It’s a seller’s market out there, so many homeowners are sprucing up their home and selling to take advantage of the opportunity. Whether you are selling your home soon or not, if your stucco is failing, it should be addressed. The longer you wait to remediate or replace faulty stucco, the bigger the problem becomes.
Initially great-looking, stucco is known to be prone to moisture intrusion. And once it begins—trouble multiplies.
While you could sell your home AS-IS, and disclose the faulty stucco, chances are that you’ll lose much more financially by going that route. Buyers want to walk into a home and know it is fully functioning. They don’t like to have to address issues, particularly costly ones. You’ll end up getting the most out of your home sale financially if you take the time to invest in the needed repairs so it’s in great shape for the next owners.
Here are some facts about stucco failure, how to address them before your home sale, and why.
When Stucco Fails
When stucco is installed incorrectly, it becomes vulnerable particularly around windows and doors. When water seeps in behind the surface—rot, decay, termite damage, and even structural issues may arise.
If you put your home on the market, buyers will have the stucco tested to be sure it is intact, so it is to your advantage to get it professionally assessed before putting it on the market, and then make an informed decision about what to do once you know its condition.
Here are some tests that can help you determine if your stucco is damaged or not, and uncover just how much intervention it needs to bring it up to speed again.
- Visual inspections for signs of moisture intrusion or rot
- Surface scanning to detect water issues
- Invasive testing where holes are drilled at the locations where damage is suspected, and a moisture detector is inserted to determine the amount of water intrusion
- Infrared cameras that scan for temperature differences within a stucco wall to determine the location of moisture damage (this can help the professionals know where to do more invasive testing on your home)
Why homeowners address the possibility of failing stucco before putting their home on the market
It’s smart to fully know the condition of the systems and major components of your home prior to putting it up for sale. Your home’s roof, structural integrity, plumbing, electrical systems, and siding should all be in good shape in order to get the most out of your home sale.
When investigating your siding’s condition, after having it tested and obtaining an estimate from a contractor, decide if fixing it will help you make more from the home sale. It likely will, and you’ll be glad you addressed it.
Here are some reasons homeowners tackle faulty stucco before listing their home:
- You can avoid the delays it will cause if you are already in the midst of a real estate transaction process, and stucco problems suddenly need to be addressed.
- You can sidestep the possibility of having a firm offer and then having the buyer back out during the inspection period due to the uncovering of stucco problems.
- You make your home more appealing to buyers when it’s fully functioning, and you’re more likely to get top dollar for it by dealing with stucco issues before it goes on the market.
- Presenting documentation of your recent repairs, remediation, or replacement of your stucco will be a good selling point for your home. Buyers will rest at ease knowing their new home’s siding is in optimal shape on the way in.
- Keep in mind that replacing siding offers a great return on investment (ROI) when your home sells.
- If your faulty stucco puts your home in the “fixer-upper” category in a buyer’s mind, it will drastically cut your profits. It’s important to note that buyers who are looking for a fixer-upper are usually only willing to do surface upgrades (like painting and new carpeting) and simple repairs. They aren’t typically interested in major projects like siding replacement.
- If you address your stucco issues before listing, you’ll avoid the possibility of dealing with a buyer who wants a major discount on your asking price due to your home’s condition. This request could even come after you’ve accepted an offer when the buyer has your home inspected. That would leave you in the position of either taking the hit financially or losing the buyer.
Get Reliable Solutions from Our Experienced Team
At Distinctive Homes, we take care of your home’s needs from start to finish. If you are in the planning stages of preparing to list your home, now is the perfect time to contact us. We can evaluate its needs and educate you on what it takes to fix your home’s problems.
Schedule a consultation today, and get peace of mind knowing exactly where your stucco stands, and what to do about it.