Now more than ever people are looking for ways to upgrade their homes to make them more appealing to potential buyers. In most parts of the country, you can take a five-minute drive around your neighborhood and easily find half a dozen homes up for sale. In such a competitive market, the few people who are buying homes are looking for the best deal and are not afraid to be picky, especially if they know a home has been on the market for a long time. Not only do they want the stereotypical big yard and two-car garage, but they also want a home that they will feel safe in and where they don’t have to worry about making costly repairs in the near future.
One of the best ways to upgrade your house is by waterproofing your basement. With more and more homeowners turning their basements into family areas, home gyms and media rooms, the thought that water damage could ruin their hard work or keep them from updating their home could be a major deal breaker. If your home is not already waterproofed, it may also be likely that potential buyers will want to make the procedure your priority before the closing date.
Vincent Boccia of Boccia Inc, an expert waterproofing and masonry company that has been serving the New York area for years, has seen waterproofing become a major selling point in a home. Within the past few years, Boccia says that he has found people to be less tolerant of water in their basements. Maybe 10 or 20 years ago, they didn’t mind as much because basements were not a high-traffic area. But now they expect that when they move in to a new home, the waterproofing has already been done.
The water damage associated with not properly protecting your basement is another warning to potential buyers. Where there is water damage, there is also the possibility of rotting wood and mold. While mold can be removed and walls can be replaced, a buyer may opt to purchase a home other than yours because it’s one that they can move right into, without having to worry about the potential health risks associated with mold.
Also, even if your unwaterproofed home passes your home inspection, Boccia warns that savvy homebuyers have called waterproofing specialists like him to take another walk-through of the home. Whereas the general inspector is looking at multiple aspects of the home, Boccia and his team are targeting specific areas such as windows, foundation cracks, drainage systems and gutter placement to look for build up, potential build up and damage.
Regardless of whether you plan on selling your home in the near future or not, Boccia suggests waterproofing your basement anyway. He says he has seen many sellers forced to waterproof right before closing when they could have benefited from the perks of a water-free basement themselves.
