You are selling your home. Great. But before you place that for sale sign on the front lawn, you should ensure that your house is ready for a potential home inspection. You would be surprised how many homes are listed for sale without any previous preparations.
Most home inspectors have seen it. The go perform a home inspection for a potential buyer and find the home is not ready even for the most superficial of inspection. This could cause buyers to walk away from a deal. Before putting your house on the market, make sure that is in good shape and take care of any maintenance or repairs that need to be addressed. A potential buyer may get scare when they see the home inspection report filled with a long list of miscellaneous defects, even if these defects are minor.
Preparing your home for a potential home inspection is not as difficult or costly as you may think. Here are a few suggestions to get you started.
It may sound obvious, but ensure that all the electrical circuits in the home are turned on. It is not the job of a home inspector to flip breakers on and off.
If your home or appliances use gas, make sure it is on and all the pilot lights are working. Again, a professional inspector will not waste time on this.
Your water should be on and all your fixtures should be functional. If there is a leak, repair it.
Do not leave burned out light bulbs in any lighting fixtures. Make sure all the lights can be turned on easily.
Try to de-clutter your cabinets and storage space under the sinks.
Ensure that your attic access is clear and easily accessible. If the access is through a closet, clear away the all your personal effects and remove any shelves that may block the access hole.
Check all your doors and windows and tighten any loose hardware. Make sure that every door and window opens easily and without noise.
Go up on the roof and remove any accumulated leaves from the gutters and any lost toys that may have ended up on the roof.
If you have any leaks under the sinks or drains, particularly in the basement, bring in a professional to have them repaired before you put your house up for sale.
If your heating, air conditioning and fireplace were not serviced in the last few months, do it now and keep the receipts on hand for proof.
It may also be worthwhile to put a fresh coat of paint on all the walls, particularly if the paint is dated and/or dirty. Have your carpets shampooed and make sure your home smells nice. There is nothing worse for a potential buyer than walking into a home that reeks of cats or old shoes. If you take care of these minor repairs before you list your home for sale, you will greatly increase your chances of selling your home rapidly. Your home will look great, seem well maintained and more importantly, the home inspection report will not be filled with endless minor defects.
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