You've made the big decision to put your house up for sale!  Now what?  All of a sudden, there's a million things to do.  Most of us wait to put the house on the market before starting to complete those maintenance items that we should have been taking care of all along.

Want to make things a bit easier on yourself?  It's a sure bet that the buyer of your house will insist upon a home inspection...so why not get a jump on it right now?  After attending multiple dozens of home inspections, I have found that there are several common home inspection problems in Nashville Real Estate that I keep seeing over and over.

By far, the best thing to do would be to hire a good home inspector at this point.  This will enable you to discover and remedy any problem areas right up front.  Of course, major structural issues will have to be dealt with...but I want to go over a few common problems that I see everyday. 

• Go through the house and change all the furnace filters.  I see potential buyers look at dirty vents as an indication of the home's overall maintenance.
• Look around the outside of the house.  Do any windows or doors need caulking or painting?  You might as well take care of this now.
• Are your downspouts extended so that rainwater is diverted away from the house?  Not having extensions can cause water to run under the house causing all sorts of problems...including mold.  I've seen more than one buyer walk away from a purchase because water is found under the house.
  
• Clean the gutters!  And make sure they are firmly attached to the house.
  
• Check the crawlspace for water or dampness...and make sure the entire area is covered with a plastic vapor barrier.
• Also check for any debris or wood left laying in the crawlspace.  Wood is a picnic invitation for termites.
• Check to make sure all your windows open easily.  While your at it, it's a good idea to clean the windows.  It will make your house show much better.
• Most inspectors advise buyers to ventilate the attic better.  You don't have to do this - but it's a great idea to install an automatic fan.
• Hire an electrician to give the main panel and subpanel a once-over to make sure there are no missing knockouts or frayed wiring.   Be sure to check the GFI recepticles and make sure they all work properly.
  
• Do you have any leaky faucets or drain pop-ups that are ineffective?  Do your toilets flush properly?  Fix them NOW!
• What about any drywall holes or damage?  Now is the time to repair them.
• Are your appliances in good working order?  If you fix them now - you can take advantage of their good working condition while the house is for sale.

You can find many more Nashville Real Estate home inspection and maintenance articles on my website. As always, please contact me with any questions you have.