What a “Move-in Ready” Home Means and What You Should Expect to See

Although many home buyers might assume that “move-in ready” means updated and new, it really is more of a literal term than that. Truthfully, a move-in ready home means that it shouldn’t require any work that would prevent a buyer from occupying the home immediately — so a renovated kitchen with stainless steel appliances is definitely not a guarantee. However, as news site SFGate writes, there are a few amenities that you can expect to see from a move-in ready home, and we’ve listed them out for you below!

Electrical and Plumbing

Having a love affair with a home is great, but we don’t want sparks to fly. The electrical work, including outlets and switches, need to be up to date. Otherwise, they can be viewed as a hazard and not move-in ready.

Roof, Windows, and Siding

When buying a home, the roof should still have a substantial life span, and shouldn’t require updating for at least a few years.

As for the windows and siding, anything warped or damaged should be replaced prior to buying the home. An indoor pool is definitely a cool feature, but indoor puddles… not so much.

Heating and Cooling Systems

HVAC, furnace, and water heater should also be good to go for a few more years. Otherwise, referring to the home as “move-in ready” is a bit of a stretch. However, if you have a skilled agent these issues can be negotiated with the seller.

Kitchen

Function over form is what matters most in the heart of the home. Marble countertops and stainless steel appliances (although oh-so desirable!) are not required features to earn the “move-in ready” title. Working appliances, faucets, lighting, and outlets are what make a kitchen A-OK.

Bathrooms

Check for good water pressure, flushing toilets, and unclogged drains. Check, check, and check? You have a move-in ready bathroom! And if the bathroom doesn’t have a window, make sure there is a working exhaust fan venting to the home exterior — not the attic or crawl space.

Flooring

If you’re dealing with carpet, it should be clean and undamaged. As for hardwood floors, if you see any warping or buckling, ask the inspector what might be the cause.

Paint

Freshly painted walls will definitely make a home more desirable — and an easy facelift to draw in higher offers — but aren’t necessary for it to be move-in ready. Remember, paint and carpet are easy ways to make a home your own. You may not like what the previous owners chose, but that doesn’t mean it’s not move-in ready.

If you want to know more about what makes a home move-in ready, or what concessions to ask for when putting an offer in, our buyer specialists are here to help! Give us a call at 562.270.1775 or contact us here.

At The Oriana Shea Group, you will find a wide variety of useful tools and resources designed to help you with the home-buying and selling process. From information on the region’s different communities to advice on the home-buying process to a free comparative market analysis on your home, it’s all available here on our website. Our full-time agents serve Long Beach, Seal Beach, Lakewood, Rossmoor, Los Alamitos, Huntington Beach and the surrounding areas.

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Article Source: SFGate via Realtor.com