Congratulations! You just bought a multifamily in Greater Portland, Maine. Maybe it’s a classic Munjoy Hill triplex or a brick beauty off Congress Street. Either way, you’re now the proud captain of a real estate vessel—and it’s time to make sure she doesn’t sink.
Enter: the pre-inspection. This isn’t the “buying” inspection you paid for while sweating through due diligence. This is your post-close deep dive—the “I-own-it-now-and-I’d-like-to-sleep-at-night” inspection. Let’s do it right.
🛠️ Step-by-Step: The Maine Multifamily Pre-Inspection
1. Suit Up and Set the Mood
Grab your clipboard, your flashlight, and maybe a hazmat suit (kidding… mostly). Print your checklist. Mentally prepare for weird smells and stranger basements.
2. Start at the Top: Roof & Gutters
- Shingles missing? Check.
- Leaky flashing? Check.
- Gutters filled with pine needles and hopes? Check.
💡 Maine Tip: Snow load can murder a weak roof. Don’t wait till January to find out your attic is now a pool.
3. Attic Ventilation & Insulation
Make sure it’s insulated, dry, and not harboring raccoons. Ice dams in Portland are like iced coffee—popular, but deadly.
✅ Inspection Checklist for Landlords Who Like Peace of Mind
📍 Exterior & Structure
- Roof integrity
- Gutters & downspouts
- Foundation cracks
- Siding & paint
- Stair railings that don’t wiggle like spaghetti
🔌 Electrical & Mechanical
- Panel boxes labeled and updated (no fuses, please)
- Smoke & CO detectors (Maine law = required in every unit)
- Test outlets, lights, and GFCIs
- Check heat systems (Maine = baseboard, boilers, or mystery oil tanks)
🚿 Plumbing
- Run all taps and flush all toilets (yes, all)
- Look for signs of slow leaks or amateur hour PEX jobs
- Test water pressure (no limp showers allowed)
🔥 Heating System & Boiler Room Shenanigans
- Inspect boiler for leaks, rust, and that weird high-pitched whine
- Ensure oil tanks are in good condition and properly vented
- Change filters if you’ve got furnaces
💡 Preventative Maintenance Pro Tip: Schedule a fall boiler cleaning. Your future self, surrounded by tenants with working heat, will thank you.
🚪 Common Areas & Entryways
- Secure entry doors and locks
- Clean, well-lit hallways
- No flickering horror-movie lights
🧼 Wrap-Up: Clean, Document, and Delegate
Take pics of everything (for future “I told you so” moments). Schedule repairs now before winter turns your sidewalk into a lawsuit. And if something smells funky, don’t ignore it. That’s how you end up on the evening news.
Owning property in Maine is a dream—until your boiler explodes mid-January and you’re Googling “how to defrost tenants.” So do the work early, stay ahead of the curve, and treat your building like the old lobsterman treat their traps: with care, consistency, and a good pair of gloves.
Want a printable version of this checklist? Subscribe to the Acadian School of Real Estate Newsletter and we’ll send it straight to your inbox—along with more tips, dad jokes, and the occasional landlord therapy meme.
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