The economy continues to be challenging to the real estate market. Even if you own your home without a mortgage, or have no difficulty in making your payment and paying for tax and insurance, it is likely that some of your neighbors are not so fortunate. Because of high unemployment, there are probably homes in your neighborhood that are for sale for less than they sold for a few years ago. Some are being sold because the owners can’t afford them. Some are owned by banks and lenders who have foreclosed on them. Many are priced at very low prices. Combined with low mortgage rates and large government tax credits being offered, this creates great opportunities for buyers. For owners wanting to sell soon it can be a problem. For owners planning to stay in their home for some time, while it may affect the current market value, it doesn’t affect the main purpose of home ownership which is having a place to live.

Whether you are remaining in your home or hoping to sell soon, there are some things you can do to make your property look its best and retain its value.

1. Control the spring rains.
Rain is your friend when it falls on your plants and trees. Water that gets into your basement or crawl space can cause damage and lower your home value. Check the flow of water around your house and outbuildings to see that the water drains away from the structure. Most codes and general practice call for six inches slope away from houses in ten feet. If this is a problem it can be corrected by either building up the soil if possible or re-grading the yard to accommodate the drainage requirement. It is important to maintain a good distance from the soil and the bottom of your home’s siding. This is to discourage or detect termites, and to prevent damage from water splashing onto the siding.
Rain dripping from a leaky or clogged gutter can be annoying, especially if the leak is over your doorway. Clean out any leaves and debris from the gutters. If there are leaks at seams, hardware stores have caulking especially for gutters. Remove screws at leaky seams, caulk and reattach. It the seams are riveted, drill out the rivets and replace them with screws after re-caulking. Check downspouts to assure they are free flowing and discharge the water  a safe distance from the foundation. Put down a splash block to prevent erosion.
2. Get a headstart on your lawn and garden.
Take advantage of dry days and clean up twigs and leaves that have fallen over the winter. Prune broken branches from shrubs and trees. During the grass mowing season set your mower blade as high as you feel comfortable, but for one time now,  set the blade at a low setting and mow to trim the tops of winter dried grass. If your mower collects clippings in a bag, use it to pick up dried grass and leaves. If you use lawn fertilizer, spread an application now for early growth.
Remove old plant and ornamental grass tops that have wintered over. New growth will be emerging soon.
Now would be a good time to start a compost bin for your spring cleanup, summer lawn clippings, and fall leaves. It can be a simple wire circle cage made from chicken wire or hardware mesh.

3. Refresh your home exterior.
Flaking and peeling paint not only looks bad, but it implies the general condition of the home. If the paint is fresh looking, it signals that the house is cared for properly. If your house is older than 1978, it could contain lead paint. Extra care should be taken if you suspect lead paint. Consult your local health department or a contractor who is familiar with the new EPA regulations for handling lead paint. If the house was built after 1978 it should be safe to scrape and repaint. To paint doors and windows, remove storm windows and doors, caulk as needed and paint. It also makes it easier to clean the outside of the windows.

Taking the time to assure that your house looks as good as possible will make your house sell faster and at the highest price possible. If you aren’t moving it will pay off in enjoyment of a good looking home. If you are a home buyer, these are items to consider in deciding on what you are willing to pay for a house. If these things need attention, you can request that the seller perform the work before closing, as part of the purchase agreement, or buy with the value of the work taken as a discount in the price.
Enjoy the outdoors while the weather is wonderful.
This post was published in the Harper County Herald, and is re-published with permission.