If you plan on selling your home, there are a few details you should check into before you put your home on the market. One of those details is your electrical system. All too often, electrical issues prevent a home sale from occurring. You could be steps away from signing over the title of your home, but an electrical problem causes the seller to back out. Find out more about the issues that can make or break your home’s sale and learn how working with an electrician in Tampa can help.
What Issues Can Keep Your Home from Selling?
At first glance, your home might seem perfect for a prospective buyer. But when they find out more about your electrical system, the buyer could back out of the sale. Any one of the following issues could convince a potential buyer not to buy your home:
Aluminum Wiring
Decades ago, home electrical systems relied on aluminum wiring and other outdated technology. Unfortunately, older methods of wiring are associated with house fires. Builders made about two million homes with electrical wiring and some properties still have outdated materials hiding behind their walls.
In addition to the danger posed by outdated wiring, there’s an issue with logistics. Insurance companies hesitate to insure homes with old wiring because of the likelihood of a fire. If they choose to ensure the new homeowner, the insurance company could charge incredibly high rates.
Prospective buyers don’t often consider the wiring of a home on their first visit to a property. However, this doesn’t mean they won’t ever consider the wiring. Usually, outdated wiring becomes a problem after a home inspection. By this time, you and a buyer would have put time and effort into the selling process. The buyer could choose to walk away rather than spend money on upgrading the wiring in the home. That, or they may considerably lower their offer on your home.
Home is Wired to Receive 60-Amps
If you have an old home, it may only be wired to receive 60-amps. While that was enough amperage to support the electrical devices of the 70s and 80s, it’s not enough to handle the many devices we use today. In these days of computers, smart televisions, and Keurigs, homes need to have wiring able to handle 200-amps.
When prospective buyer finds out about this issue, they could hesitate to buy your home. If they don’t rewire the home, there’s no way it will handle their electrical load.
Two-Pronged Outlets
If you have two-pronged, or ungrounded outlets, they won’t work with today’s technology. With so many homes in the market that have the right outlets, buyers are quick to dismiss homes with two-pronged outlets.
There’s also a safety consideration with this issue. If you have ungrounded outlets in your home, there’s a risk of shock. Your outlet situation is both inconvenient and dangerous.
Lack of Outlets
People don’t want to use extension cords to power their electric appliances and devices. But, if you don’t have enough outlets in your home, that’s exactly what will happen. The extension cords are a hassle and also pose a fire danger.
Recalled or Missing Circuit Breaker Panels
If your home is properly wired, all of the wirings go through a circuit breaker panel. An old panel that’s been recalled or had DIY work done to it could stop your home from selling. No home will pass an inspection if there’s an issue with the circuit breaker.
Missing GFCIs
Outlets near water place you in danger of electric shock, unless they are GFCI outlets. When a GFCI outlet comes into contact with water, the electrical current is shut off and the risk of shock disappears. A buyer won’t be happy about a home with no GFCIs.
Failed Inspection
When you wait to get an electrical inspection at the last minute, you put the sale of your home in danger. There could be underlying electrical issues that prevent your home from selling. Therefore, it’s crucial to have an inspection before listing your home.
You can never be certain what a home inspection will turn up. In some cases, it reveals shoddy DIY work done by a former owner. For the sale of your home to be a success, you may need to scramble to repair the issue and bring your home up to code.
What Issues Can Help a Sale Along?
As much as your electrical system can ruin a home sale, it can help. If you make all the right moves, you can leave your home one of the most appealing ones in your neighborhood. With an electrician in FL, you can make the following changes to increase the chance of your home selling:
Install Copper Wiring
If you have an older home, replace the wiring with copper. Doing so comes at a cost, but it also helps your home sell for more money.
Smart Home Integration
Smart homes are all the rage! To make your home stand out, have an electrician in FL make your home a smart home. If you don’t plan on selling your home right away, you can enjoy the comfort that comes from smart home integration.
Consult with an Electrician
When you work side by side with an electrician, you can know that your electrical system won’t keep your home from selling. You can make improvements to improve the chance of your home selling or to raise the asking price of your home.
The Importance of Working with an Electrician in Tampa Before You List Your Home
One of the most stressful times in your life is selling and buying a home. When you put your home on the market, you have a significant amount of weight on your shoulders. Even when the economy or housing market is in your favor, you could struggle to sell your property.
Why put the sale of your home in jeopardy? To make the process smoother and less stressful, call us at Comfort All-Stars for an electrician in Tampa. We’re ready to get your home’s electrical system ready.
