How To Prepare For A Home Inspection As A Seller
It’s no secret that a home inspection can be a stressful process for the home seller. Especially if this is your first rodeo, you might be wondering how to prepare for a home inspection as a seller.
There are 3 key things you should do to prepare for the home inspection to ease anxiety and foster a positive inspection experience. Even though we are hired by the buyer, we have nothing but good intentions for you and desire for your home to sell quickly!
With that in mind, every home seller should follow these simple and smart tips.
How To Prepare For A Home Inspection As A Seller
1. Make everything accessible to the home inspector.
2. Turn on all utilities to the home.
3. Ensure children and pets are safe.
We know you are bringing integrity to the process of selling your home, and likewise, we are invested in making the sale go seamlessly so that all parties may benefit to the utmost. Let’s unpack each of these seller tips to ensure you nail home inspection day!
Seller Tip #1: Make everything accessible to the home inspector
You might be wondering, what does a home inspector do? It’s a pretty straightforward process. In as much detail as possible, a home inspector visually examines the accessible areas of a home - from the interior to the exterior, the foundation to the roof, and checking overall maintenance, functionality, and safety of the home. The inspector also looks at the home’s major systems, including electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling systems.
The keyword here is accessible. A certified home inspector is neither a professional mover nor an acrobat (although sometimes it would be helpful!), so he will only be able to check out the areas he can maneuver through easily. If it’s not possible to access an area of your house, perhaps because it is blocked by furniture or stored items, the inspector will have to mark the area(s) as inaccessible, which could raise a red flag for the buyer. It could also mean that the home inspector needs to return to your house at a later date to complete the property inspection, which can drag out the buying process.
For a complete run-down of the areas that will be included in a house inspection, check out our services and pricing page.
”What areas should I make accessible to the home inspector?” We’re glad you asked! Here are some helpful action steps you can implement beforehand as part of how to prepare for a home inspection as a seller.
Doors & Windows
Before the inspection, ensure all interior and exterior doors and windows aren’t blocked by furniture, shelving, or personal belongings. The home inspector will test if doors and windows are operable and inspect items, such as sealant and for weather damage. Doors and windows are an important part of a detailed home inspection. Your potential buyer will want to ensure these check out A-okay.
Don’t forget about entry to any secured areas in your home, like the garage or an outdoor shed. The inspector will want to check these spaces, too. Remove padlocks and leave keys and passcodes out in an obvious place. If you have a security system, please turn it off before the home inspector is scheduled to arrive.
Appliances
Your property inspection will include all the appliances in your home. The oven/stove, refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, and garbage disposal are all fair game. Ensure everything is in working order, easy to get to, and plugged in. Appliances are a big expense for a homebuyer, so appliances in tip-top shape can be an alluring selling point, and thus, increasing your chances of sealing the deal.
Attic, Crawlspace, Basement, Garage, & Sewer Lateral Entry
There are some parts of our houses that we often don’t think of as needing to be accessible. Maybe we have a dusty attic we just don’t use, an unfinished basement that stores holiday decorations, a crawlspace that is rarely given a second thought, or garage stuffed full of unused junk.
Keep in mind, these areas and others are all included in a professional home inspection, so it is important to declutter. Shelving, storage boxes, or furniture all need to be moved out of the house or rearranged if these items are blocking important areas. A helpful note. If the attic access is located inside of a closet, please clear it out so the inspector can physically reach it.
One more thing! Be sure to clear access to the sewer lateral by clearing all items away from it. The sewer lateral is typically located in the basement. If you locate a metal or steel cap sticking out of the floor, that’s most likely it! Keep this area unobstructed, as many homebuyers schedule a sewer scope inspection along with their home inspection.
Seller Tip #2: Turn on all utilities before the home inspection
Make sure all utilities are turned on with the utility companies and at the property. Since most homebuyers want the water, electricity, and gas inspected, if they are turned off, it may delay the sale. Since property utilities are typically viewed as the seller’s responsibility, it could possibly cost you an extra fee if the inspector has to return to the home at a later time. Sometimes if the house is unoccupied, this can be easily overlooked, but it’s absolutely vital for the success of the house inspection.
Seller Tip #3: Make sure children and pets are Safely Off-site
As the seller, it is up to you whether you would like to be present at the property inspection or not. We typically recommend the seller not be present during the inspection, as this can create an awkward encounter between the seller, homebuyer, agents, and the home inspector.
For children and pets, it can be stressful or even unsafe for them to be on-site during a visit from one of our licensed home inspectors due to the heavy ladders used and the amount of physical movement involved during the inspection process.
Pets in particular can act in unexpected ways with a stranger in the home and the last thing we want is an animal to feel anxious or escape. Based on our many years of experience, children and pets can be a distraction during a home inspection, which could deter the on-site homebuyer from viewing your house in the best possible light.
Before the home inspection takes place, it’s best to have made arrangements for all your little ones and family pets to be stationed elsewhere for the duration of the inspection. Plan on two to four hours for the property to be inspected. If for some reason pets cannot be relocated off-site, we recommend placing them in a secure kennel so they are not roaming the property. Safety first!
Peace Of Mind
It can be scary allowing a stranger into your home for inspection day. Just know that we take our job very seriously and will treat your home as if it is our own, with the utmost respect and care. We are there to do a thorough job for our client, yet we keep all parties in mind and want the best for everyone involved. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions. We’re here to help!
Now What?
Hopefully you’ve learned more about how to prepare for a home inspection as a seller and you will commit to taking action. Achieving a hassle-free home inspection is crucial for a successful sale. By following these simple home seller tips, you’ll do your part for a smooth and efficient home inspection process, making all that much easier for a potential buyer to fall in love with your home. Best of luck to you!
Want More?
Check out other posts we’ve written.
