New Year's Resolutions For Your Home

Home improvement is one of the most popular New Year's Resolutions, and like most resolutions, you won't get very far if you don't have a plan. As home inspectors, we have a unique view of people's homes, ostensibly when they're trying to put their best foot forward. Whether or not you're planning a home sale in 2021, we put together some resolutions for your home. Oddly enough, they work pretty well for other areas of your life, too.

1. Declutter

Piles of stuff up against more piles of stuff is never a good idea. First, it's a fire hazard.

Second, guess who is probably living behind that pile of stuff?

Third, if your home is on the market and it looks like this, not only will you turn off buyers, but your home inspector can't reach important stuff like the panel box, attic access, etc, and that could screw up your contract.

2. Go Green

Energy efficiency is among the top priorities for today's homebuyers. If you haven't yet ditched the incandescent bulbs, you're wasting money and increasing your footprint unnecessarily. Upgrades like energy efficient windows, spray foam insulation, and newer, more efficient appliances are worth it. (Also, 1995 called. It wants its light fixture back.)

3. Deal with problems head on.

Nobody ever solved anything by sweeping it under the rug. Or in this case the pile of rags. On the left you can see the strategically placed pile, on the right the cracked tile that likely indicates foundation movement. Just because you can't see it doesn't mean it's not there, and probably getting worse.

4. Purge Toxicity

If you have a pest infestation, don't just buy traps and forget about it! You have to keep working till the problem is gone. (Also, clear your traps when your house is on the market, because YUCK.)

If your vents look like this, stop looking away! You are breathing this crap! As with life, problems that are allowed to fester unchecked can become toxic.