Are you preparing yourself and your home for a home inspection?
During a real estate transaction, a home inspection is incredibly useful to both buyers and sellers.
For buyers, the inspection will outline any current issues as well as the potential of future issues. Let’s consider that 25 percent of homeowners report experiencing significant home issues in their first five years of purchase. With a detailed home inspection, it’s simple to see how these issues could have been prevented.
For sellers, conducting a home inspector prior to the sale shows good faith to buyers. It also eliminates the need for buyers to have their own home inspection prior to closing and helps to seal the deal.
If you’re preparing for home inspection, you’re going to want to read this. We’re sharing eight tips on how to prepare yourself and your home for a home inspection.
1. Clean the House
First things first, it’s important to ensure that your home is clean and well-presented during your home inspection. This accounts for both the interior of the home as well as the exterior.
While a home inspection does not measure the cleanliness of a home, this is still an important consideration for sellers.
After all, a tidy home gives the impression to the home inspector and potential buyers that your home is properly cared for. On the other hand, a home that is dirty or cluttered may give the impression that the home has deeper, undisclosed issues.
2. Minimize Clutter
When preparing for home inspection, do both yourself and the home inspector a favor and minimize the clutter in your home.
Remember, the home inspector will need access to all aspects of the home. This will include anything from storage closets to the furnace and the attic. Not only does this allow the home inspector to work more diligently, but it also presents your home in a more positive light.
It’s especially important to minimize clutter in entryways and points of access.
3. Replace Lightbulbs
Sure, it may seem insignificant, but replacing all of the lightbulbs in your home prior to the home inspection is incredibly worthwhile.
While most blown lightbulbs mean that a replacement is necessary, this isn’t always the case. On the other hand, a blown lightbulb may insinuate the wiring is faulty or that there is an electrical issue.
4. Ensure All Utilities Are Connected
When it comes time for your home inspection, it’s important to ensure that every utility and appliance is connected. Remember, a home inspector will have to do things such as running the dishwasher as well as the laundry machines.
Let’s consider that some homeowners do not use all of the utilities in their home. For example, a home that has two kitchens may not keep all utilities connected in their second kitchen. This is also the case for a home that may be vacant and not currently utilized.
However, a home inspector will have to test and examine each and every utility and appliance in the home. That being said, it’s vital for all utilities and appliances to be connected for the inspection.
5. Provide Access to All Areas of the Home
During a home inspection, the inspector must have access to each and every aspect of the home.
While it’s obvious to provide keys for the entrance of the home, it’s important to remember to provide access to other areas as well. This may include areas such as:
- The garage
- The backyard
- The attic
- The basement -especially important if there are tenants
- The furnace
- Any rooms or closets with locking mechanisms
Remember, if a home inspector does not have access to an area of the home, they are unable to inspect it. This leaves the home inspection incomplete and makes potential buyers feel uneasy or that something is being hidden.
6. Have Repair Documentation Handy
If you have completed any major repairs or renovations on your home, it’s important to have your documentation handy. Some home inspectors like to see documentation to highlight that major renovations were conducted in a professional and workmanship like manner.
A home inspector may also ask to see any permits or licenses that were required throughout the renovation. This is especially the case for any decks or home additions.
7. Give Them Space
When it comes time for a home inspection, you’ll want to set aside roughly 2-3 hours from start to finish. Most sellers will provide the home inspector with privacy throughout this time.
Remember, a home inspection is an incredibly in-depth study of the interior and exterior of the home. In fact, the average home requires over 500 different points of measurement and examination throughout the home inspection.
That being said, you’ll want to ensure that you are giving the home inspector the space and privacy they desire. For sellers, it’s important to consider that most buyers will want to have privacy throughout their inspection. This allows them to feel more comfortable asking the home inspector questions and getting a proper read on the home.
8. Prepare Yourself
Preparing yourself mentally is perhaps one of the most significant aspects of preparing for home inspection.
Remember, a home inspection is an incredibly thorough examination of the home. Between the interior and the exterior, the home inspector will point out each and every issue that could be detrimental to the home. This could be anything from a faulty furnace or kitchen appliances to a roof that needs major repairs or even a replacement.
It’s also important to consider that many buyers will use a home inspection as a means of negotiating the purchase price of the home. To minimize the shock value, it’s best to prepare yourself for this potential beforehand and determine how this type of situation would be handled.
Preparing for Home Inspection
A home inspection is the best way to source and determine any potential issues that exist within a home.
For buyers, a home inspection is a helpful means of outlining and potential issues in the home and even negotiating the sale price. For sellers, a home inspection shows potential buyers that you’re not hiding any issues within the home and provides for peace of mind for the sale.
These tips on preparing for home inspection are the best way to ensure that your home inspection is as smooth as possible. If you’re looking to schedule an inspection today, be sure to visit our website!