Gutters are the unsung heroes of real estate. They don’t earn the compliments a property’s gorgeous landscaping or the rustic tile selection of your shower will. But without them, a home’s structural integrity is at risk. Every day, 14,000 homeowners face water emergencies, while one in every 60 insured homeowners have filed claims due to water issues. Meanwhile, homeowners insurance companies pay out $2.5 billion in water damage losses every year. Gutters serve the critical role of pushing water where it needs to be: away from the home to avoid foundation erosion and roof leaks. “When I go out to appraise a property for a lender, they will almost never lend on a property that doesn’t have gutters and downspouts that are functional,” said Jerin Harper, a home appraiser in Oregon with a decade of experience. “In this instance, I would be required to provide a ‘cost-to-cure,’ which is an estimate to install or repair gutters and downspouts. The cost-to-cure figure can then be subtracted from the overall home value.” So, do gutters increase home value? Not exactly, because they’re like the tires of a car: buyers expect a property to have them in good working condition, or they’ll pay less for it. We’ll help you get your gutters up to speed with insights from top appraisers around the country who will demystify:
