Selling Your Home
What repairs should I make before selling my home?
By Steve Lockhart
The short answer
Buyers will inspect the home, and they expect health, safety, and function to be in reasonable shape. A pre-listing inspection, owners can pay for their own, brings the honest inventory out early: roof, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, water heater, and any visible issue.
Full answer
Buyers will inspect the home, and they expect health, safety, and function to be in reasonable shape. A pre-listing inspection, owners can pay for their own, brings the honest inventory out early: roof, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, water heater, and any visible issue. Then the strategy begins. Some repairs return their value and more, because a clean condition closes the deal without the dread. Others return the same dollar, and it is better to offer a credit or let the buyers finish it to their taste. The ones to fix first are the red flags: water, structure, safety, major systems, and the mess that reads poorly. Cosmetic taste belongs to the next owner. And above all, knowing your own repair list is far less stressful than learning it in week six of negotiations when the buyer's inspector prints the report for you in writing.
Go a little deeper
Frequently asked
Questions sellers often follow up on
Do I have to fix everything from an inspection report?
No. A report is a starting point, not a purchase order. You decide what to fix, what to offer as a credit, and what to stand firm on. A good negotiator treats a report as an opening, not a bill.
Is it better to repair or lower the price?
It depends on your market and the scope. For a few clear items, the fix is usually worth it and keeps the transaction clean. For a long list, a fair as-is price or a credit can be better. We compare the time and the money both ways before you decide.
What if my repair budget is tight?
Health, safety, and water first, then the tired, visible items a buyer sees in the first minute. An honest list you can fund beats a long wish list that invites objections. Then we align the price, the readiness, and the story.
The Lockhart Method
The Lockhart Method
Your Home | My Strategy | Proven Results
My strategy: get your own inspection early and treat the findings like planning sheets, not threats. We separate the work that returns value from the work that does not, and you decide before the listing which is which.
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