Pre-listing repairs are about removing doubt. A buyer who sees a patched hole, yellow caulk or a door that drags starts to wonder what else was missed. Spend on the things that show up in listing photos, walk-throughs or inspection reports. Skip the things buyers will likely change anyway. Here is how I sort a Lower Mainland house before it goes on the market.
What to fix before selling a house in BC
Run every item through three questions. Will it show in the listing photos? Will a buyer notice it on a showing? Will the buyer's inspector write it up? A yes to any of the three puts it on the list. There is a fourth reason in BC: a known problem you leave in place may be one you have to tell buyers about, which I cover further down.
High impact: do these
- Fresh interior paint in neutral colours, since every room shows in the photos
- Drywall patches and texture matching, so dents and anchor holes disappear
- New caulk in bathrooms and kitchens, because yellowed caulk reads as old in photos
- Door alignment and hardware, since sticky doors and loose handles bother buyers on a showing
- Pressure washing the siding, deck and driveway for the front photo
- Burned-out bulbs and broken fixtures replaced, because dim rooms photograph badly
- Every hinge, knob and pull tightened and cleaned
Worth doing if the budget allows
- Cabinet refinishing or a hardware swap for a small kitchen refresh
- Refinishing or restaining the deck, especially before spring or summer photos
- Recaulking exterior trim and replacing tired weather stripping, which inspectors often note
- Touching up exterior paint on the trim and front door
- Tightening loose handrails and railings before an inspector tests them
What to skip before listing
- Major kitchen or bathroom remodels, which the buyer may redo to their own taste
- Custom paint colours, since many buyers repaint anyway
- High-end flooring upgrades, where taste varies too much
- Replacing dated fixtures that work, so the buyer can choose their own
Every job I take gets a written scope before I start, so the price is agreed in advance and the list stays the list.
Want me to take this one on? My page on home repairs covers what the visit includes, what I hand off, and how I price it.
Paint, walls and curb appeal
Paint and walls are where most pre-listing lists start, because they show in every photo. A room with patched, primed and painted walls looks cared for. Touch-up patches that show under the photographer's lights do the opposite. If you are selling near my home base, that work is house painting in Langley or interior painting in Surrey, done after the drywall is patched so the finish is even.
Outside, the front photo does the heavy lifting. Moss on the driveway, green streaks on the siding and a grey deck all read as neglect. Pressure washing in Abbotsford and the other towns I cover is a fast way to change that photo before the listing goes live.
Should you get a pre-listing inspection?
It can help. The BC Financial Services Authority says a pre-listing inspection can find issues you may want to fix before listing, which can make the sale go more smoothly. It also warns that the inspection may find defects you must disclose to a buyer if you choose not to repair them, and those can affect the offer price. Talk it through with your realtor before you book one.
What you may have to disclose if you do not fix it
BCFSA's page on material latent defects explains that sellers have a duty at common law to disclose latent defects. A material latent defect is one a reasonable inspection would not find. It includes a defect that makes the home dangerous or potentially dangerous, unfit to live in, or unfit for a purpose the buyer told you about.
BCFSA gives examples such as a basement that leaks when it rains, structural damage, and water getting through the building envelope. It also lists electrical or gas work done without the right permits and inspections. If you know about something like that, fixing it properly before you list is usually simpler than explaining it later. Your realtor can tell you what has to go on the disclosure. Anything electrical or gas goes to a licensed trade.
How long does this take?
It depends on the list, so I do not quote a standard timeline. The size of the list, paint and filler drying time, parts that need ordering, and whether other trades are involved all set it. Bundling the small jobs into one scope keeps the finish consistent. It also saves you explaining the house to several trades. Most of the list is general repairs and painting work. Give me your listing date early, so the work fits before the photographer arrives.
If the buyer's inspector still comes back with a list, my guide for when a buyer's inspection comes back with repair requests walks through how to sort it and answer it.
