Inspection Expectations for Sellers
The home inspection is often the stuff of nightmares for sellers; not because they cause endless problems, but because it feels like an opening of Pandora’s Box. Who knows what you don’t know and how much it can end up costing you? I can’t ease all of your anxiety (I couldn’t even ease all of my own when I sold my last personal property), but I can help you understand the process and prep your home to minimize surprises.
The first thing to remember about the home inspection is that you would probably want to inspect a home before buying. Your buyer feels the same way. They simply want to have a qualified professional look over the property, attic to crawl and everything in between, test the systems, and give them a detailed report to help them know what they are buying and how to maintain and care for it. Here are some tips to help ensure a smooth home inspection.
Clear a good path to the electrical panel, water heater, furnace, crawl space access door, and attic access. The home inspector will need access to all of these.
Make sure that all light fixtures have working bulbs. I die a little on the inside when a home inspector has to note that there may be electrical issues because of a burnt bulb.
Ensure that pilot lights are lit. Home inspectors can’t turn on the gas or light a pilot light, so they can’t verify that a gas fireplace or range works if the gas and/or pilot light are off.
Have the HVAC serviced and provide the report and receipt. Every buyer will want to know that the HVAC system is functioning without need for repair. Win points by being proactive with this step.
Make sure you have one Smoke and one CO detector on each level of your home. If you already have them in your home, double check the batteries and make sure they work. If you don’t have them, add them now.
Prune vegetation so that it’s not touching the house or roof.
Make sure that crawl space access screens are free of debris and holes.
Check the kitchens and bathrooms. Refresh any cracked or missing caulking, repair any dripping faucets, stop any running toilets, secure any wobbly toilets and toilet seats, and put everything into a general state of good repair.
Leave out some water bottles and/or sodas and add a note with instructions and/or the location of items like the crawl space door, furnace, filter box, electrical panel, etc. A little friendly goodwill never hurts.
Remember, your buyer is anxious too! Make it easy by prepping where you can, taking a deep breath, and trying to keep a calm, friendly attitude. In the end, everyone wants to come to an agreement that is fair and allows the purchase to continue (you and your buyer may just have slightly different opinions on how to get there).