5 Budget-Friendly Ways to Get Your Home Market-Ready (Under $500!)

With the spring and summer real estate market approaching we are seeing mortgage rates trending downward and mortgage applications on the rise. Because the real estate is fairly cyclical, it's no surprise to see that many are gearing up to list their homes to take advantage of the busy season. To help you all get ready, here are 5 budget friendly ways to get your home market-ready.

Nearly every home buyer is going to get an inspection on your home when they contract to buy it. The three most common inspections in Tennessee are: standard home inspection, termite inspection, and radon testing. During the home inspection, they will inspect all of the major systems of the home: roof, hvac, plumbing and electrical quality, foundation and much more. If you want to mitigate the amount of concessions a buyer may request, look at having the following inspected prior to listing so you know you’ll have a relatively clean inspection. 

Pre Listing Inspections

1 - HVAC inspection: local HVAC companies will generally come inspect your system and ductwork for under $150. If service is necessary, they will let you know up front if there are any issues. 

2 - Plumbing inspection: You never know if there’s a leak in your crawlspace which can throw a red flag to buyers. Many people also don’t know what type of plumbing they have. Is there cast iron or galvanized plumbing that could be corroding? It’s good to know prior to listing so you have less to worry about and have the ability to repair any leaks prior to listing. Plumbing inspections generally cost between $75-$125. 

3 - Electrical Inspection: having an electrician come out to ensure your panel is in good shape, no wires are exposed and need to be put in junction boxes, and that all outlets and lights are functioning properly is of huge importance to buyers. Nearly everyone feels

daunted by the task of repairing electrical systems and sounds really scary to first timers who may not have any experience with them. Electrical inspections generally cost between $75-$125. 

4 - Roofing Inspection: Reroofing a house is a large expense for most homeowners. If there’s missing shingles, flashing, nail pops, or other issues with your roof, potential buyers are going to be weary of moving forward without repairs being made or concessions in lieu of the repairs which could cost you thousands of dollars on the sale. Most roofing companies will actually come out and inspect for free or for under $150.00. Keep in mind that their sales people will likely try to get you to finance or purchase a new roof if your roof is more than 10 years old, so just keep it to an inspection to verify there are no potential issues. 

5 - Foundation inspection: Every home owner’s biggest fear is having foundation issues. Companies like USS, TFS, and others will almost always attempt to sell you on encapsulation or other repairs because it’s their job to sell, but just verify no footers, piers, or existing supports have issues before listing can save you the headache of finding out during an inspection and an interested buyer walking away. 

You can also get a major systems inspection for between $200-$500 from a licensed home inspector. They can come out and review all of these systems and let you know up front what another inspector may catch. If you can address these potential issues up front before listing, it can save you a lot of negotiations and concessions. Keep this in mind if you’re preparing to list your home this Spring or Summer. 

If moving is on your mind, reach out to Ratliff Real Estate today to learn

how we can help strategize and prep your home for the market this year. If it’s not and you just have questions about the process and what selling may look like in the future, we’re always glad to help lend advice on the current market and where we see home prices and mortgage rates going over the coming months. 

Ian H. Ratliff 

Broker/Owner of RATLIFF…