made. This prevents an overwhelmed feeling with you looking at your entire house, scratching you head of where to start.

Keep track. Maintain a notebook or computer file to keep track of all of the maintenance and upgrades you perform is important. Also, either keep a physical file of paper receipts or a file on your computer where can put your scanned receipts. This helps you keep track of what you have done and also helps you prove to a potential buyer exactly what you have done to the home. It also shows you are a conscientious homeowner who has paid attention to the details of your home.

Home maintenance is an important task that should not be overlooked. Not only does it maintain a nice home while you live there, it also helps increase your home’s value when you are ready to sell.

For more on home maintenance visit Bob Vila's home maintenance checklist here!

7 comments :

  1. Very valuable information, it's not in all the blogs that we find here, congratulations, I was looking for something like this and found it here. Rain Gutter Maintenance Service Charlotte

    ReplyDelete
  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Below you will understand what is important, the idea provides one of the links with an exciting site: Stavern Immobilien

    ReplyDelete
  4. The Home Improvement Law defines home improvement as the addition to or alteration, conversion, improvement, modernization, remodeling, repair, or replacement of a building or part of a building that is used or designed to be used as a residence or dwelling place or a structure adjacent to that building. www.creativesafetysupply.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Remodeling improvements can help make your home the blissful paradise it's supposed to be. Improvements such as replacement windows and siding can make your home feel less drafty, and they can also protect your home from intruders and weather-related damage. novellosurveyors

    ReplyDelete
  6. You don’t get time and energy for house clearance. It will be an unethical act if you don’t clean the house before moving out. Hiring a professional will ease all this up. House clearance mainly involves the preparation of a house for new residents. The professionals make sure the house, apartment or flat is ready for the new occupants. House clearance also involves the removal of stuff which is no longer in use. The stuff which you can’t or don’t want to take to your new place. Get in touch with a reputed company to get professional’s services at affordable prices.speedy waste clearance

    ReplyDelete
  7. To give your home the attention it deserves, you want an agent who nails marketing. While researching agents, pay close attention to how they market their online listings. propertyoso.com/areas/property-for-sale-nueva-andalucia

    ReplyDelete