If you are thinking about putting your home on the market, you can be sure the buyers will demand a detailed inspection report. That is why it is so important for home sellers to get out in front by scheduling a pre-sale inspection of their own.
Even if the would-be buyers eventually schedule their own inspection, having your property inspected now could uncover deficiencies that will need to be addressed before the sale can go through. By fixing those issues now, you can increase the value of your property, attract more buyers and reduce the number of days it takes to sell your home.
Preparing for a Home Inspection
A good home inspection should be thorough, and it is important to prepare for that evaluation. Home inspectors are professionals, and they want to do the best job possible. You can help them do their job more efficiently by preparing your home well before they arrive.
Preparing your property for inspection has a number of benefits, from reducing the amount of time the inspectors must be at your home to making their jobs easier. Here are some things to address before your home inspectors arrive.
Trim the Lawn and Landscape
The home inspectors will be looking at the interior and exterior of your home, so make their lives easier by trimming the lawn and landscape. The inspectors will want to look at the foundation and home exterior, and keeping bushes, shrubs and other landscape elements trimmed will allow them to see what they need to see.
Locate Your Major Systems
The home inspection will also include a look at the major systems inside your home, from the electrical panel and furnace to the HVAC equipment and the water heater. Take a few minutes to locate all of these systems, so you can show the home inspectors around when they arrive.
Look for Problems
One of the jobs of the home inspector is to look for potential problems, but you do not have to wait for them to arrive. Take the time to look for problems on your own, from tiny cracks along the walls of the basement to moisture pooling on the ceiling. You can be sure the home inspector will find these things, and getting out ahead of them can make your life, and theirs, a lot easier.
Clear Away the Clutter
The less cluttered your home is, the easier it will be to inspect. Take the time to clear away the clutter, store your extra stuff and leave the home inspector with a clear path. Decluttering your home now will also make it easier for buyers, so the sooner you do this the better.
Having your home inspected is a critical part of the pre-sales process, but you need to prepare for the inspection properly. The tips listed above can help you get your home ready, so your inspection can come off without a hitch.
