By Adam Chubbuck, Team Leader, Team Alpha Charlie of Douglas Realty. Retired U.S. Navy Chief. Licensed in Maryland and Virginia.
Winter does not just slow down your showings. It creates new problems on a listed house, and almost all of them are preventable in October.
If you are already listed or about to be, here is the punch list. Do it now while contractors still answer the phone.
1. Clean the Gutters
This is the highest-risk item on the whole list.
Clogged gutters in a freeze mean ice damming, water backing up under the shingles, and water finding its way into the house. That is an active leak during a showing, or worse, a ceiling stain that was not there when you listed.
Clear them, check that downspouts are attached, and make sure water discharges away from the foundation rather than next to it.
2. Fix the Drainage Before the Rain Does It for You
Fall rain plus bare ground is when basement moisture shows up.
A damp basement during a showing is one of the fastest ways to lose a buyer. It does not matter how minor it actually is. A musty smell and a wet corner reads as “what else is wrong here?”
Walk the perimeter after a good rain. Look at where water goes, whether the grade slopes toward the house, and whether downspouts are dumping right at the foundation. Extending a downspout is a $15 fix that prevents a $15,000 conversation.
3. Service the Heat Now
Two reasons, and the second one is the serious one.
Buyers will run your system in October and November. A furnace or heat pump that struggles, smells, or makes noise during a showing is a bad impression you do not get to explain.
And if the house is vacant, a heating failure in January means frozen pipes. That is not a showing problem, that is a flood.
Get it serviced, keep the receipt, and mention it in the listing. A seller who can say the system was serviced this fall has removed a buyer objection for free.
4. If the House Is Vacant, Deal With It Properly
This is where I see real damage.
Keep the heat on. Do not shut it off to save money on a vacant listing. Set it at a safe temperature and leave it.
Or winterize it properly if you are going to shut it down, which means having someone drain the system correctly, not just turning off the water.
Call your insurance carrier. A vacant home is a different underwriting situation and a standard homeowner policy may not cover it the way you assume. Do not find this out after a pipe bursts. Call and ask directly.
Have someone check on it weekly. Not monthly. A pipe that breaks on a Tuesday and gets discovered three weeks later is a different outcome than one found on Thursday.
5. Shut Off and Drain the Outdoor Spigots
Simple, free, and a burst hose bib behind a wall is a real repair.
Same for irrigation systems if you have one. Get it blown out.
6. Handle Caulk and Weatherstripping
Buyers feel drafts in the winter that they never notice in July. A cold draft at the front door while someone is taking off their coat is the first impression you get.
Check the windows, the exterior doors, and anywhere two materials meet. Cheap, fast, and it also helps your utility bills while you are still paying them.
7. Make a Plan for Ice and Snow
You are responsible for safe access for every agent and buyer who walks through your house all winter.
That means someone shovels and salts, reliably, including when you are not home and including the morning of a showing you did not know about until an hour ago.
If you are not living there, this needs to be arranged in advance. Have a service or a neighbor lined up. An unshoveled walk means a canceled showing at best and a liability question at worst.
Keep salt somewhere accessible and keep the steps and the walk clear.
8. Get the Roof Looked At Now
In October you can get a roofer. In February you cannot.
If your roof is older or you have any reason to think it needs attention, get it inspected while the weather still allows the work. Flashing, boots around vents, and loose shingles are the things that become leaks under snow and ice.
A roof problem discovered by a buyer’s inspector in January, when nobody can fix it for six weeks, can stall or kill your deal.
9. Keep Raking
This is not a one-time task.
Leaves fall around here into November, especially in the older tree-lined neighborhoods. A yard buried in leaves reads as neglected in person and in photos, and buyers translate neglect into doubt about everything else.
Rake before your photos and before every showing weekend.
10. Light the Outside
Days get short, which means a lot of your showings are now happening in the dark.
Walk up to your own front door at 6 p.m. Can a buyer see the steps? Is the porch light working and bright enough? Are the house numbers visible?
Check every exterior bulb. Add a light at the walkway if there is a dark stretch. This costs very little and it changes the first impression of every evening showing.
Why This Matters More Than It Sounds
Two things happen to a house listed through the winter.
The first is that problems get created. Ice, water, frozen pipes, and drafts are seasonal, and a house that was fine in September can have a real issue by January.
The second is that you cannot fix them quickly. Contractor availability drops, weather blocks exterior work, and what would have been a Tuesday repair in October becomes a three-week delay in February.
A seller who handles this list now has a house that shows well all winter. A seller who does not finds out the expensive way, usually during someone else’s inspection period.
Let’s Walk It Together
If you are listed now or going on the market soon, I will walk your property and tell you what actually needs attention before the weather turns, and what you can skip.
Start with a free Maryland home valuation or reach out to Team Alpha Charlie of Douglas Realty.
Quick Answers
What should I do to my house before winter if it is listed?
Clean the gutters, check drainage and downspout discharge, service the heating system, shut off and drain outdoor spigots, address drafts at windows and doors, arrange snow and ice removal for showings, get the roof inspected while contractors are available, keep raking leaves, and make sure exterior lighting works for evening showings.
Should I leave the heat on in a vacant house that is for sale?
Yes. Set it at a safe temperature rather than shutting it off, or have the system properly winterized and drained by a professional. A heating failure in a vacant home can mean frozen and burst pipes.
Does my homeowners insurance cover a vacant listed home?
Not necessarily. A vacant property is a different underwriting situation and standard policies may limit or exclude coverage. Call your carrier directly and ask rather than assuming, especially before winter.
Who is responsible for shoveling snow during showings?
You are, as the seller. Every agent and buyer needs safe access, often on short notice. If you are not living in the house, arrange a service or a neighbor in advance and keep salt accessible.
Why should I service the heat before listing in the fall?
Buyers will run the system during showings, and one that struggles or smells is a bad first impression. Beyond that, a failure in a vacant house during winter risks frozen pipes. Keep the service receipt and mention it in your listing.
When should I get my roof inspected?
In the fall, while weather still permits the work and roofers are available. A roof issue discovered during a buyer’s inspection in January can stall your deal for weeks because nobody can get to it.
I am Adam Chubbuck, Team Leader of Team Alpha Charlie of Douglas Realty. Retired U.S. Navy Chief, licensed in Maryland and Virginia, and my team has sold in excess of 400 homes across the Baltimore to Annapolis corridor. Team Alpha Charlie is Zillow Preferred and serves buyers and sellers throughout Anne Arundel County, Howard County, Baltimore County, Baltimore City, and the surrounding markets, with deep experience supporting military, veteran, and Department of Defense families.
443-347-6692 | [email protected] | TACMD.com
Smile more,
Adam Chubbuck
