Friday, September 07, 2012 2:10 PM

If you were looking to buy a very expensive second hand car, would you want to know it’s history and expect to have a comprehensive instruction manual? I would think so! So why when we are looking to buy a new home why don’t we have a similar service history & operations manual about the house? At Kellands we have been discussing this as a way to add value and desirability to your home.

If you are anything like me, the warranties for your home, the list of suppliers, the service people that you use and the history of the house are located in different parts of your home in various draws or cupboards or in your brain!

So where do you start? Obviously there is a lot of compiling of records and information like warranties etc. into a book, or scan to a disc as a start. There are some stationery companies that provide suitable books or filing boxes for this if you wish. Write down all the service people who you use, the window cleaner, the swimming pool person, the garden maintenance people etc. Ask tradesmen to supply a list of the work that they have completed for you during the time that you have owned the house.

Write your history of the home; include things like the date you purchased the house, when you did alterations, what the house was like before you completed the work, the layout changes that you may have made and the paint colours that you have used.  If you have a very old home and you know some of the past history of previous owners, include this in your home manual, new purchasers love knowing the past history.

One of the new services that we have recently heard about is a company that provides a long-term maintenance schedule for a home; we think this a great idea for busy professionals. They will compile all of your documentation on the house, write a report on what maintenance needs to be done now and in the near future, work required to maintain existing warranties, and provide a schedule of works and estimation on price for this to be done. When the time comes to sell you home, this service and maintenance record is a highly valuable for assuring purchasers of the integrity of your home. It also takes the hassle out of arranging a number of different tradespeople, and you have the assurance that your home is being kept totally maintained. When it’s time to sell, you will always be ‘market ready”.