Some tips or observations I notice during a Home Inspection

A Palmdale, Lancaster and Southern California's Home Inspector's observations!

One of the things that I end up saying is "There's no perfect Home". What I mean is, there are no homes without defect! It's not the little one's that anybody worries about...

I perform quite a few, to say the least, Home Inspections in Palmdale CA, Lancaster, Santa Clarita along with other areas. Recently as well, I've actually been to a few homes that are being sold by someone living there. That's a surprise compared to the last year or so. Good sign for our market, I suppose.

Are there ways to "improve" the home inspection process... likely so!

If you are selling a Home... keep the clutter down to a minimum if possible. If I can't look under a sink, a garage is so packed I can't open the side door, bathroom counters are so full that I can't see the counter top, I'm likely going to indicate that in the report, buyers may become worried that a seller is "hiding" something. Your home is lived in. That's fine, but help me help you!
I'm going to find some things... not to worry. Here's the thing. Taking care of the obvious stuff can help us both. If at all possible, contact a Home Inspector for a Seller's Inspection. A good inspector can easily help you identify the obvious repairs needed and you can decide what you can or can't do. A defect on a Home Inspection Report is not going to be a surprise and I tell my clients that all the time. A lengthly inspection report may give the impression that your home is poorly cared for and deferred maintenance is always a concern.
Pets!!! If at all possible.. maybe having the family dogs at a neighbor or friends home is a plus or a crate/carrier if possible. I've chased a few dogs and cats up and down the street as they've gotten out as I am going in and out of the home. Is it my fault... not really. I still try to catch them though. An inspection just the other day, I heard my client, the buyer saying "I'm not sure I realized how much the pet in the home bothered my allergies until today" Another concern or liability are BITES. In the last decade and longer I've been bitten a few times. Did I sue? No, but you, the seller may not be so lucky. Sadly enough, the last 2 times I've been bitten the Seller's Agent was at the inspection. Not really looking out for the Seller's best interest, I didn't think. I remember thinking when I arrived to the home "Is the Akita a great idea to have running loose during the inspection..?" Dogs of all shapes and sizes seem like they are afraid of people wearing tools. Animals like me when I get there, by the time I am wearing some tools, it makes the dogs uncomfortable. Tape measure, flashlights and gadgets "dangling" in my pockets and such. It's their turf!
If you are to do repairs prior to selling the home or having it inspected... that's great! But at the same time, some of the repairs that I have seen were blatent, poor attempts to cover up an obvious problem. I recently performed a roof inspection on a home that I was inspecting... the seller had paid someone to patch up a roof that needed replacement. Did the seller know the difference... who knows. But it was good money after bad.