Often times a home inspection is the last obstacle in the home selling process. With the sell of your home contingent on the home inspection and home inspections often turning into a 2nd round of negotiations, taking the time to make your home in tip top shape, is time and money well spent. Having your home inspected, before putting it on the market can give you an edge, by having the items repaired before the buyer’s home inspector arrives. This will help prevent 11th hour negotiations and help your sale go more smoothly. If getting a pre-listing inspection is not within your budget, here are a few tips on preparing your home for a home inspection.
Every home has minor defects and preventive maintenance issues. There are a few things you can do to make the home inspection go more smoothly.
1) Replace water damaged wood. Whether it be siding or water damage at the exterior door-jambs be sure to have it replaced. Water damaged wood will also likely get red flagged by the termite inspector too.
2) Seal window voids and stucco cracks.
3) Check beneath the sinks for plumbing leaks, make sure your toilets are not loose to the floor and replace leaking faucets.
4) Replace you AC filter and clean dirty AC registers.
5) Straighten out your home. Although the home inspector will not be grading your housekeeping, leaving your home messy may indicate to the inspector that the house has been poorly maintained.
6) Clear storage away from your electrical panel, attic access and air handler unit.
7) If you are not living in the home, make sure the utilities (Water, Electric & Gas) are on.
8) Change smoke detector batteries and replace old smoke detectors (Typically the manufacturers recommend every 10 years).
9) Fill out a detailed seller’s disclosure. List all problems your home has. This will make it harder fort the buyer to renegotiate after the home inspection, if the defects have already been pointed out to them on paper. Do not conceal known defects that the home inspector will likely find anyways. Having the buyer think you are being dishonest can quickly derail the sale of your home. If the buyer’s come to you with a repair list after the inspection, try to have the items corrected. This will keep your deal on track and will be a good faith gesture to the buyers. Getting a pre-listing home inspection can help prevent 11th hour negotiations as well.
We hope this information, helps your home inspection go better. Good luck and we wish you happiness and health in your new home. If we can help with your Brevard County, home inspection needs, contact us anytime.
Priority Home Inspections
321-368-9921
www.brevardhomeinspector.com
