You’ve listed your home and a motivated buyer loved it, signed a contract to buy, and secured financing. Now comes the make or break part of the equation: the home inspection. These home inspection tips for sellers will relieve your stress and make for a smooth and successful inspection.
The good news is that you can take steps to prepare your home to pass the inspection with flying colors. Follow these eight home inspection tips for sellers and your home will be sure to pass.
- Be proactive. If you know that there are needed repairs, like a non-operating dishwasher or a burner that doesn’t work on your stove, be proactive and get it fixed before the inspection. It’s better to take care of items like these in advance, rather than have approval delayed until you get them fixed.
- Clean. An inspector, and buyers accompanying them, tend to be more open-minded if they see that you clean thoroughly and take pride in the appearance of the home. This can lend itself towards them having a bit more bias towards the home passing inspection if they see that you’ve been taking care of things around the house.
- Have the outside prepared. Having tall grass, weeds, or brush along the foundation of the home doesn’t help an inspector be able to check out the exterior of the home. Make sure the exterior is fully visible, all the way down to the foundation. You don’t want an inspector to have to come back, for an extra charge, because they couldn’t see what they needed to see on the outside of your home.
- Make the attic and garage accessible. Before the inspection, get up in the attic and make sure it is organized and all boxes are a couple of feet away from the walls. Remove your vehicles from the garage so the inspector can check the hot water heater (have the pilot on) and washer/dryer if they’re located in the garage.
- Leave the utilities connected. The inspector is not going to be pleased if they have to inspect the home in poor lighting. They’re not going to feel good about passing things they can’t test, like electrical outlets. Also, the furnace and air conditioning, and major appliances, all need to be inspected. Neglecting this tip can definitely delay approval.
- Let your realtor help you get ready. If you’re working with an experienced realtor, they’ve helped many previous clients pass their home seller inspection. Rely on them and walk through the home together. Your realtor can spot things that you thought were okay, but that they know will trip you up Be prepared to fix what they tell you to. They have a vested interest in your home passing inspection.
- Consider a pre-inspection. You’ve got a lot riding on your upcoming inspection. Much like a sports team practices and prepares for the big game, you can prepare for final inspection with a thorough pre-inspection. Don’t delay your closing because your home didn’t pass the final test.
- Vacate the premises. As much as you want to be there when the inspector is going through your home with a fine-tooth comb, it’s better if you (and your pets) aren’t there. Buyers are much more comfortable if you’re not following along and selling the inspector on why certain things are fine when they look like they’re not. The inspector will also appreciate it if you’re not tagging along.
Having an inspector come back a second time because your home had items needing attention can cost you, both in terms of time and money. A second home inspection may result in a second fee being charged by the inspector, as well as possibly delaying your closing. Following these home inspection tips for sellers can make the difference between a passing and failing grade.
At Lucent Property Inspections, we’re dedicated to helping you pass your inspection and completing the successful sale of your home. Contact us today!