There is no way to avoid it. Wear and begins as soon as a house is built, regardless of upkeep measures. In a transaction, most homes are inspected for wood-pest damage that includes termites, dry rot, fungus, mildew, decay, and wood-dwelling beetles. This inspection, completed before the sale, identifies any damage being caused by such intrusion, but who is responsible to correct the problem is often left to negotiation.
In a hopping "seller's market" where multiple offers and opportunities abound, a buyer will often close a sale "as is," accepting known defects, in an effort to better their chance of acquiring said home. One drawback to this "as is" purchase is the tendency to overlook that the work needs to be done and many buyers in recent years have yet to take care of the issues. Now a segment of those "as is" buyers have become today's sellers, some of whom are finding they have less equity than they thought they did. In today's market it is less likely to find an "as is" buyer for a property with a large pest-control bill being passed down the line.
A good rule of thumb in today's climate is that a house in good condition that is priced right for the market is the one that sells. With that in mind, perhaps the most sensible measure a seller can take is to prioritize repairs before putting a house on the market. A visit with an inspector can yield some good advice if a seller takes the time to go over the report with him still present. Pest work is best done before selling the house, thus removing the negotiation from the sale. As for examining the extent of the repairs, the inspector will likely point a seller in the right direction in making a determination as to what to fix. For example, a rotted deck that is unsafe to walk on should take priority over costly cosmetic repairs such as flooring that will likely be changed to the buyers' liking anyway. To show the house at its best, an inexpensive area rug can solve a cosmetic floor problem, while a glaring hazardous railing on an inspection report can kill the deal.
As a buyer, there is certainly nothing wrong with an "as is" transaction, so long as the buyer has the full scope of the work that needs to be done. Factor in the cost of the necessary work and its subsequent maintenance. Sometimes a buyer will fail to consider the cost of upkeep and repairs when making a purchase, only to discover later that he simply cannot afford to maintain his own home. This is an unfortunate yet avoidable tragedy that with preemptive thought, does not need to become a reality. It's rare that every item on a report needs immediate attention, so it is important to understand the report and its overall purpose. Don't let the report blind your client like a deer in headlights, but rather serve as an instructive tool for where to focus their efforts for the sale.