Considering selling your Escondido property this spring?  Now’s a good time to complete some spring maintenance to make sure your home is in tip-top shape.   Even if you aren’t planning to sell your Escondido home, you should still add these chores to your list to help preserve your home’s value and help avoid major repairs later on.

Check the outside of your Escondido Property

Look for any damage caused by winter’s weather. Check for those sagging or loose gutters.  Over the fall and winter, leaves, dirt and debris may have accumulated in your gutters.  Check your gutters for clogging and damage and schedule an appointment for cleaning. Check the condition of your stucco, clean or patch if necessary.  Check the eaves and patio cover for dry rot.  Promptly schedule repairs for those items you can’t do yourself.

Walk around your yard as if you were a first-time visitor. What impression does your Escondido real estate make?  Loosen the soil around perennials, plant annuals or a vegetable garden. Prune shrubs and trees.  Fertilize you lawn and remove weeds from the flowerbeds.

If your sprinklers have been off for the winter, turn them back on. Test your automatic sprinkler system. Reset your timer.  Replace old washers or sprinkler heads.

Don’t forget the backyard! Is it time to condition your deck? Be sure to hammer in any loose nails, or replace them with galvanized deck screws. Replace any broken boards or rails. Consider renting a power washer to clean dirt and mildew from the wood, and then apply an all-weather sealer or stain. Then dust off that patio furniture you kept protected over the winter.

Repair any broken fence boards and paint or seal them as needed. Wash windows and screens.

Take a Tour Inside Your Escondido Home

Start making a list of things to do in each room. Then go to work. Dust walls and ceilings to remove cobwebs and wash any grimy areas. Wash window curtains or remove drapes for dry cleaning. Deep clean rugs and carpets. Dust and polish wood or laminate floors.  Make sure tile grout is clean.

Clean fan blades using mild soapy water. Check the central air-conditioning unit for debris and obstructions; vacuum the main condenser coil on top of the unit.

Make sure all exhaust fans and vents are clean and clear.  Don’t forget to remove the lint buildup from the clothes dryer vent.  Take strainers off the ends of all the lavatory faucets and clean them.

One often-overlooked area is the fireplace.  Be sure to sweep ashes carefully into a dustpan.  Have the flue professionally cleaned every few years. Look around for clutter. Are there items you don’t use any longer?  If you are planning on moving, what items will you not need? Consider having a garage sale and then either donate or trash the remaining items.

And lastly, don’t forget to replace batteries in smoke detectors and change air filters.  A good time to change them is when you change your clock for daylight savings.

Although performing these spring chores may be dreaded task, they go a long way in maintaining and even enhancing the attractiveness and quality Escondido your home.  With more buyers out and about, you must be sure your Escondido property is ready for its next new owner!

For more information read “100 Ways to Prepare Your Escondido Home for Sale.”

If  you are considering placing your Escondido home for sale, call Gary Harmon, you top Escondido Realtor.