Baker Home Solutions

A Pro Real Estate Tip: House Washing

Are you going to sell your home this year? 5 million other people are too. Want to stand out from the crowd?

Then remember this; your home’s exterior is the first impression. The first thing people see when they look at your home will leave a lasting mark. 

If the outside of your home is filthy, it will affect how potential buyers view the rest of your home. You may get fewer offers on your home simply because the outside is covered in grime.

If you haven’t had a proper house washing in over a decade, you’re going to have a harder time selling your home. 

You wouldn’t show up to a job interview or first date after running a marathon through the mud, would you? You’d probably shower, put on clean clothes, maybe even do your hair. How much more important is it when you are trying to sell your home for top dollar? 

Wondering how important it is to present your home properly? Want to know what the benefits of house washing your home are? Keep reading.

You need to know this before putting a sign in your yard.

How Does Power Washing Work?

Over the years the outside of your home collects dust, dirt, moisture, mildew, and mold. This turns into a layer of muck that can cover your siding, roof, trim, deck, and even driveways and sidewalks. 

These substances can eventually cause damage to your home, requiring expensive repairs if not cleaned regularly. Plus, it’s simply unpleasant to look at.

The process is gradual. It usually takes a few years to really notice buildup. But once you notice it, it’s really hard to clean without a power washer.

Powerwashing is the process of removing these contaminants with high-pressured water. The water pressure is high enough to remove this debris but not so high that it causes damage (if performed by a professional).

The hose needs to be within a few feet of the surface being cleaned. For taller homes, this requires the use of ladders and proper safety skills. 

If you are considering selling your home soon, the question remains; should I power wash my home before selling it?

Benefits of Professional House Washing

There are many reasons to power wash your home. For starters, you will be blown away by how different your home looks. You’ve gotten used to the dirt and grime.

But when you see it cleaned for the first time in years (or ever), you might not recognize it. It will look like a new home.

On top of that, it will extend the lifespan of your home’s materials. A buildup of dirt and other particles over years can often lead to organic growth; think mold, mildew, and moss.

Over time, these pesky substances cause damage to siding, trim, roof shingles, and more. It’s much easier and more affordable to wash your home on a regular basis and keep unwanted growth at bay.

Power Washing as a Real Estate Strategy

Washing your home is one of many easy real estate strategies. If you are considering selling your home, you are probably wondering how to ensure you make the most money, right? There are two different things to focus on:
  1. &nbsp Increasing the value of your home
  2. &nbsp Increasing the perceived value of your home
To increase the value of your home, you could remodel a kitchen or bathroom, or upgrade your roof, for example. Those are very large projects, but definitely worth it. Though they take much longer and cost more. The easy thing for homeowners to do is to increase the perceived value of their homes. Things like power washing the outside of your home, for example, don’t make your home worth more money. But potential buyers will see a clean, well-kept home. They will see a home that they are happy to come home to each day. This perception boost will make it more likely for people to make an offer on your home at the price you are asking for.

Other Easy Ways to Increase Curb Appeal

When trying to sell your home, the best thing you can do is find easy ways to appeal to potential buyers. People like to buy clean things. Nobody goes into a store looking for the filthiest, most beat-up product they can find, right?

When people are about to make the biggest purchase of their lives, they want to ensure they are getting something valuable. It’s hard to feel good about a home purchase when the fence is dilapidated, the roof is covered in moss, and everything has a layer of dirt on it.

Other than power washing your home, there are a few other easy ways to boost curb appeal and to appeal to buyers emotionally. For example, you can have the roof cleaned.

Roofs are often filthy. Savvy buyers look closely at the roof knowing that a bad roof could cost them a lot of money. Put their mind at ease by having your roof cleaned, especially if you have tall trees near your house. 

You can also have your deck professionally cleaned. If it hasn’t been treated recently, you can have it restained and looking new in no time.

On top of those, we can also clean your sidewalk and pool decks, along with repainting or staining fences, gazebos, and other structures. The cleaner and fresher the outside of your home looks and feels, the faster you will get offers on your home.

Sell Fast for Peace of Mind

Since house washing, and the other services mentioned above, are affordable and don’t require any work on your part (so long as you hire someone to do it), it’s a no brainer. The small amount of money you spend will be far worth it when you sell your house fast.

Nobody wants their home sitting on the market for months and months. But that’s exactly what happens to so many people who don’t simply clean up the outside of their homes.

For Maryland residents in Charles, St. Mary’s, Prince George, Calvert, and King George counties, contact us today about getting your home freshened up and ready for the next owners.