Sellers Can Avoid Top 7 Home Inspector Complaints in Portland Oregon
What could be better for sellers in this market than selling? Nothing! Keeping your deal together is incredibly important. Like it or not, buyers control transactions when it comes to Portland Oregon real estate. One of the ways they control the deal and potentially leverage a lower sale price is to nit-pick details brought up during home inspection. So, how about a few tips to help minimize the list of piddly concerns that buyer’s inspector will inevitably bring up?!
After being on hundreds of inspections Stefan McGuire from A-Team Home Inspections shared with me a list of seven incredibly common problem areas:
1. Vegetation – To help deter wood rot and/or insect infestations keep vegetation 12″ away from structure. Soil should be sloped away from the house and not be any closer than 6″ below start of siding material.
2. Exterior Paint & Caulking – Keeping surfaces sealing with caulk and painted helps minimize moisture damage and water intrusion. Pay particular attention to bottom edges of wood siding near the ground as this is a leading cause of failure due to Portland’s wet climate. This is often completely overlooked by painters and the first areas to show rot.
3. Crawlspace vents- Eliminate possible entry of rodents and your neighbor’s cat. Check foundation vent screens for looseness and around protrusions from air conditioning lines, cable TV, etc. for holes larger than 1/4″. Animals love to make tear down floor insulation, shred duct work and then die under your house.
4. Roof Repairs- Missing shingles generally result after heavy winds. 3 tab roofing is much more subject to damage than architectural styles. If roof is visible from the street missing shingles can be very eye catching, showing that the owner may not pay attention to detail. Even though initial damage doesn’t necessarily cause a noticeable leak problems may surface down the road and result in underlayment (roof plywood) or interior Sheetrock damage.
5. Gutter and Valley Cleaning – Treed neighborhoods in Lake Oswego, Forest Heights and others will product gutters clogging material on a regular basis, especially during fall leaf shedding periods. Pain in the neck that it is keeping debris out and rain water flowing freely really limits damage to rafter tails, facial, and house trim in general. Roof valleys are notorious for pine needle buildup which causes water to wick up under shingles and cause leaks.
6. Hot Water Tank Connections- Comes up on almost every inspection. Small leaks occur at the galvanized supply line connections and water soaks into a tank’s insulation. Potentially this causes irreparable damage long before drips appear below the heater. Consider replacing galvanized fittings (pipe nipples) with brass to minimize chances of a disastrous water heater blow out while you’re out on vacation.
7. Exterior Faucets – Properly winterizing exterior hose bibs/faucet relieves pressure and limits chances of pipe breakage. Many home sales happen during winter months and inspectors will test these faucets looking for leaks and correct shut off valving. Shut off valves are often under kitchen sinks, bathroom or utility sink and on garage walls. Closing these and opening exterior faucets to drain the line can save a lot on the plumbing bill.
Check out more seller tips, search all homes for sale in Portland and find Portland neighborhood information at www.maxwellsinclair.com
