Moving to Baton Rouge with Jay LaRose

Do These 10 Things Before You List Your House

The core idea in this one: buyers don't price repairs the way sellers do. A dripping faucet that costs you $200 to fix can turn into a far bigger number at the negotiating table, because what a buyer sees isn't a faucet — it's a question about how the rest of the house was maintained.

Watch on YouTube: Do These 10 Things Before You List Your House · Subscribe to the channel

What this one covers

I call it buyer math. Every small, visible defect gets mentally multiplied, and several of them together create the impression of a neglected home even when the bones are solid. That impression is what costs you money, not the individual repair.

So the video walks through ten specific things worth handling before you list, and — just as important — the high-cost renovations that generally don't return what you put into them right before a sale. Weak lighting, cracked caulk, tired paint and small maintenance items are cheap to fix and disproportionately powerful. A full kitchen remodel weeks before listing usually isn't.

I also cover handling inspection objections, since the repairs you skip before listing tend to come back during the inspection period with less leverage on your side.

Key takeaways

• Buyers mentally multiply small defects — cheap fixes protect real money
• Lighting, caulk, paint and visible maintenance punch above their cost
• Most major renovations right before listing don't return what you spend
• What you skip before listing usually reappears at inspection, with less leverage
• Have a strategy for inspection objections before you get them

Market figures move. Any numbers mentioned in this video reflect the market when it was filmed. Ask me for the current figures for your area and price range.

Related on this site

• The full preparation guide
• How selling works with me
• What's my home worth?
• What happens at inspection

Questions people ask

What should I fix before selling my house?

Focus on what affects first impressions and what will surface at inspection anyway: lighting, paint, caulk, visible maintenance, dripping faucets, sticking doors and curb appeal. Skip major renovations you won't recoup.

Is it worth remodeling before I sell?

Usually not right before listing. Large remodels rarely return their cost in a sale, and they delay your listing. Targeted cosmetic work and deferred maintenance are where the return is.

Information is believed reliable but not guaranteed. Property details, pricing, availability and builder incentives change and must be independently verified. Nothing here is legal, tax, insurance or lending advice.