Home Safety & Security Upgrades for Selling Homes

If you’re looking for a new home, don’t neglect to consider the safety and security aspects of your home purchase. If you’re selling a home, adding safety and security systems to your existing home can help you compete in the very competitive real estate market in the Minneapolis St. Paul area.

Our REMAX agents have seen an increase in the concern of homebuyers and sellers alike in safety and security features of homes. Some of these features include:

• Fire Protection – An adequate number of smoke detectors, preferably hard wired into a home’s electrical system and with battery backup, is the most important safety feature in any home. Requirements vary from community to community and may also vary with the age of the home, but making sure that the proper smoke detection equipment is installed is important for homebuyers and sellers alike. In addition, proper egress options from basement areas and fire extinguishers in some parts of the home are important, and can even reduce homeowner’s insurance costs. In newly constructed homes, the addition of fire sprinkler systems is becoming a very popular option. Sellers who add this equipment are helping themselves to a faster sale, and buyers should insist that proper fire protection equipment is in place.
• Electrical Safety – An adequate electrical service and proper wiring are essentials in any home. Some of the Minneapolis St. Paul area’s older homes may have outdated electrical systems and a smaller service that doesn’t supply adequate electrical power. This can lead to overloaded circuits and the risk of fires. Smart sellers upgrade their electrical systems to modern capacities and standards, and buyers often insist on these upgrades as contingencies in their offers. In some cases, homeowner’s insurance companies will not issue policies on older homes that haven’t been upgraded. In addition, ground fault interrupter circuits should be in place and operating properly in kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms. These will be tested during inspections.
• Carbon Monoxide Safety – Since most Minnesota homes are heated with gas furnaces, proper carbon monoxide detectors are a must to protect families from this toxic gas. In addition, furnaces need to be carefully inspected with the proper equipment to make sure they are functioning correctly. Home inspections will check this carefully, and sellers should make sure these requirements are up to standard before putting their home on the market.
• Basement Safety – Most Minnesota homes have basements. Often, these basements are finished and are part of the living area of the home. If residents or guests sleep in a basement, it must have a proper egress system to allow escape in the case of fire. Unfortunately, not every home has adequate egress. Buyers should inquire about basement egress, and sellers can help ensure a faster sale if proper egress windows or other egress options are installed. Basement bedrooms cannot be listed as bedrooms unless proper egress is available. That can mean a reduced price realized for the home, since buyers insist on this crucial safety measure. Adding a legal egress window system to a finished basement can result in a home that is more salable and that commands a higher price.
• Security Systems – A properly installed security system for any home is an asset that helps make that home more marketable. Today, security systems with remote monitoring can be installed at very reasonable cost, and are a popular option for sellers to add. Since homeowner’s insurance is often discounted for security systems, such systems are very popular with buyers as well. In addition, security measures such as deadbolts at all entrances, effective locks for windows, and adequate locks for sliding glass doors are also assets to any home, and are inexpensive options to add before putting a home on the market. With home security a growing concern, attention to these measures is important.

Upgrading Home Safety to Sell Your Home in Minneapolis St. Paul, MN

For both buyers and sellers, being informed about safety issues is a crucial aspect of buying or selling a home. If you’re selling a home, our licensed REMAX agents will let you know the benefits of providing adequate safety and security measures to the value and marketability of your home. For buyers, our agents will point out the safety and security features of homes we show you, and let you know about any deficiencies. Making a purchase contingent on these features can be a common requirement from buyers, since safety and security are important issues to most homebuyers here in MN.