Pre-listing home repair.
The fastest ten percent you can add to a listing price is fixing the things photography punishes — stained ceilings, split jambs, chipped trim, popcorn texture, hardware that hasn't been tightened in a decade. JHR is the Dallas workshop agents call when the listing goes live next week.
What listing photography punishes.
Modern real estate photography is wide-angle, well-lit, and merciless. A hairline drywall crack you don't see in person becomes a dark line across the ceiling. A popcorn texture in the master bedroom reads as "dated" in a way that costs showings. A cabinet door that hangs crooked by a quarter inch becomes the thing every buyer notices first.
The good news: most of these issues are fifty-dollar fixes that become hundred-thousand-dollar pricing decisions. Addressing them before MLS photography isn't optional for a premium listing — it's the difference between the house showing at its number and the house getting price-reduced in week three.
What I handle pre-listing.
- Drywall & ceiling repair — Water-stain patches. Popcorn removal and smooth re-skim to Level 4. Hairline crack remediation. Texture matching on existing walls.
- Interior paint — Wall and trim repaints in whites and neutrals that photograph cleanly. Full prep, no shortcuts. Ceiling paint separately if the ceiling is tired.
- Trim & door repair — Split jambs rebuilt. Door alignment. Crown and baseboard touch-ups. Interior doors tuned so they close on the first try.
- Cabinet & hardware — Hinge re-setting, drawer slide adjustment, new hardware installed square. Cabinet face repainting where dated finishes need help.
- Exterior cosmetics — Fence section repairs, deck railing fixes, exterior door repaints, pressure washing.
- Punch lists — Bundle 10–20 small items into a single flat-rate proposal. One visit, one invoice, one set of photos.
How the timeline works.
- Day 1 — Scope. You text or email photos and the list. I reply same day with a line-item proposal and a flat total.
- Day 2 — Book. 50% deposit books the slot. I coordinate access via lockbox or directly with the seller.
- Day 4–5 — Work. One visit (sometimes two for larger punch lists). Dust-controlled, tenant-safe, clean site when I leave.
- Day 5–7 — Photos & invoice. Before/after photos sent same-day. Balance invoiced — to the agent, the seller, or the closing statement. Listing is MLS-ready the next business day.
Invoicing and payment.
I invoice however works cleanest for your file — directly to the brokerage, directly to the seller, or assigned to the closing as a credit. Most of my agent clients prefer the closing-credit route, which keeps the seller's cash flow intact and puts the cost cleanly on the settlement statement.
Payment accepted via Zelle, Apple Cash, Venmo, or card (3% fee on card). Standard terms: 50% at booking, balance on completion.
What pre-listing repairs typically cost.
A standard pre-listing punch list with 8–12 items lands between $800–$2,500. Single-room paint with prep runs $800–$1,800 depending on size. Popcorn removal and Level 4 re-skim is $450–$1,500 per room. Full-house trim touch-up with interior paint in a typical three-bedroom can run $3,500–$8,000. Every proposal is flat-rate before work begins.
Service area.
Dallas, Oak Cliff, Park Cities, Highland Park, Lakewood, Plano, Richardson, Irving, and Fort Worth. Ebby Halliday, Briggs Freeman, Dave Perry-Miller, Allie Beth Allman, and Compass agents make up most of the repeat business — but every agent call gets the same response time.
Send the punch list.
Photos and a short list by text or email. I'll reply with a flat-rate proposal the same business day, and the work can usually be on the calendar within the week.