Home Maintenance Tasks You Should Never Put Off

by Lori Madden 10/18/2020

Even if you love your home and never plan to leave it, there may come a point when you need to put it on the market. The home maintenance tasks you tackle today have a direct impact on your home’s value tomorrow. If you want to protect the value of your home, these are the home maintenance tasks you shouldn't put off.

Keep the Roof in Good Repair

A roof can make or break a home sale. Most roofs will last 20 to 25 years. If yours is nearing the end of that lifespan or is showing signs of distress, start planning for a replacement. Similarly, if you’ve had a storm recently, have the roof inspected, and tap into your insurance coverage for a new roof if needed.

Maintain Your HVAC

Your HVAC system may not be the most attractive part of your home, but it’s one of the most important for your home’s comfort. Keep up with routine maintenance, including filter replacement, air duct cleaning, and yearly maintenance inspections. This will help you get the best possible life out of your system, while also ensuring you can list the home with all of its components when you’re ready to sell.

Freshen the Paint

Not only does a fresh coat of paint make your home look great, but it also helps protect the woodwork in your home from damage due to everyday life. Buy quality paint when you paint, and try to keep up with the current trends while also reflecting your own style. This will keep your home looking attractive while also protecting its value. Keep the interior and exterior painted whenever necessary.

Protect and Cultivate Your Landscaping

A beautiful home with an unkempt yard is going to be worth less than a standard home with a beautiful yard. Your landscaping doesn’t need to be extravagant, but you should spend some time each year keeping it looking its best. This will increase your property’s perceived value down the road.

Appliance Care and Upgrades

Your appliances are something you rely on every day to keep things functioning well in your home. Keep up with their maintenance, and upgrade as needed, to give your home the best possible value. You will need good, working appliances in your home to keep things running smoothly, and potential buyers down the road will appreciate these items as well.

Maintaining your home makes it more enjoyable to live in, and it also makes it more appealing to potential buyers down the road.

Home Maintenance Checklist

Home Maintenance

Home Repair

About the Author

Lori Madden

As a Florida native growing up in Sarasota, I have seen my hometown grow from a sleepy coastal town to a highly sought-after destination along the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. After working in Chicago for 5 years, I returned to Sarasota and saw it through a new lens and really began to appreciate what makes Sarasota so desirable, including temperatures that allow for year round outdoor activities including tennis (a personal favorite), golf, boating, kayaking, fishing, paddle boarding, or just relaxing and/or shelling on our pristine sandy shores, including Dr. Beach’s #1 beach in the United States for 2017, Siesta Key! Sarasota’s cultural amenities are many and diverse, appealing to a wide range of arts lovers. Downtown Sarasota has become a destination in itself, drawing many new developments for those who want to be within walking distance of Main Street's offerings and the picturesque bayfront and marina. Foodies will find an eclectic mix of locally owned and operated restaurants offering something for everyone, and there are now Farmers Markets every day of the week in various locations throughout Sarasota, but the Saturday morning Farmers Market in downtown Sarasota draws the biggest crowds. Since 1988, my passion has been selling real estate, representing both buyers and sellers. I have been recognized by my clients and customers for an uncompromising work ethic and dedication to helping them achieve their real estate goals. Relying on my experience as a real estate paralegal and being highly organized, I am able to help make the transition between contract and closing a smooth one for my clients. With an eye for interior and landscape design, I've been known to pitch in and help Sellers minimize and/or reorganize their belongings in order to stage their home to maximize its sale potential. I specialize in out of state buyers looking for their piece of paradise along the Gulf Coast and make it a priority to keep them up to date on our quickly changing local real estate market. I welcome the opportunity to share with you all Sarasota and her surrounding islands have to offer!