Two Things Sellers Can Do to Minimize Home Inspection Drama
When a Bristow seller's house goes under contract, they are relieved. Whew! Now to closing. Their eyes are set on the prize.
Wait just a second there, you've likely got a home inspection on the horizon. And if you do, here are some really simple things you can do to make sure you don't get items flagged as inoperable, that you know for a fact work.
First is to make sure your pilot light on your gas fireplace is on. You have no idea how many home owners simply see a fireplace as a waste of space and turn that pilot off and board up the front to avoid chilly drafts. And every time, the inspector for the buyer flags the fireplace as inoperable. This is because inspectors will not take the risk of igniting a pilot light.
Getting the fireplace pilot light on should be a simple thing to do in order to avoid buyer concern down the road. It is something I advise all of my sellers to do before listing, and remind them again when they go under contract.
The second thing a seller can do is to make sure all burned out light bulbs are replaced. If an inspector flips a light switch and nothing happens, the light is noted as being inoperable. There's that stinking word again. You know the light works. The bulb is just burned out. Don't let a buyer get concerned that there may be a larger electrical issue. Replace all your burned out light bulbs.
These are very simple things to do, but can get lost in the listing preparation and especially in the excitement of being under contract. Do yourself a favor and make sure the things you know are working are working. Having been witness to a scared buyer who is convinced there is an electrical problem or a major fireplace issue, these two tasks can take those worries right off the table. Why give a buyer something to worry about?
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