Preparing For A Home Inspection

So you’ve decided to sell your home… You’ve cleaned house like never before from top to bottom. Maybe you’ve replaced some faulty appliances, or painted the walls to give it a fresh look for potential buyers. Your home is pretty to look at and smells fresh and clean. You’re confident that your home is in great condition – the buyer’s home inspector won’t find anything wrong, will they? Preparing for a home inspection takes more than just cleaning. Doing it right can help your home show better than just a clean house.

A professional home inspector doesn’t walk onto a property for the purpose of finding problems. Their job is to observe components and systems within the home and report on their type and/or condition. The report helps their client have a better understanding of the overall condition of the home.

Understanding what an inspector looks for can help reduce transaction delays, repair requests, or additional price negotiations. Preparing for a home inspection makes the process smoother and can help you pocket more at closing.

Pre-Listing Inspections vs. Buyer’s Inspections

A Pre-Listing Inspection helps identify adverse conditions before listing your home for sale. This allows you more time to get reasonable repair estimates or perform DIY repairs. It can also help you work with your real estate professional to price your home right based on its condition.

A Buyer’s inspection is scheduled after an offer has been accepted. It may lead to findings that you were unaware of or had forgotten about over the years. While most adverse conditions are relatively minor, there may be more serious concerns that arise from an inspection. Minor issues may become major concerns for your buyer, and it’s difficult to know which ones are important to them. Any issues could cause transaction delays or cost you additional money before the sale is complete.

When preparing for a home inspection, there are simple steps you can take to help it go well. These tips can also prevent the possibility of a re-inspection fee if a return trip is necessary to complete it.

Here are some easy prep tips to help inspection day go smoothly:

All connected utilities must be turned on
Remove any obstacles blocking door or window access. For liability issues, home inspectors don’t usually touch or move the homeowner’s possessions.
Remove or unlock padlocks at gates, doors, and electric panels, or have the keys present and marked
Provide enough room in the attic access area to allow a ladder to be set up to enter the attic.
Have clear access around and to the water heater, electric panel, HVAC equipment, and crawlspace access
Walls throughout the home and garage should not be obscured from view. Pictures or furniture placed against the wall are fine, but stacked or stored items should not block visibility.
If possible, vehicles should be out of the garage and off any finished driveway
Empty the dishwasher so the Inspector can check for leaks and proper soap dispenser operation.
Ensure drain plugs are operational or present at all sink locations
Replace burned out bulbs, and ensure all interior rooms are accessible and unlocked
If you have any special requests for the inspector, be sure to leave them in a conspicuous location. For example, if you want specific lights left on or certain door locks latched, then leave a note. Professional home inspectors will typically leave the home in the same state as upon their arrival, including thermostat settings, light fixtures, door locks, etc.

Preparing for a Pre-Listing Home Inspection

A Pre-Listing inspection of your home identifies needed repairs to help your home shine to potential buyers. It can also help to price it properly based on its condition. Show buyers that you’re offering your home in good faith and help with full disclosure of its condition. Don’t let minor issues go unchecked or uncorrected before the home inspection. They may cost you big during renegotiations. These issues often point to how well the home has been maintained, and are often inexpensive to correct:

Have your heating/cooling system serviced by an HVAC professional to ensure everything functions as it should. Replace dirty HVAC filters
Improve landscaping conditions by trimming vegetation that’s in contact with the home’s siding or roof coverings
Adjust or repair doors that stick, rub, or don’t latch closed. Replace damaged or missing hardware. This can be a handyman job, or DIY if you have the tools and skills.
Replace damaged or missing weatherstripping at exterior doors, including the door that leads to the garage
Ensure that the door between the living area and garage is self closing. Self-closing hinges are adjustable to ensure the door fully closes automatically.
Caulk or seal gaps, cracks, or openings in the siding materials. This includes where it meets with any trim pieces to prevent moisture or pest intrusion. Touch up the paint if possible. Be aware that not all caulk is paintable.
Clean or clear gutters, if present, of all leaves or other debris. Water should discharge away from the home’s foundation. Add splash blocks if needed to direct water away from the home
Debris should be removed from the roof if present. This includes leaves or other debris from nearby trees.
Replace damaged or missing caulk at plumbing locations, including the tub/shower surround, tub spouts, and toilets (at the floor). Kitchen and bathroom sinks, countertops, and backsplashes should also have caulk to prevent water damage.

AZ Pro Inspector Service is Your Certified Home Inspector

If you’re ready to schedule a home inspection now, I would truly appreciate your business! You can call Danny at 480-252-7455 or click here to schedule your inspection online.

If you’re outside of my service area, click here to find an InterNACHI certified home inspector.

AZ Pro Inspector Service is based in the Anthem at Merrill Ranch neighborhood between Florence and San Tan Valley. Your Certified Phoenix Home Inspector services the entire Phoenix area, including Chandler, Gilbert, Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, Apache Junction, Gold Canyon, Queen Creek, San Tan Valley, Florence, Coolidge, Casa Grande, Arizona City, Eloy, Maricopa and everywhere else in Maricopa and Pinal Counties.