Whenever I sell a home in Shreveport I use a checklist to help me remember a few important things. I’m sharing a bit of my checklist with you here, thinking that you might benefit from my years of experience as a real estate investor, which includes learning a few things the hard way:
1. Now this tip may sound odd, but it is something I learned the hard way and would love to help others avoid learning that way, too. Make sure you open every single drawer, cupboard and cabinet door throughout your hour home prior to showing it for sale or for rent. Don’t miss my point here – I’m saying you need to show up early and open up everything BEFORE anyone arrives for a showing in order to check out all the spaces yourself. Now, of course I don’t have to get into the details of normal problems like insects or rodents, but what I want to impress upon you is that you want to avoid finding embarrassing things that previous homeowners may have overlooked. Feel free to use your imagination at this point, and anything you can imagine has probably been found by real estate investors around the country. Most of us tend to consider the possibility of finding hidden cash, but most discoveries are far less attractive, to say the least. Make certain that you check all storage areas thoroughly to avoid causing a any embarrassment when you sell a home in Shreveport.
2. My second tip involves checking your accounts with public utilities. Calling to make sure that the electricity, gas and water have all been transferred into your personal or corporate name can also save you embarrassment and other hassles. Before starting any remodeling or repair work or even just showing the house to prospective tenants or buyers you should be sure to make routine calls to the utility companies. Let me say that I didn’t always make these routine calls myself, but after paying contractors who showed up fully equipped to begin demolition, only to discover there was no electrical service available at my property, I learned to be more cautious. And I created a space on my checklist to record the date on which each utility service is put in my name. You see, I had to pay those construction workers by the day, and as a result that day proved to be an expensive lesson.
3. My third tip just happens to involve utilities as well. When I sell a home in Shreveport I provide my buyer with any notations of underground utility lines that I may have collected while doing excavation on the property. By dialing 811 on any cell phone Louisiana residents can get utility lines marked prior to any planned digging. Making this call can save you and your whole neighborhood huge problems resulting from accidental utility line disruption.
4. And finally, be sure you turn on every water faucet, indoors and outdoors, including washer and dryer hookups located in closets, basements or garages. Check to confirm they all work properly and that there is no rusty or odd-smelling water coming out. Also check the water heater to make sure it is not leaking or corroded around the bottom where it can start leaking. Ask your water company to provide you with water usage over the past year so you can be alerted to any excessive use caused by leakage above or below ground.
You’ll probably develop your own checklist over time if you begin to buy and sell homes as an investor, but these tips will help you get started if you’re going to sell a home in Shreveport now.