12 Days of Christmas GMAT Competition - Day 4: Homeowners who budget

(C) Because the underestimation of home repair costs can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by leading to an accumulation of minor damages, homeowners can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value by properly budgeting for repairs.

Option C, as it correctly conveys the cause-and-effect relationship between underestimating home repair costs and the reduction in a property's market value.

Answer: (C)

(A): First part of sentence is okay, but wording for reason of depreciation is strange "by underestimation."
(B): Poor grammar all around, passive voice, weird use of possessive noun.
(C): Correct.
(D): Bad sentence structure and flow.
(E): Almost okay, but second clause uses passive/incorrect verb tense choice.

Homeowners who budget for repairs properly can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value, since the accumulation of minor damages can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by underestimation.

(A) Homeowners who budget for repairs properly can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value, since the accumulation of minor damages can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by underestimation. ~ No reference to the underestimation of the cost. It appears that the resident dwelling is underestimating it's own value.

(B) Their property’s monetary value is effectively preserved by homeowners through the proper budgeting for repairs that, when underestimated, can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by an accumulation of minor damages. Incorrect usage of pronoun their in the begining.

(C) Because the underestimation of home repair costs can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by leading to an accumulation of minor damages, homeowners can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value by properly budgeting for repairs. ~ Correct structure Because X, Y and meaning.

(D) The proper budgeting for repairs by homeowners, due to the fact that underestimation of home repair costs can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by the accumulation of minor damages, can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value. ~ Incorrect meaning.

(E) Because a residential dwelling’s overall market value is reduced through the accumulation of minor damages when the home repair costs are underestimated, homeowners properly budgeting for repairs can effectively preserve their monetary value. ~ Distort the meaning of the sentence.

IMO C.

Homeowners who budget for repairs properly can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value, since the accumulation of minor damages can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by underestimation.

(A) Homeowners who budget for repairs properly can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value, since the accumulation of minor damages can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by underestimation.
It is not clear that underestimation is cuz of budgeting less

(B) Their property’s monetary value is effectively preserved by homeowners through the proper budgeting for repairs that, when underestimated, can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by an accumulation of minor damages.
Their is creating awkwardness. Also it is not clear what is underestimated as budgeting cannot be underestimated but budget can be underestimated

(C) Because the underestimation of home repair costs can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by leading to an accumulation of minor damages, homeowners can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value by properly budgeting for repairs.
This option presents a clear cause-and-effect relationship, and it is more concise and direct in conveying the idea that proper budgeting for repairs helps homeowners preserve their property's monetary value.

(D) The proper budgeting for repairs by homeowners, due to the fact that underestimation of home repair costs can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by the accumulation of minor damages, can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value.
Due to the fact that is wordy and not required

(E) Because a residential dwelling’s overall market value is reduced through the accumulation of minor damages when the home repair costs are underestimated, homeowners properly budgeting for repairs can effectively preserve their monetary value.
Pronoun error- their is plural but dwelling is singular

Ans C

(A) Homeowners who budget for repairs properly can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value, since the accumulation of minor damages can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by underestimation.

The use of 'since' is incorrect. We should use Because. Eliminate.

(B) Their property’s monetary value is effectively preserved by homeowners through the proper budgeting for repairs that, when underestimated, can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by an accumulation of minor damages.

The opening part of the sentence is verbose. Also an essential part of the sentence is put between commas. Eliminate.

(C) Because the underestimation of home repair costs can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by leading to an accumulation of minor damages, homeowners can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value by properly budgeting for repairs.

Correct as it is. Conveys clear and logical meaning.

(D) The proper budgeting for repairs by homeowners, due to the fact that underestimation of home repair costs can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by the accumulation of minor damages, can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value.

Verbose. Also an essential part is enclosed in commas. We can eliminate D.

(E) Because a residential dwelling’s overall market value is reduced through the accumulation of minor damages when the home repair costs are underestimated, homeowners properly budgeting for repairs can effectively preserve their monetary value.

"budgeting " is grammatically incorrect here. Also, "when the home repair costs are underestimated" indicate only when repair costs are underestimated a reduction through the accumulation of minor damages occur. The meaning is nonsensical.

Eliminate.

IMO C

A: Homeowners who budget [...] - you instantly see a problem here: it should be "whose budget". "who budget" does not make sense
B: [...] budgeting for repairs that [...] can reduce a residential - this modifier means that that repairs that can reduce [...]. We have a meaning problem
C: Because the underestimation...,homeowners can effective - meaning problem. Because expresses the causation relation. but because of the underestimation, it does not lead to homeowner can preserve the value.
D: I have good feeling about this. It uses "due to" correctly and express clear meaning
E: Same as C. We can also spot a mistake at "homeowners properly budgeting", it should be "homeowners'"

Homeowners who budget for repairs properly can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value, since the accumulation of minor damages can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by underestimation.

(A) Homeowners who budget for repairs properly can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value, since the accumulation of minor damages can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by underestimation.
(B) Their property’s monetary value is effectively preserved by homeowners through the proper budgeting for repairs that, when underestimated, can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by an accumulation of minor damages.
(C) Because the underestimation of home repair costs can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by leading to an accumulation of minor damages, homeowners can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value by properly budgeting for repairs.
(D) The proper budgeting for repairs by homeowners, due to the fact that underestimation of home repair costs can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by the accumulation of minor damages, can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value.
(E) Because a residential dwelling’s overall market value is reduced through the accumulation of minor damages when the home repair costs are underestimated, homeowners properly budgeting for repairs can effectively preserve their monetary value.

Solution: So the intended meaning of original sentence is that the accumulation of minor damages when underestimated can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value and thus the homeowners who budget for repairs properly can preserve their property's value. The original underlined sentence conveys this intended meaning properly and is also grammatically correct. Let's check other options.

(A) Homeowners who budget for repairs properly can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value, since the accumulation of minor damages can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by underestimation.
Explanation: As discussed above, let's keep this option.


(B) Their property’s monetary value is effectively preserved by homeowners through the proper budgeting for repairs that, when underestimated, can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by an accumulation of minor damages.
Solution: This option distorts the intended meaning of the sentence as it says that the residential dwelling’s overall market value can be reduced if the budgeting for repairs in underestimated. INCORRECT


(C) Because the underestimation of home repair costs can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by leading to an accumulation of minor damages, homeowners can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value by properly budgeting for repairs.
Solution: This option distorts the intended meaning of the sentence. It says that the residential dwelling’s overall market value can be reduced by underestimation of home repair costs. INCORRECT


(D) The proper budgeting for repairs by homeowners, due to the fact that underestimation of home repair costs can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by the accumulation of minor damages, can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value.
Solution: Similar to option C this option also distorts the intended meaning in similar way. INCORRECT


(E) Because a residential dwelling’s overall market value is reduced through the accumulation of minor damages when the home repair costs are underestimated, homeowners properly budgeting for repairs can effectively preserve their monetary value.
Solution: This option distorts the intended meaning of the sentence as it says that the residential dwelling’s overall market value is reduced through accumulation of minor damages. This implies that Accumulation of minor damages is a method to reduce a property's market value. INCORRECT

Option A is the right answer

A. Incorrect. The phrase “by underestimation” is ambiguous and does not clearly convey the intended meaning.

B. Incorrect. The phrase “when underestimated” is unclear and does not convey the intended meaning effectively. Also, the sentence structure is awkward and difficult to understand.

C. Correct. The cause-effect relationship is clear and unambiguous.

D. Incorrect. The phrase “due to the fact that” is wordy.

E. Incorrect. The phrase “when the home repair costs are underestimated” is unclear and does not convey the intended meaning effectively.
Answer C

reduce market value by X. Here X should be a value not "an accumulation of damages". e.g. market value reduce by 20%

(A) Homeowners who budget for repairs properly can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value, since the accumulation of minor damages can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by underestimation.
Correct. As explained above underestimation is kind of value

(B) Their property’s monetary value is effectively preserved by homeowners through the proper budgeting for repairs that, when underestimated, can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by an accumulation of minor damages.
market value can't be decreased by accumulation of damages. As explained in starting it has to has some value.

(C) Because the underestimation of home repair costs can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by leading to an accumulation of minor damages, homeowners can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value by properly budgeting for repairs.
Same issue as (b)

(D) The proper budgeting for repairs by homeowners, due to the fact that underestimation of home repair costs can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by the accumulation of minor damages, can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value.
Similar to (B) reason d is out

(E) Because a residential dwelling’s overall market value is reduced through the accumulation of minor damages when the home repair costs are underestimated, homeowners properly budgeting for repairs can effectively preserve their monetary value.
reduced through means accumulation of damage was the medium to reduce property value.

So answer is (A)

C.
Only option that gives concise and correct meaning

Posted from my mobile device

(A) Homeowners who budget for repairs properly can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value, since the accumulation of minor damages can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by underestimation. => misplacement of "properly" here, confusing => OUT
(B) Their property’s monetary value is effectively preserved by homeowners through the proper budgeting for repairs that, when underestimated, can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by an accumulation of minor damages. => Pronoun their should refer to subject already mention, confusing + distortion of meaning here: The accumulation of damages can reduce market value of dwelling not proper budgeting as suggested by this choice. => OUT
(C) Because the underestimation of home repair costs can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by leading to an accumulation of minor damages, homeowners can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value by properly budgeting for repairs. => Change of meaning: It's not the underestimation of home repair that leads to an accumulation of damages => OUT
(D) The proper budgeting for repairs by homeowners, due to the fact that underestimation of home repair costs can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by the accumulation of minor damages, can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value. => seems legit
(E) Because a residential dwelling’s overall market value is reduced through the accumulation of minor damages when the home repair costs are underestimated, homeowners properly budgeting for repairs can effectively preserve their monetary value. => "budgeting" here is a noun and is incorrectly modify by and adverb "properly" => OUT

so Answer D

(A) Homeowners who budget for repairs properly can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value, since the accumulation of minor damages can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by underestimation.
-- Looks ok

(B) Their property’s monetary value is effectively preserved by homeowners through the proper budgeting for repairs that, when underestimated, can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by an accumulation of minor damages.
-- Unnecessary Passive note and incorrect structure

(C) Because the underestimation of home repair costs can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by leading to an accumulation of minor damages, homeowners can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value by properly budgeting for repairs.
-- This is reverse logic as if the underestimation is causing the property to lose value

(D) The proper budgeting for repairs by homeowners, due to the fact that underestimation of home repair costs can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by the accumulation of minor damages, can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value.
-- unnecessary wordy option. Also it incorrectly suggests that 'the budgeting can effective preserve....'

(E) Because a residential dwelling’s overall market value is reduced through the accumulation of minor damages when the home repair costs are underestimated, homeowners properly budgeting for repairs can effectively preserve their monetary value.
-- improper structure and antecedent references.

Option A

Answer: E

(A) Homeowners who budget for repairs properly can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value, since the accumulation of minor damages can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by underestimation.
(B) Their property’s monetary value is effectively preserved by homeowners through the proper budgeting for repairs that, when underestimated, can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by an accumulation of minor damages.
(C) Because the underestimation of home repair costs can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by leading to an accumulation of minor damages, homeowners can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value by properly budgeting for repairs.
(D) The proper budgeting for repairs by homeowners, due to the fact that underestimation of home repair costs can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by the accumulation of minor damages, can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value.
(E) Because a residential dwelling’s overall market value is reduced through the accumulation of minor damages when the home repair costs are underestimated, homeowners properly budgeting for repairs can effectively preserve their monetary value.

(A) Homeowners who budget for repairs properly can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value, since the accumulation of minor damages can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by underestimation. Correct
(B) Their property’s monetary value is effectively preserved by homeowners through the proper budgeting for repairs that, when underestimated, can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by an accumulation of minor damages. repair cannot reduce value
(C) Because the underestimation of home repair costs can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by leading to an accumulation of minor damages, homeowners can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value by properly budgeting for repairs. how can underestimation lead to accumulation of damages
(D) The proper budgeting for repairs by homeowners, due to the fact that underestimation of home repair costs can reduce a residential dwelling’s overall market value by the accumulation of minor damages, can effectively preserve their property’s monetary value. how can the fact cause the homeowner budgeting to preserve the value
(E) Because a residential dwelling’s overall market value is reduced through the accumulation of minor damages when the home repair costs are underestimated, homeowners properly budgeting for repairs can effectively preserve their monetary value.by properly budgeting has been changed to modify homeowners

Ans A