The Pond Liner Repairs You Should Make When Selling Your Home—And the Ones You Should Skip

When you're selling your home, a pond can significantly increase your home's value, according to GardenSupermart. Fixing up a failing pond before selling your house, however, can be a costly proposition. It can be difficult to decide which pond repairs are worth investing in and which ones you should let the next homeowner deal with. If you're getting ready to sell a home that has a pond, here are some suggestions on what repairs to make—and which ones to skip.

Repair Major Cosmetic Detractors

A lot of a pond's value is in its aesthetics, so it's important to make sure your pond looks decent.

If there are any major cosmetic issues that detract from your pond's appearance, you should take care of them before listing your home. For instance, if the pond liner is visible around the base of plants, you should cover the visible portion of the liner with some fresh mulch. Additionally, if you have a bench near your pond and it's broken, either fix it or remove it before showing your home.

These are just a couple of examples of significant issues that prospective home buyers will notice. Any similar issues should also be addressed.

Let Minor Cosmetic Blemishes Go

Little cosmetic blemishes, however, don't need to be fixed. Your pond should look good, but it doesn't need to be impeccable. Prospective home buyers will only spend a few minutes looking at your pond, and anything they won't notice in those few minutes doesn't need to be fixed.

If you can't decide whether a cosmetic issue is small or big, invite a couple of friends over. Ask them to take a look at the pond and mention what they see. If they note the problem you're considering repairing, then it's noticeable enough to fix. If a few friends don't notice it, prospective home buyers likely won't, either.

Fix All Pond Liner Leaks

Any time pond liners are leaking, they need to be fixed. Even if you're planning on selling your home, you should fix any leaks in your liner because you don't know how long your house will be on the market. A small leak over several months can let out a lot of water.

There are two reasons why you should fix any and all pond liner leaks as soon as possible. First, you'll have to pay for water to replace the lost water. Second, the water that leaks out of the pond can soften the soil beneath and around the pond. If the soil becomes too soft, it could shift and destabilize your pond. If you need a completely new liner or tips for fixing your current one, contact a service like Billboard Tarps.

Don't Fix a Broken Heater

If your pond's heater is broken, you don't need to fix it. After all, prospective buyers won't be swimming in your pond, so the water temperature doesn't really matter. If it gets too cold for any fish or other animals that live in your pond, you can remove them, and the pond will still be beautiful.

Whoever buys your home will eventually learn about the broken heater from their home inspector, and they may ask for you to help cover the cost of fixing it. This is part of the negotiating process, though, and there's little reason to pay for the repair before listing your home.

If your home has a pond, take advantage of the pond's value when you sell your home without paying for unnecessary repairs. Focus on investing in repairs that are necessary to make your pond look good and remain stable. All other repairs, whether they're taking care of small blemishes, fixing a broken heater, or addressing something similar, can be delayed. 

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