Pre-Listing Home Maintenance Walkthrough

Walk the perimeter and look for curling, lifted, or missing shingles, exposed flashing at vents and chimneys, and any visible sag. Roof age is a top buyer-inspection issue; if the roof is 18+ years old, flag for the seller now so they can decide between credit, replacement, or pricing it in.

Clogged gutters and downspouts dumping water at the foundation are the most common cause of basement-moisture findings during buyer inspections. Confirm downspouts discharge at least four feet from the foundation.

Look for peeling paint, soft trim around windows, and rot at the base of siding. Touch-up paint and trim repair are the highest-ROI pre-listing fixes after decluttering — they directly drive curb-appeal photos.

Test boards for soft spots, check railings for wobble, and note any heaved or cracked concrete. Loose railings and uneven walkways are liability items during showings — fix or flag before the lockbox goes up.

Note any horizontal or stair-step cracks, efflorescence, or grade sloping toward the house. Material foundation findings must be disclosed on the seller's property disclosure — don't let the seller find out at buyer inspection.

Look under every ceiling-mounted fixture and around every plumbing wall. Old, painted-over stains still need disclosure if the seller knows the history — ask the seller about prior leaks rather than assuming a fresh coat of paint resolves the disclosure obligation.

Open and close every window and door. Stuck windows, failed double-pane seals (foggy glass between panes), and broken sash locks all show up on buyer inspection reports. Note which rooms have failed seals so the seller can decide whether to replace pre-list.

Note buckled hardwood (water-damage signal), worn carpet in main traffic lanes, and cracked or loose tile. Carpet cleaning or replacement in two high-traffic rooms is a common pre-listing recommendation that pays back in photos and showing feedback.

Re-caulking tubs and around vanities is a sub-$50 fix that dramatically improves photos and removes a buyer-inspection nag item. Note any soft floor at the toilet base — that's a subfloor-rot indicator and needs disclosure, not concealment.

A fresh filter is a buyer-confidence signal during inspection. Capture the filter size so the seller can keep up the cadence through the listing period.

Check the manufacturer label for the install year and look for rust at the tank base, corrosion on supply lines, and pan moisture. Tanks 10+ years old should be disclosed; tanks 12+ are likely buyer-inspection callouts that may show up as a repair request.

Run the dishwasher, fire each stovetop burner, run the oven to temperature, and confirm the refrigerator and ice-maker are working. Confirm with the seller which appliances convey in the listing — disagreements over the fridge are a classic contract-amendment fire drill.

Lint-clogged dryer vents are a fire-risk item buyer inspectors flag. If the run is long or hasn't been cleaned in over a year, recommend a vent-cleaning service before showings begin.

Pull build year from tax records, not the seller's memory. Homes built before 1978 trigger the federal lead-based paint disclosure obligation — EPA pamphlet, signed disclosure, and the 10-day inspection opportunity (waivable in writing).

Confirm a working detector on every level and outside every sleeping area; many states require working detectors at closing and some (e.g., CA, MA) require written certification. Replace any unit older than 10 years — date stamps are on the back of the housing.

Check the kitchen extinguisher gauge is in the green zone and the manufacture date is under 12 years. An expired extinguisher is a cheap, embarrassing buyer-inspection callout.

Walk the seller through the federal LBP disclosure form, hand over the EPA "Protect Your Family" pamphlet, and have them disclose any known lead-based paint or reports. Skipping this on a pre-1978 home is a federal violation regardless of buyer waiver — the disclosure happens first, the buyer's 10-day inspection waiver is separate.

Photograph each finding with enough context to identify the location later (one wide, one close). The seller will use these to scope contractor quotes, and you'll use them to track what was completed before the listing photographer arrives.

Frame each item as a trade-off: repair now (best photos, fewest buyer-inspection concessions), disclose and price accordingly, or address at negotiation. Document the seller's choice on each item — verbal "we'll handle it" without a written record causes finger-pointing two weeks later.

Sit with the seller and walk every section of the state's property disclosure — don't just hand it over for solo completion. Known issues uncovered today (prior leaks, foundation cracks, water heater age) must be disclosed even if the seller plans to repair them before listing.

Set the return visit for after the seller's contractors complete the agreed items and before the photographer is scheduled. Confirm receipts or invoices for each completed repair so they can be attached to the disclosure or shared in negotiation later.