What Repairs Should I Make Before Listing My House?

Fix the things that stop a loan or kill a deal first: roof, electrical, plumbing, water heater, HVAC, termite, mold and water damage, then skip the dated finishes because in a market where sellers are getting 98.3% of asking, the repairs worth your money are the ones an appraiser or inspector will write up.

Fix the things that stop a loan or kill a deal first: roof, electrical, plumbing, water heater, HVAC, termite, mold and water damage. Skip the dated finishes. In a market where sellers are getting 98.3% of asking, the repairs worth your money are the ones an appraiser or inspector will write up, not the ones that only change how a room looks.

A pre-listing repair is any work you do to the house between the decision to sell and the day it goes live. There are three kinds. Safety and functional repairs, which affect whether a buyer's lender will fund the loan. Cosmetic repairs, which affect how the house shows. And deferred maintenance, which is the work you already knew about and put off.

Safety and functional repairs decide whether a buyer's loan closes

An FHA appraisal is required on an FHA loan, which is a mortgage backed by the Federal Housing Administration, part of HUD. The appraisal estimates fair market value and confirms the property meets minimum standards for livability, safety and structural soundness. Those standards are set by HUD, and only certified HUD approved appraisers can perform the appraisal.

In practice that means specific items on your house.

• The roof must be in good condition, with no leaks or loose shingles, and at least two years of remaining life.
• Plumbing must be accessible for repair, there cannot be standing water without proper grading away from the home, and there must be enough hot water for drinking and sanitary needs.
• Exterior doors need functioning locks, windows must open and close properly, and entrances need adequate lighting.
• Appraisers look for hazards including lead based paint, exposed electrical wiring, and missing safety features such as handrails. Living areas need proper ventilation and adequate lighting.
• The home must be intended as a primary residence and comply with local building codes, including any major renovations or additions that have been made.

Problems the appraiser identifies typically have to be repaired and re inspected before the loan can be approved. If the home fails, the buyer can ask you to repair, switch loan types, or use an FHA 203(k) rehab loan. Each of those costs time inside your escrow. Fixing the item before you list removes the decision from the negotiating table entirely.

This matters more than usual in my market. First time buyers across the West Valley and Phoenix are frequently pre approved FHA or VA, and Avondale at $421,990 median sold price and 64 days on market as of June 2026 is where that price range lives. If your house is priced where FHA and VA buyers shop, assume an FHA appraiser will walk it and prepare accordingly.

The repairs most likely to kill a deal are the big ticket safety items

The big ticket pre listing items that buyers and their inspectors flag as safety issues include replacing the roof, updating the electrical panel, installing a new water heater, addressing termite, mold or water damage, repairing pipes, sewer connection or septic, and updating the HVAC system. Sellers with limited time and budget should tackle only the highest priority items, the sticking points likely to kill a deal such as foundation damage, mold, leaks, or a furnace replacement, because many buyers accept a home that needs cosmetic fixes.

Two of those items behave differently here than they do elsewhere.

Roofs. Tile roofs dominate the West Valley, including Goodyear, Peoria, Surprise and Buckeye. The tiles themselves last a long time, but the underlayment beneath them is the actual waterproofing layer, and under Phoenix conditions it typically starts failing well before the tile does. Roof surface temperatures in Phoenix can exceed 160 degrees Fahrenheit, and the underlayment takes constant UV. A roof inspection is triggered on any tile roof at 12 or more years old and is treated as mandatory at 15 or more years. When underlayment fails, the signs are roof leaks during monsoon storms, water stains on ceilings, loose or sliding roof tiles, and higher indoor humidity. Foam roofing, common on flat and low slope roofs here, needs re coating on a set cycle. If your house has any of those symptoms, a buyer's inspector will find them, and the FHA standard requires at least two years of remaining roof life.

HVAC. Phoenix sits in climate zone 2B and cooling runs nine months a year. Manufacturer projections for an air conditioning system run longer than what systems actually deliver in the Valley, and a unit that was undersized or poorly maintained gives you less than that. An air conditioner that is at the end of its Valley life is a line item a buyer will press on.

Termites. Desert subterranean termites work year round in Arizona because the ground never freezes. Termite damage is an item inspectors flag.

Cosmetic work is worth doing only when it is cheap and visible

Minor cosmetic fixes such as paint, lighting and carpet cleaning improve outcomes even when a home is sold as is. Fresh interior paint is one of the most effective pre sale updates, and neutral colors make rooms appear larger, brighter and more move in ready.

The small items buyers notice are nail holes and wall dents, peeling paint and chipped trim, loose cabinet handles, and cracked caulking around sinks or tubs. Outside, the list is painting or touching up the front door, cleaning siding or walkways, repairing damaged trim, and keeping the landscaping maintained.

That is the whole cosmetic list worth funding. Paint, light fixtures, clean carpet, caulk, hardware, the front door, and the walkway. Everything past that is a renovation, and a renovation is a different decision with a different timeline.

Deferred maintenance is what makes a buyer discount the whole house

Leaky faucets, damaged flooring, broken fixtures, stained carpets, or anything that suggests deferred maintenance raises red flags for buyers. The damage is not confined to the item itself. A buyer who finds three small unfinished repairs starts assuming there are larger ones behind the drywall.

In a buyer's market, deferred maintenance allows buyers to negotiate below asking. Peoria as of June 2026 is not that market. Every visible unfinished repair is an argument the buyer gets to make.

Permits are part of this, because FHA standards include compliance with local building codes for major renovations and additions.

In Peoria, a permit is required for removing or adding a wall, kitchen or bathroom remodels that move or add plumbing, electrical or gas lines, electrical panel upgrades or subpanel additions, HVAC replacements or relocations, enlarged window or door openings, and any work that alters the structural system. Plan review in Peoria takes time on its own. That is the reason an electrical panel upgrade is a different kind of project from repainting a bedroom, and it belongs on your schedule accordingly.

Selling as-is is a real option, and in Arizona it does not remove the disclosure

As is signals that the seller is making no repairs and offering no repair credits before closing, and the buyer takes the property in its current condition. Selling as is lets you avoid spending money on repairs, renovations and cosmetic work before listing, and it removes the back and forth bargaining over repairs. The trade offs include the following. Sellers should generally expect less money for an as is home than for one in good condition, because buyers know they will need to put additional money into repairs after purchase. And the buyer pool is limited, since the number of people interested in fixer upper properties is smaller than the broader pool of potential buyers.

Two things as is does not do.

It does not hide anything. In Arizona, a Seller's Property Disclosure Statement is required, as is listings do not exempt sellers, and failure to disclose can result in rescission or damages. In the vast majority of U.S. states sellers must disclose known material defects regardless of an as is listing, and concealing a known defect can expose a seller to post closing lawsuits even in an as is sale.

It does not stop the inspection. Buyers can usually still inspect an as is home, because as is limits repairs, not visibility.

Selling as is also pairs well with a pre inspection and full disclosure, which can attract investors or buyers looking for a fixer upper, and an as is listing benefits from the minor cosmetic fixes of paint, lighting and carpet cleaning.

Consider as is when the repair list runs into structural, roof or system replacement and you do not have the cash or the time. Repairs add weeks or months before the house reaches the market, and mortgage payments, property taxes, insurance and utilities keep running during that time. Weigh that carrying cost against the discount an as is buyer will ask for.

How to order the work when the budget is fixed

Start with a pre listing inspection. Our Smooth Move Program is built around exactly that: a pre listing home inspection to surface issues early, reduce escrow surprises, and strengthen your position in negotiations.

Then spend in this order.

1. Anything on the FHA minimum standards list: roof condition and remaining life, plumbing access, standing water and grading, hot water, exterior door locks, operable windows, exposed wiring, handrails, ventilation and lighting. These decide whether a loan funds.
2. Zillow's deal killers: foundation damage, mold, leaks, and system replacement such as the furnace. These decide whether the buyer walks.
3. The visible deferred maintenance: leaky faucets, damaged flooring, broken fixtures, stained carpets.
4. The cheap cosmetic list: interior paint in neutral colors, lighting, carpet cleaning, caulking, cabinet hardware, the front door, siding and walkways, landscaping.

Not every defect is a dealbreaker. Cosmetic issues and minor wear and tear typically do not require repairs. If the money runs out after step two, that is a defensible place to stop.

One scheduling note. Items that need a Peoria permit, including electrical panel upgrades, HVAC replacement or relocation, and any remodel that moves plumbing or gas, go first on the calendar even if they are second on the budget, because plan review happens before the work does.

The Bottom Line

Repair what a lender or an inspector will write up, then repair what is visibly unfinished, then paint. If the list runs to roof, foundation or systems and the cash is not there, as is is a legitimate choice, with the Seller's Property Disclosure Statement still required in Arizona and a smaller buyer pool as the trade off. If you want a specific list for your house rather than a general one, book a pre listing walkthrough with me and we will build it together.

Written by Archie Dean, part of the Kristan Cole Network team.

Sources

Pages read on October 19, 2026.

• Zillow: How to Sell a House As-Is When it Needs Repairs