Free PDF guide
Early Warning Signs: What to Catch Before It's Expensive
35 early-stage signs, from granule loss to fascia paint failure, that are easy to miss and cheap to catch.
What's inside
- ✓35 entries across 8 categories of early-stage defects, each with what you're looking at, why it matters, and what to do
- ✓Real examples like shingle granule loss, a single lifted shingle, and fascia paint failure — signs that are easy to miss and cheap to catch
- ✓A companion to the Property Red Flags Photo Guide — this one shows what damage looks like before it's obvious
3 key takeaways
What's the point of catching a defect at its earliest stage?
Cost. Fascia paint failure caught early is a $200 repair; ignored, it becomes a $3,000–$8,000 fascia and soffit replacement.
What does shingle granule loss at a downspout actually tell you?
The roof is shedding its protective layer faster than normal — a roof losing granules at that rate has 3–7 years left, not 15.
When should you use this guide?
Before you ever schedule a showing. Scan listing photos and the exterior for these 35 signs — they're the ones easiest to walk past without training your eye first.
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