When you’re selling your home, one of the first and biggest hurdles in getting from “contract to closing” is the completion of the home inspection and the successful negotiation of a resolution to any issues which arise to the satisfaction of both the Seller and the Buyer.
Here is a great list of suggestions from Deborah, in cooperation with Robert Foster of Trebor Home Inspections to advise you on how to get ready for the inspection, with the goals of
– facilitating an accurate inspection
– minimizing the time you need to be away from your home and
– ensuring that items do not end up in the report unnecessarily.
Implementing these suggestions, will help keep the list of concerns and the subsequent “Home Inspection Contingency Removal Addendum” as short as possible for the sake of both parties.
If you have a week or two before your inspection –
Start with cleaning. Sure, you cleaned to get it ready to get it ready to sell, but all the places you ignored like the pantry, closets, attic, basement, garage, behind and around the water heater, and electrical panel? Now is their time, too. Homes that are super-clean (not just tidy, but actually clean) inspire confidence. If you’re not good at cleaning, or hate the task, hire someone else to do the job. Under, around, on top of everything. Corners, crevasses and counter-tops, stove, toilets, and refrigerators. Dog in the yard? Don’t forget to scoop poop! You may not care or know where to avoid stepping, but strangers won’t. Nothing makes a buyer have second thoughts about other maintenance issues you might have neglected more than a dirty house.
Fix things that don’t work. These are considered defects and will come up in even the most basic overview. Sure, you may not care that the bathroom fan hasn’t worked for years and just opened the window, but that won’t fly with a buyer. If it’s present, it should work. Doors should shut all the way and stay shut, windows should stay open, all the lights and overhead fans should work. Even the doorbell. Buyers love when the doorbell works. Gates should latch, locks should lock. Does it have a function? It should perform that function. Ice makers, microwave and their fans and lights, whirlpool motors in bathtubs, drains and drain stoppers. Everything.
Perform regular maintenance. Change your air filters in your HVAC system—a dirty filters says, “I was too lazy to do the basics for one of the most expensive systems of this property!” If it’s been more than a year for a regular servicing, get that scheduled now. Clean the gutters, trim the bushes near the house, doors, windows and heating and cooling compressors outside. Oil squeaky hinges, nail down popped up boards, clean out the dryer lint. On a private septic system? Have it pumped and inspected if that hasn’t been done in the last five years.
Get ready for Inspection Day by giving a little attention to each of these –
Water: Confirm that the water is turned on and the plumbing system is operational. In vacant homes, the water system should be de-winterized if applicable. In all homes, the water heater should be filled and turned on prior to the inspection. In addition, please remove all stored items from around the water heater.
Electricity: Ensure that the electrical service is turned on and that all circuit breakers currently in use are in the on position. If there are any receptacle covers or child safety caps installed, please remove them.
Gas: Have the gas, whether municipal or liquid propane, is turned on and operational.
Light Fixtures: Please make sure all light fixtures both on the exterior and the interior have functioning bulbs, so that fixtures with burned out bulbs don’t unnecessarily end up in the inspection report.
Attics: Please remove all items in the vicinity of the attic hatch or pull down stairs that block access to the attic. Also remove any stored items in the attic that hinder mobility or access to any air handlers or other mechanical equipment in the attic.
Crawlspaces: If there are crawlspace access panels that are screwed, bolted or locked, please have them open on the day of the inspection.
Windows: The windows will all be operated. Please make sure the windows are easily accessible, including having all window coverings in the fully open position to allow access and prevent possible accidental damage. If there are knick-knacks displayed in the windows please remove them so they are not accidentally broken.
Fireplaces: Please remove all decorative items from the fireplace and/or clean all ashes and fire debris out of the fireplace. Gas fire log sets that cannot be operated, because the gas service was not turned on, will be called out as requiring service and/or repair.
Kitchen: Please remove all items from the cooktop, oven and microwave as all of these will be turned on to check for proper function. The dishwasher will also be operated, whether empty of full, so plan accordingly.
Washer/Dryer: Please remove all items from both the clothes washer and dryer. Whether they convey or not, both the washer and dryer will be operated during the inspection to check for proper function of the associated components, so any clothes you leave in them will be washed or dried.
Electronic Equipment: Inspection of the electrical system entails intentionally, and possibly unintentionally, turning off some circuit breakers. Please plan accordingly with regards to all computers, clocks, small appliances and other electronic equipment.
Exterior: If the hose bibs are turned off seasonally, please turn them on. In addition, make sure any overgrown bushes are cut away from the outdoor HVAC units so that they are readily accessible.
Closets, Cabinets, Drawers: These components will be inspected and personal items may need to be moved. There especially needs to be open access to the plumbing under all sinks. Please plan accordingly regarding stored items.
Keys: Please clearly mark and make available the keys for all exterior doors, garages, sheds, fence gates and other outbuildings.
Have other questions about the Home Selling or Inspection processes? Feel free to call us anytime on 434.260.0425.