When the time comes to sell your home, looking around and wondering where your best investments lie in terms of what to replace, what to fix and what to leave be is always a dilemma. With the housing market finally turning around, more and more of us are considering placing the sign in the yard and putting our houses up for sale . But how do we know what will give us the most bang for our buck? What repairs can turn a showing into an offer? Does anyone know the best response to “what to do before selling a house?”
While there are no true hard and fast answers, other than the usual inexpensive options (paint, clean, basic landscaping, and then clean some more), there is one area where you can save big dollars while increasing the attractiveness of your home to potential buyers. Windows that leak or have wood rot are a turn off to anyone considering purchasing your home. Buyers will perceive those as costly repairs, and often are hesitant to make an offer if they have concerns about the sellers’ willingness to fix that problem.
“I don’t do windows” is not the answer they will want to hear. (Is it ever?)
If you have issues with your windows, the answer to “What to do before selling a house?” is simple: repair, don’t replace those windows prior to putting your house on the market. You can decrease your cost significantly while increasing your home’s value and appeal. And by doing so, you’ll head off that question before it ever becomes a concern.
Fenster Components carries replacements parts for nearly 20 window brands, even those whose manufacturers are no longer in business. Whether you’re a do-it-yourselfer, or have a trusted contractor at your side, using our quality products can return your windows to their original beauty at a fraction of the cost of replacement. Give your windows a second life and your house a second showing by contacting us about window repair.
Work smarter. Work faster. Save money. Questions? Contact us via email or at 1.855.533.6872.
WE had caradco windows ,custom replacementwindows, they are wood on the inside and aluminum on the outside. One of the window seals must have let loose because between the glass moisture has seeped in. the window panel looks dirty and there is nothing I can do about. Can it be fixed or replaced? I would like to talk to someone about it.
Seal failure is a common problem for any brand of window. Much like any manufactured product, insulated glass has a life span. Visible moisture or fog builds up over time between the panes of glass and doesn’t go away. Seal failure shouldn’t be confused with periodic moisture found on the inside surface of the window due to interior humidity. The mis-conception is there is a vacuum seal between the panes. The space is merely dead air space. Over time the butyl rubber around the perimeter dries up and cracks breaking the thermal barrier allowing the dead air space to absorb the moisture in the air. Several factors can contribute to the life-span of an IG unit. Exposure to the sun and harsh weather can shorten the life. You might find, windows on the south or west side of your home fail quicker than those on shaded, cooler sides of the house. Changes in temperature can also play a factor. Different parts of the country experience different success/failure rates due to extreme fluctuations in seasons. Defects in the product can certainly cause a failure, but this would more than likely show up soon after the window is installed. The industry standard for IG life has been approximately 10 years. Many would argue and that’s fine. Some great advancements have been made in window technology that we embrace, but we also believe in reality, not sales pitch warranties. Every material, especially exterior, has its limitations affected by uncontrolled factors. The 25 year warranty doesn’t always relate the life span of the materials it covers.
Window repair seems to be a good way to sell your home faster, especially if you have really old wood windows. I thought that you made a very good point by saying that simple repairs on your windows can go a long way to put your house on the market. Repairing your windows seems to be a good way to affordably increase your home value and make your house more appealing to potential home buyers.