27 Ways to Prepare for a Home Inspection... and a Bonus Tip!!
We’ve put the deal together. The Buyers really feel they have just had their “Win-Win” negotiating experience. Right when they are at their most emotional high wanting to tell their Love-Ones, Friends, and all the world of Social-Media, hey join us in our excitement, we just bought a home, I start talking about “the Dream-Killer,” the home inspection.
I explain to them, now they have had their “emotional tour” of the home, it is now time to schedule the “technical tour” of the home.
I remind them homes are made with human hands, and ask them what do we know about human hands? There is always a quiet pause and a puzzled look I get. After about 10 seconds of silence I say, I don’t know of any human hands that have made any thing perfect? Do you?
I help Buyers to understand they are hiring a Licensed Inspector, trained to educate them on the maintenance issues of a home, and on any possible repair issues of the home. I make it a point when I’m initially touring the home with them, and often when we’ve tour the home a 2nd or 3rd time before submitting an offer, I tour the home with the Buyer from the perspective of an Inspector and/or appraiser.
While I get them to visualize their lifestyle there, I also keep them grounded by pointing out any possible maintenance and/or repair issues an Inspector or Appraiser might discover. Plus, the Buyer gets the benefit of Seller’s disclosing in writing their knowledge of the home.
When serving First-Time-Homebuyers, I go out of my way to show them all the maintenance fun they’ll look forward to as Homeowners discovering how to preserve a home as a treasure.
I teach them how to conduct themselves during an inspection. They must be present. They must stay with the Inspector. When the Inspector points out an area of concern, I suggest they ask the Inspector to explain what is pointed out, a maintenance concern, or a repair issue. I do this to help them manage their fears, which can take them on an irrational journey, turning the home they’ve fallen in love with, from a “Dream-Home” to a “Money-Pit” faster than you can catch a mosquito pissing on cotton.
I point out every home will have some level of maintenance, but it is the repairs we focus on negotiating the Seller taking on some level of responsibility for, unless it is an “as-is” purchase, resulting in the inspection being a resource tool to determine if the Buyer wants to continue completing the purchase of the home.
Below my Respected Colleague shares vital tips on how a Seller may properly prepare the home their selling for a rewarding inspection.
Thanks for giving me an opportunity to serve your Loved-One and Friends by recommending me to them.
Sellers! The Home Inspector has just completed the Inspection of your house. You and your Listing Agent are eagerly looking over the report. WHAT? The Inspector has written, "not tested" and "unable to access/not inspected", in several places on the report. Oh, no!
The Buyer and the Buyer's Broker are looking at the same report. The Buyer says, "Look at all these things they didn't test. What kind of report is this? I cannot move forward on buying this house!"
Sellers, the following checklist will help to ensure that everything gets Inspected. Performing these steps will lessen the chance that your Inspection Report will contain the words, "not tested" or "unable to access/not inspected".
1. Turn on all Utilities, including Water, Gas, and Electric.
2. All Pilot Lights should be lit and burning. This includes the water heater, the stove, the fireplace, and any other pilot lights.
3. If your appliances burn Propane or Fuel Oil from a tank, make sure that there is sufficient fuel in those tanks.
4. Turn Active Alarm Systems OFF, unless the Inspector instructs you otherwise.
5. Computers! The Inspector may be turning the electric power to your house on and off. Back up your computer data, then turn the computer off and leave it turned off, to prevent any data loss.
6. Radiators or Heating Elements - the Inspector will turn these on. Move any furniture or obstructions away from these heat sources.
7. Fireplaces - make sure that they are not obstructed, or filled with anything other than faux gas logs.
8. Air Conditioning Vents on the floors and/or walls - the Inspector may use an infrared measuring tool to check the temperature. Make certain that none of the vents are blocked or obstructed.
9. Electrical Panels/Breaker Boxes - make sure that nothing is in front of or blocking the Breaker Panel.
10. Electric Outlets - move any furniture that is blocking electric outlets. If you have GFCI protected outlets in the kitchen, garage, laundry room, bathrooms, or elsewhere, make sure that nothing is blocking those GFCI outlets. The Inspector will want to test each one of them.
11. Water Heaters - the area around the water heater must be completely clear, to allow easy access to the Home Inspector.
12. Pets! Get your pets out of the house. Cats and dogs should be caged, restrained, or removed from the premises.
13. Attics - make certain that the Inspector can get to the Attic Door, especially if it is inside a closet. Remove excess items from the Attic - the Inspector MUST be able to freely move around inside the attic.
14. Crawl Spaces and Basements - just like the Attic, the Inspector must be able to enter and freely move around in the Crawl Space that is under your house.
15. If the Seller or the Listing Agent will not be present during the Inspection, give the Seller's cell phone number to the Inspector, in case the Inspector has any questions.
16. Keys and Codes - provide keys to all doors; keys to all gates; leave the garage door opener, provide any gate codes.
17. Garage - move your Cars out of the Garage. Park them on the street, or at a neighbor's house.
18. Exterior of the House - Trim bushes and plants away from water faucets and exterior dryer vents, and especially clear around the Air Conditioner.
19. Filters - Clean or replace all Filters. This includes the AC filters, filters in the Range Hood, and any other filters in the house.
20. Bathrooms - Remove everything from the tub or shower, and remove items that may be on top of the toilet tank lid. Remove items from the vanity cabinet under the sink, so that the Inspector can check the water cut-off valves.
21. Kitchen Sink - remove all dishes from the sink. Remove items from the cabinet under the sink, so that the Inspector can access the water cut-off valves.
22. Kitchen Appliances - remove dishes from the dishwasher, remove all pots and pans from the stove and the oven.
23. Laundry Room - remove clothes from the washer and dryer (if these appliances are included in the sale).
24. Light Bulbs - replace any burned-out light bulbs.
25. Smoke Detectors - install new batteries.
26. Documents and Permits for work done on the house - have the paperwork and receipts for all repairs or upgrades to the house, such as the new roof, new windows, an addition, or an enclosed porch or garage. Have any Building Permits that were required for work done on the house.
27. Seller's Disclosures (that your Listing Agent asked you to complete when you put the house up for sale) - have these available for the Inspector to review.
** Bonus Tip if you are present during the Inspection **
Let the Inspector work! Give them plenty of room. Ask questions, but don't berate the Inspector with incessant chatter. The Inspector will give you a detailed report at the completion of the Home Inspection.
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Disclaimer: Nothing in this blog article is to be construed as legal advice, tax advice, or financial advice. For legal advice see an attorney. For tax advice or financial advice see a tax attorney, certified public accountant, or other qualified professional.
Frederick Griffin, Licensed Real Estate Broker Tallahassee, Florida 850-339-4861
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Call Fred Griffin 850-339-4861
Frederick Griffin, Licensed Real Estate Broker Tallahassee, Florida 850-339-4861
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