Things To Do Before a Home Inspection

Buying and selling a house is exciting but is almost just as equally stressful. By the end of the journey most people just want to be done with it! The home inspection is no exception- it can be one of the most nail biting experiences of the entire process. There are some ways to make this part a lot easier on yourself. It doesn’t even take much! Most of the tips we have listed won’t take you more than a day to do or get together. Believe us-you’ll thank yourself when it’s all said and done. Here are some tips to make your home inspection go smoothly:

1: Give Access
Frankly put- if the inspector cannot get to what they need to, they can’t check it. Removing stuff out of the way of sinks, hot water units, furnaces, drain clean-outs, etc. can make their lives a lot easier. If they can’t get to certain spaces it may look bad to the buyer.

2: Do your repairs before the inspection
A lot of times, it is easy to forget to do certain things around the house that you have become blinded to. For example- the kitchen sink is usually slow to drain but that has not bothered you in months, but it will both the inspector and the potential buyer. Unclog any drains, fix any leaks, tighten up those few loose valves etc. Another good tip- check the batteries in your smoke and CO detectors! Just testing them to make sure they work can help you out too. Check the towns code just to be sure you have the right amount of detectors before you have the inspection done- sometimes it may vary from town to town. If there are a few minor things around the house that are not done it could potentially make the inspector think there are so some serious issues they may be missing.

3: Do some preventative maintenance
Just getting a few things cleaned and tuned up will mean a lot to the inspector and the potential buyer. Getting your HVAC system tuned up and cleaned and changing the filter means that you are still keeping up with the appliances in your home even though you may be leaving soon. Leave the receipts on the counter to show that you have kept up with these things. Getting the gutters cleaned or having the hot water tank checked as well will also help.

4: Clean the Home
Make no mistake- potential buyers would rather buy a home from someone who is neat and tidy over someone who is messy and even dirty. Wouldn’t you? If a home is neat and tidy it is usually a sign that the current owner takes a lot of pride in their home and they care about it. Making sure the home is clean for the inspection will give the impression that you care about what happens to it. It is a good way to start off the inspection process.

5: Leave the house
There is almost no reason for you to be there during the inspection process. Inspections can take a long time and the inspector has to do a lot of things- go up on the roof, turn the AC or furnace on full blast, open cabinets, the list goes on. You standing there watching them can make them nervous or hesitant to do certain things. It is also a time for the potential buyer to be there and able to speak freely without fear of offending you. A lot of time and money goes into buying a house, and it is a huge investment. The buyer has the right to be fully aware of what they’re getting into. Most home inspections take a while- so be sure to schedule for at least 3 hours away from your house.

6: Leave Any Receipts There
If there are things you have invested in during your time in owning the home it is important to let the inspector know. For example- if you have put in a new sewer then make sure the inspector is aware of it. That way, on the write up they can make it known that the sewer was replaced a few years ago so there is no need to check certain things. Any maintenance done to HVAC systems or replacements should be included there as well. It not only makes their life easier, but also builds the value of your home.

Home inspections determine a lot and they can be nerve wracking- there is no doubt about that. A lot goes into them. But following some of these easy tips can help. Buying and selling a home is a big milestone in anyone’s life and there is no reason to make it harder than it needs to be. We all wish you the best of luck in it and we hope we helped! For more tips on buying or selling just give us a call. We are opening doors all over WNY, and we would love to help you open yours. Just give us a call at 768-1177!