Back to School for your Portland Home

Here’s a quick quiz: What’s an R-value? What are the symptoms of mold? Is your Portland real estate agent required to disclose information about toxic lead paint?

There’s a lot to learn about being a Portland home buyer or seller, and there’s a lot to learn about your home before you put it on the market. Luckily, you don’t have to take any tests, but your home should! Here are some common tests and audits that will make your home more buyer-friendly.

The test: Mold and mildew investigation
Required to sell home? No, but standard home inspection will pick up major signs of mold or water damage
Why test?
Mold and mildew tests are common after a water damage event in a home, but in these rainy Portland winters, water may be intruding on your home without you even knowing it. If you have allergy-like symptoms or see discoloration on your walls or ceilings, mold and mildew may be your culprits.

A mold or mildew problem in your Portland home could put a stain on its value, so if that test does come back positive, it’s important to take care of it before calling your Portland real estate agent to list your home on the market.
How to test?A professional mold investigator. They should have some verifiable training and references and use an accredited laboratory to test the samples they take from your home.

The test: Lead in Paint
Required to sell home? No, but buyer can request
Why test?
Portland may be an environmentally conscious place today, but before 1978, builders were using lead-based paint here just as they were in homes across the country. Lead-based paint can cause some serious health problems to those who come in contact with it. Home sellers and their real estate agents are mandated by the EPA to share information about lead paint with home buyers.

If your home has lead-based paint that is chipping or peeling, it would be a good idea to repaint before putting it up on the market. When lead paint is involved, it’s important to learn how to protect yourself and your home, or hire a contractor trained in dealing with this hazard.
How to test? Home lead test kits are available, or a professional lead inspector can go over your home surface-by-surface and advise on remediation.

The test: Home energy audit
Required to sell home? No
Why test?
Although Portland has a pretty mild climate year-round, there are some pretty cold days in winter and definitely some hot ones in summer. Energy bills can skyrocket in an inefficient home. A home energy audit looks at everything from insulation to appliances and helps you figure out where you’re losing heat and/or cool air.

Portland home buyers are looking for efficient homes, so installing energy-saving features or fixing up sources of major drafts can really boost your home’s value.
How to test?
A professional can perform a home energy audit, or do it yourself with this guide from the Department of Energy.

Those are just a few of the tests to consider when preparing your Portland home for market or for a buyer to consider when purchasing a Portland home. Be sure to ask your Portland real estate agent what tests are best for your home!