You’ve had your house on the market and dealt with all the anxiety that goes along with selling a home. You’ve wondered if you’d get any offers, if you’d sell for the price you asked, and wanted; you’ve cleaned and prepared for open houses and straightened up for a succession of showings. Then, it happens, you’ve got an offer; it’s a good one and you’re more than happy to accept it and get through the selling process.
The next step is the Home Inspection. But, before you give a sigh of relief and think that your work and effort is no longer needed, that things will proceed like clockwork and soon enough the whole selling process will be finished and you’ll be on to your next property, you have more work to do and a number of important details to take care of. The Home Inspection is a major part of the selling process and one on which the buyer’s final decision is riding. You want to make sure that you do everything possible to assure a positive outcome.
By professional standards, Home Inspectors are supposed to be nonjudgmental, but you have to remember that they are human beings and just like all the rest of us, they are influenced, both consciously and subconsciously by how they experience your property. In order to make sure that they see your property in a positive light, there are a number of things that you need to consider.
First off, while you may be tired of doing so, clean your house. Thoroughly. Dust those baseboards and ceiling fans, vacuum under the refrigerator and stove, clean the air conditioner filters; make sure that sinks and tubs and toilets are clean, including the hardware and scrub away any hard water stains or mineral deposits the best you can. Also, make sure that your overhead lights have lightbulbs and that there is adequate lighting in all the areas that the home inspector will need to access.
Next, clear away all the areas that are going to be inspected. This means trimming any bushes or plants that could prevent easy access on the outside of your home, but it’s also as simple as making sure that the inspector will have easy access and mobility in checking the furnace, hot water heater, air conditioning unit and any electrical boxes.
Be sure that you provide keys to any outbuildings and if you’ve recently done any repair work on anything that will be inspected, leave those document for the home inspector. Finally, while home inspectors usually come prepared, in the event that yours doesn’t, make sure to have a ladder on hand so they can inspect the attic, roof and gutters.
Most importantly, the best advice aside from the above is to leave the property. The home inspector needs to be able to inspect the property at his own pace and record his own observations, he/she doesn’t need the homeowner following along and offering commentary. As a seller, take care of the important details; your hard work and attention to detail will pay off in the end.
Ken Bryant, Real Estate Broker 