Fix what's broken, what's a hazard, and what a buyer's inspector will write up: roof, furnace and air conditioning, water heater, leaks and drainage, electrical problems. Then do the cheap cosmetic work, like paint, cleaning and small repairs, and skip the big remodel. Whatever you know about and don't fix goes on Indiana's seller's disclosure form.
I'm Wes Johnston, a Realtor with Trueblood Real Estate in Fishers. Before real estate, I spent about ten years designing homes and managing their construction for a custom builder in Hamilton County, so when I walk a house before it lists, I'm looking at it the way the buyer's inspector will.
Here's the thing: buyers don't pay you back for your cost. They pay for a house that works and shows well compared with the others they toured that weekend. So spend money where the inspection and the showings will notice it, and nowhere else.
Anything that's broken, a hazard, or a sure thing on the inspection report. Those items come back to you either way. Fix them now and you pick the contractor and the price. Leave them and the buyer's inspector finds them, and you negotiate the repair or a credit against a deadline.
Roof, furnace, air conditioner, water heater. If one is failing, get it repaired or at least get a quote, so you know what you're dealing with.
Active leaks, stains that point to an old leak, wet basements and crawl spaces, and downspouts or grading that send water toward the house. Buyers and inspectors look hard at water.
Exposed wiring, dead outlets, missing covers, missing smoke detectors, loose handrails. Most of these are small, cheap fixes that look bad on a report.
Doors that stick, windows that won't open, leaky faucets, running toilets, burned-out bulbs. Each one is minor, but a list of them makes a buyer wonder what else was let go.
Big remodels right before you list. A new kitchen or bathroom means you pay for it, live through the construction, and then let the buyer's taste decide what it's worth. Buyers pay for what the house is compared with the other homes they can buy, not what you spent.
Same for high-end upgrades well above the rest of the neighborhood, and for replacing things that are dated but work fine. If the furnace is old but running, disclose its age and let the buyer weigh it. If the countertops are dated, a clean, uncluttered kitchen will do more than new ones.
The cheap ones that change how the house photographs and shows: fresh neutral paint where walls are scuffed or bold, a deep clean, clearing out clutter and extra furniture, working light fixtures, touched-up caulk and grout, and a tidy yard and front entry.
Carpet is a judgment call. If it's stained or worn through, replacing it or pulling it up to good floors underneath is often worth it. If it's just older, a professional cleaning may be enough. When I walk your house, I'll tell you which items I'd do and which I'd skip.
Yes, if you know about them. Indiana's seller's disclosure law, Indiana Code 32-21-5, requires most sellers of one- to four-unit homes to complete a disclosure form. Under IC 32-21-5-7, the form asks about your known conditions of the foundation, mechanical systems, roof, structure, and water and sewer systems, among other things.
You have to deliver the signed form to the buyer before you accept their offer (IC 32-21-5-10). If a buyer gets a disclosure revealing a defect after the offer is accepted, they can cancel within two business days (IC 32-21-5-13). And if something changes after you've delivered the form, like a storm leak or a failed water heater, you have to disclose the change by closing (IC 32-21-5-12).
So fixing a problem before you list doesn't just help the sale. It changes what you're disclosing. If you've repaired something, ask me how to describe it on the form. My Indiana seller's disclosure guide walks through the whole law.
It depends on the house. Here's how I think about it.
No surprises. You find problems on your own schedule, get repair quotes without a deadline, and price the house knowing what a buyer's inspector will likely find. It's most useful on an older home, a house you haven't lived in for a while, or one where you already suspect a problem.
It costs money up front, and the buyer will usually get their own inspection anyway. And once you know about a defect, it's a known condition for the disclosure form, whether you fix it or not.
On a newer, well-kept house, a careful walk-through with someone who knows construction often catches the same things. If you're on the fence, I'll walk it with you first and we'll decide together.
It's worth considering. Seven of the eight counties in and around Indianapolis are in the EPA's highest radon zone, so most buyers will ask about it. If the result comes back at or above the EPA's 4.0 pCi/L action level during the buyer's inspection period, you're getting mitigation quotes against their deadline.
Testing first tells you where you stand and gives you time to handle it on your terms. If you already have a mitigation system, find the install paperwork and any follow-up test results, because buyers will ask. More in radon in central Indiana.
Yes. Plenty of houses sell as-is, especially estates and homes that need more work than the seller wants to take on. You still have to complete the disclosure form (unless your sale is exempt), and the buyer can still inspect. The difference is the price: it has to reflect the work the buyer is taking on, and fewer buyers will be shopping for a project.
If you're weighing as-is against fixing things first, let's compare both on a net sheet. Sometimes a handful of repairs opens the house up to a lot more buyers. Sometimes it doesn't. I'll tell you which I think yours is. See how to price your home for how condition feeds into price.
More seller questions, answered: what it costs to sell, how to price your home, selling on your own or with an agent, how long it takes to sell, and what affects your home's value.
I'll go through the house with you and sort the list into three piles: fix it, disclose it, or leave it alone. You'll know what matters before a buyer's inspector ever shows up.
If something needs a contractor or a specialist, I'll tell you that too.
Fishers-based. A builder's eye before you list. Committed to your success.
Tell me about the house and what you're worried about. I'll tell you what I'd fix and what I'd leave.
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This page is general information, not legal advice. It references Indiana Code 32-21-5 as of September 2026. Laws and forms change; confirm your specifics with a real estate attorney.