Don’t Drench Your Home Sale by Ignoring Plumbing Issues

By Ruben Gonzalez Jr.

Prudential California Realty (DBA)

A plumbing checkup should be among your top priorities when preparing your home for sale. Your buying prospects might flush toilets, turns on faucets and inspect the shower heads, while more seasoned “experts” will look under the cabinets for leaks and check for water spots around key areas. The last thing you want is to drench a buyer’s enthusiasm because you didn’t fix a simple plumbing issue.

Major plumbing renovations may be huge selling points, but many homeowners can get as much credit by simply fixing leaks and changing out a few faucets. If you can’t make repairs yourself invest in a reputable plumber.

Before allowing prospective buyers into your home, make sure you have strong water pressure and that there are no stains on any of the porcelain. Hire a local housecleaning company to remove difficult stains. 

If you do nothing else, take care of any leaks in your plumbing system, as these will be instant deterrents for buyers. Check as much of your plumbing as possible for corrosion or rust. If your house has more than one story, a smart buyer will look at ceilings for water stains from leaking pipes. Make sure to paint the ceiling following repairs.

Prospective homeowners tend to focus on places where they can use their hands, so make sure that all the hot and cold water knobs are easy to turn, and that the faucets do not leak. Also ensure that sinks and tubs drain easily.

Finally, updated fixtures catch the eye of prospective buyers. A relatively small investment for new faucets can pay off when prospects walk through.

No buyer wants problems. Take care of simple plumbing issues and keep your sale from going down the drain.

Ruben Gonzalez can be reached at (562) 507-0754 or Email me.

 Prudential (dba) is an independently owned and operated broker member of BRER Affiliates Inc. Prudential, the Prudential logo and the Rock symbol are registered service marks of Prudential Financial, Inc. and its related entities, registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. Used under license with no other affiliation with Prudential. Equal Housing Opportunity.