Selling a Home: Weather-Based Considerations
When you live in a place that is very hot or cold, the way you sell your home changes somewhat. You have to pay extra attention to the aspects of the home that help preserve the inside temperature to keep from freezing or overheating. Focus on these parts of your home so that your property is ready for the coldest winter or hottest summer and can attract buyers with its preparedness.
Hot Climate Areas
Regions with hot summers may have differing needs. Hot and humid climates require careful maintenance of the humidity in the home, while hot and dry may not. In all cases, you want good cooling equipment and protection from the hot sun.
Insulation
People think of insulation as being important for winter, but it is also vital for summer cooling. Your insulation stands between you and the withering sun beating down outside. Added insulation for your home slows heat gain and also provides a nice return on your investment.
Air Conditioning
Effective air conditioning could mean the difference between thriving and just barely hanging on in certain states. Potential home buyers will want to test out your air conditioner and find out how old it is. Schedule service before the summer selling season gets underway, so your A/C is in top condition. If you are thinking of buying a new A/C unit, make sure that it is sized properly.
Humidity and Mold
The size of your air conditioner is crucial to the control of humidity in your home. Hot and humid areas like Florida rely on air conditioning to remove humidity from the air in the home as well as heat. If it is too large, the appliance will cycle off too quickly without removing enough humidity. As a result, your home could develop mold, a complicated problem that is expensive to fix.
Shading
You can minimize heat gain in your home by using proper window treatments. Shades with light-colored exteriors block or reflect sunlight, instead of absorbing the heat. You may also want to add awnings on the outside of your windows or on the porch, as an inexpensive improvement to provide cooler outdoor enjoyment.
When buyers come to your home, they want to know that they will leave the harsher elements outside. A small investment of time and money could make all the difference. Using these tips, you can block the extreme cold or heat from destroying your home selling ambitions.
Cold Weather Regions
Certain parts of the U.S. have harsh winters that need planning to get through. Temperatures sit well below freezing for months on end, with storms that drop several feet of snow a few times a year. If you live in such an area, you want to show that your home is up to the task of protecting its residents from the worst of the cold weather.
Windows
One of the best places to look for inefficiency in maintaining the home temperature is the windows. Since they lack a lot of insulation, they can make the areas around them uncomfortably cool or drafty. If your windows need an upgrade, it may benefit you to purchase double-paned windows with several layers of window treatments for extra protection.
Plumbing
A home’s pipes can freeze in just about any region, but it's especially likely in colder climates. Exposed plumbing is particularly vulnerable, and burst pipes are an expensive repair task for homeowners. Make sure your basement is adequately heated, and consider self-sticking foam insulation for pipes that sit away from the heat or near the surface of the ground.
Furnace Efficiency
A gas furnace lasts a long time, sometimes over a decade, but older furnaces can pose risks to your house and offer decreasing efficiency as the years wear on it. If your furnace is reaching the end of its lifespan, consider models with an efficiency of 95 percent or higher. Otherwise, arrange for professional service on your furnace to confirm that it is clean and in good shape for its age. Show prospective buyers that they will be able to get through the first few winters easily without losing heat.
Roof
In cities that sustain a lot of snow throughout the year, the roof is probably the most important part of the home. If it fails, homeowners face expensive water damage, expense, and stress trying to repair it. A new roof costs $5,000-$20,000 depending on material, and it can be a sizable expense but a worthwhile investment in preventative care of your house. To maintain the roof rather than build a new one, you should replace damaged shingles and ensure that the flashings around the chimney and any skylights are not leaking.
Home Exterior
Like the roof, the home’s exterior siding takes a beating in winter. Wind, rain and ice can destroy certain types of siding. When you want to install new siding to refresh the look of your home for selling, you should select materials like steel or other energy-efficient siding choices because it is less prone to damage from wind and water or more capable of keeping warmth in.