It could be something as simple as a rocking toilet/bad wax ring seal.

Cost will depend on a lot of factors: size of the units, how many head units are needed, how well air sealed and insulated they are, window placement and efficiency, difficulty of electrical and running the lines.

The rubber seal around the outside gets stained.

Use a fresh new previously plastic-wrapped roll of the premium 3M blue tape for this, or use new green Frog Tape sealed in its package.

My question: Should I wait until I'm home in a few months to seal a deal, or start looking now to hit the ground running and manage a GC long distance?

Try Alside windows they have a great warranty, I see they have a rep in your city.I have them in my home I live in , and rentals they replaced few windows that were 17 years old the seal broke.

Get there and they have busted seals, were installed wrong and don’t shut, leak, need to be replaced.

Since all of the marriage joint is sealed by drywall, it is no way for the home appraisal to determine.

Hi Paul,Time the market, ride the wave correctly and get out before you even have the chance of falling (because most people who fall get eaten by sharks as tasty Seal Meat, and the Dolphins are too far out to save you--playing happily in the sun.)

(New hinge on door, $99, Sealed garbage disposal line $99, repaired latch mechanism on laundry room $99, fixed faulty vent $99, Rehung blinds in den due to cracking $99, Replaced cracked molding around bathroom $99.)