Deferred Maintenance Walk-Through

Last reviewed October 20, 2026.

Neil Chhabria will walk your home with you and tell you what buyers will notice, before you spend anything.

What is deferred maintenance in a home sale?

Deferred maintenance is the repair list a house collects while you live in it: the deck you keep meaning to look at, a drain that pools after rain, plumbing or wiring from an earlier decade, a termite report from years ago. Neil does it too. He walks past maintenance he means to get to all the time, because life gets in the way. Buyers and their inspectors find these items, and each one gives a buyer a reason to ask for a lower price.

What does a deferred maintenance walk-through cover?

Neil Chhabria reviews salt air wear, older plumbing and electrical systems, decks and drainage, wood damage, foundation and exterior red flags, windows and doors, landscaping that can affect the structure, unpermitted work, and, on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, fire hazard mapping and its effect on a buyer’s insurance.

• Wear from salt air near the coast
• Older plumbing and electrical systems
• Decks and drainage
• Wood damage
• Potential foundation and/or exterior red flags
• Windows and doors
• Landscaping that can affect the integrity of the structure
• Unpermitted work, and the options to legalize, disclose or remove it
• On the Palos Verdes Peninsula, fire hazard mapping and its effect on a buyer’s insurance

Do I need to be ready to sell to request a walk-through?

No. The walk-through is open to owners who plan to sell in a year or two, owners who have not decided, and owners in the middle of a remodel who want expert advice on which finish or feature adds more long-term value at sale. There is no obligation.

If you plan to sell within a year or two, you get a list of what to handle early, so repairs follow your schedule instead of a listing date’s. If you have not decided, you learn what a buyer would notice about the house as it stands today.

What does preparing a home before listing do for a sale?

A prepared home comes to market at its highest and best offering, reduces buyer anxiety, and sets up a less stressful inspection for the owner. It increases buyer confidence, which often is reflected in more than one offer, depending on market conditions, and it reduces days on market.

A prepared property does five important things:

1. It comes to market at its highest and best offering.
2. It reduces buyer anxiety and is set up for a stress-reduced home inspection process for the owner.
3. It increases buyer confidence, which often is reflected in more than one offer, depending on market conditions.
4. It reduces days on market, from listing to offer.
5. It makes the entire selling and buying process easier on all parties involved.

How does a deferred maintenance walk-through work?

You request a walk-through and choose a few days and time windows. Neil checks them against his schedule and calls you with a confirmed date. He walks the house with you, presents a list in order of importance, and, if you ask, forwards his list of trusted vendors and contractors.

1. Request a walk-through below and pick a few days and time windows that suit you.
2. Neil checks your windows against his schedule and calls you with a confirmed date.
3. Neil walks the house with you and tells you what he sees. He will present a list (with no obligation) of items to watch and/or attend to in order of importance and, if requested, will forward his list of trusted vendors and contractors for you to interview and have on hand throughout your ownership.

Request your walk-through

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Pick a few days and times that work for you. Neil will call to confirm one.

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A walk-through with a real estate broker, not a home inspection, an appraisal or an opinion of value. For structural, roofing, electrical or plumbing questions, Neil will point you to a licensed professional.

There is no obligation.

Free guide

Preparing to Earn Top Dollar on Your Home Sale

Know what to prepare, what to skip, and what to do in the first two weeks on the market. A 16-page guide for South Bay sellers.

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Would you like the work paid at closing? See Pay-at-Closing Home Preparation. For what to expect from a sale, see Selling a Home in the South Bay and Your Exit Math.

General real estate information, not tax, lending, legal or investment advice. Neil Chhabria, Broker and CEO, Chhabria Real Estate Company, DRE# 01821437. 310.798.3122.