A Year-Round Home Maintenance Checklist for Roseburg Owners

“Use it up, wear it out, make do, or do without!”

This catchy old English proverb holds much wisdom for us today - but it’s not helpful when it comes to the care and maintenance of your house! It’s a simple fact that many homeowners do not sufficiently maintain their home and property as they should. The longterm effect of significant deferred maintenance is an undermining of one’s investment and a gradual deterioration in quality of life. The two opposite extremes are those who live in unkept squalor and those who live in such well maintained premises that the risk of wear ‘n tear from normal living is a constant fear.

Whether you are rich, poor, or somewhere in the middle, there is a balanced approach to maintaining one’s home and property that doesn’t involve utter neglect or obsessive protection. The key is to understand that your home is a sanctuary for your family and deserves to be cared for so that you can adequately care for others. But your home and property are not so important that they should never be used as a means of hospitality and service to others. I’ve included below a list of normal maintenance items that could guide one’s approach this year. This is a shortened list sourced directly from the Oregon CCB which builders typically provide to homeowners of new construction homes to stay in compliance with Oregon Statutes.

Normal Maintenance Items

Caulking / Weather Stripping

Check and repair missing, cracked, or peeling caulking or weatherstripping around window sills, door frames, and in siding gaps. Yearly

Debris Removal

Inspect gutters for debris blockage. Remove debris (for example, tree needles and leaves) from downspouts and gutters. Yearly

Foundation & Drainage

Check soil around foundation to make sure that it slopes in such a way that water can flow away from the foundation. Fill soil in any areas that have settled around the foundation. Yearly

Gutters & Downspouts

Inspect gutters and downspouts for leaks. Repair if necessary. Check alignment of gutters, downspouts, and splash blocks to ensure that water is properly diverted away from the structure and foundation. Yearly

Paint

Check painted surfaces for cracking, peeling, or fading. Repaint if necessary. Yearly

Roof

Check roof for damaged, loose, or missing shingles. Check flashing around roof stacks, vents, skylights, and chimneys and in roof valleys for missing or loose flashing. Yearly

Trees & Shrubs

Trim back tree branches, shrubs, and other plants to make sure they are not in contact with the structure. Yearly

Ventilation Systems

Check to make sure that interior mechanical ventilation systems (such as bathroom, kitchen, and utility room vent fans) are in good working order. Yearly

Water Stains

Check for water stains in the roof of the attic and in the exterior overhangs or soffits. If water stains are present, locate and repair the cause of moisture intrusion. 2 mos

Roseburg and Douglas County Real Estate (March 2025) Market Update

Aaron’s Real Estate Insights

Next month will be exactly 3 years since the end of the hottest Seller’s market on record as measured by the 12-month rolling average absorption rate. The peak was 77% and lasted roughly 9 months from Aug 2021 - April 2022. Since the peak this metric has steadily declined about 138 basis points (-1.38%) every month to the current level of 27%. The pace has cooled recently taking 12 months to drop from 31% to 27%. This vital metric will be important to watch as it accurately measures the temperature of the market. If we dip below 20% we will be solidly in a “balanced market” where it neither favors buyers or sellers. If we dip below 15% we will definitely be in a Buyer’s market and that could introduce downward pressure on home prices.