Pre-listing repairs
Getting your house ready to sell.
The repairs worth doing before photos and showings, finished in time for your listing date. Paint, drywall, doors, caulk, and the small stuff buyers and inspectors notice.
- Patch and paint before photos
- Fix what a buyer's inspector would flag
- Work straight from your agent’s list
For sellers and agents in Chattanooga, Nashville, and Huntsville
or call (423) 615-4856
What's worth it
Fix the cheap stuff. Skip the remodel.
The goal is to keep buyers from finding reasons to offer less. The house doesn't have to be perfect.
Fix what the inspector will find
A dripping faucet, a loose handrail, soft trim by the back door. Each one is a small fix now. On a buyer's inspection report, it turns into a repair request or a lower offer.
Paint what shows up in photos
Fresh neutral paint does more for listing photos than almost anything else you can do. Start with the entry, the living room, and the kitchen.
Make the doors work
Buyers open every door during a showing. One that sticks, won't latch, or has a wobbly knob makes the whole house feel neglected.
Let the buyer pick the countertops
We'd skip big remodels right before a sale. They take weeks, and buyers often want their own finishes anyway. Spend the money on repairs and paint instead.
The list
A typical pre-listing punch list.
Not every house needs all of it. Walk through with your agent and circle what applies.
Walls and paint
- Patch nail holes, dents, and nail pops
- Paint main rooms in a neutral color
- Touch up trim, doors, and baseboards
- Seal and paint over old water stains
Kitchen and baths
- Re-caulk tubs, showers, and sinks
- Fix dripping faucets and running toilets
- Tighten loose cabinet doors and hardware
- Regrout or repair cracked tile
Doors, lights, and safety
- Adjust doors that stick or won’t latch
- Replace missing outlet and switch covers
- Swap broken light fixtures
- Replace old or missing smoke detectors
Outside
- Repair wood rot on trim and doors
- Clean gutters and reattach downspouts
- Fix loose handrails and steps
- Replace broken deck and fence boards
How it goes
Working back from your list date.
- 01
Send the list
Your agent's walkthrough notes, a pre-listing inspection, or just photos of what bugs you. Any of those works.
- 02
Get a price and a schedule
Tell us when the photographer is coming. We'll tell you straight whether we can finish before then.
- 03
We do the work
If you've already moved out, we can coordinate access with your agent.
- 04
Photos when it’s done
We send photos of the finished work, so you and your agent can check it off without driving over.
Before the buyer’s inspection
Thinking about a pre-listing inspection?
Some sellers pay for their own home inspection before listing so nothing on the buyer's report is a surprise. If you go that route, send us the report. We'll price the items in our lane and tell you which ones need a licensed plumber, electrician, or HVAC tech.
If you already have a buyer and an inspection list, that's a different timeline. Our home inspection repairs page covers how that works.
FAQ
Getting ready to sell, answered
How far ahead of listing should I call?
As soon as you know the list date. A couple of rooms of paint and a short repair list can go quickly, but the calendar fills up in spring when a lot of houses go on the market.
Is it better to fix things or give the buyer a credit?
For the small stuff, fixing it is usually cleaner. A long list of little problems can make a buyer wonder what else is wrong, and fixing them takes that off the table. For big items, ask your agent. That's their call to make with you.
Do you work with my agent or with me?
Either. Lots of our pre-listing work comes through agents, but you can call us yourself. We're happy to keep both of you in the loop.
What if I already moved out?
That's common. We can coordinate access with your agent and send photos when the work's done.
Do you handle plumbing and electrical?
We handle the small fixes like faucets, running toilets, outlet covers, and smoke detectors. Anything that needs a licensed trade, we'll tell you up front. In Chattanooga, our sister company The Works does plumbing, electrical, and HVAC.
Listing soon?
Send the address, your list date, and what needs doing. We'll tell you what we can finish in time.
or call (423) 615-4856