Home Inspection Tips for Sellers

If you’re planning a big move, the first step is to sell your own home. The process of selling your home can be smooth with the right agent and resources. Once you’ve gone through the real estate procedures, accepted a final offer, and sold your home, you need to know what to expect from your buyers to ensure that your move continues to run smoothly. A buyers’ home inspection is one of the final, but also one of the most important, steps to ensuring a successful home sale.

A thorough home inspection lets both the buyers and the sellers know what parts of the house are in working condition, and what parts may need some attention or repairs. The cost of potential repairs usually comes from the seller’s pocket, so you’ll want to make sure to get your house as clean, updated, and damage-free as possible. Take note of these helpful home inspection tips for sellers to make the process easy and painless for both you and the buyers.

Clean, Clean, Clean!

Your buyers, as well as the home inspector, will most likely be nosey. They will want to dive into every nook and cranny of your home to make sure everything is clean and intact. They will look under cabinets, turn on faucets, check the corners of your closets and more. To make sure your buyers have an easy time looking through everything, and to make sure you don’t have any major damages, it’s best to do most of the cleaning beforehand. You’ll likely want to pay for any repairs you know about to reduce the costs after the home inspection. Here are some interior cleaning tips:

• Replace all air cooling and heating filters, and clean all filters and vents in your house.
• Service your chimney and fireplace (and make sure to keep all copies of receipts and records of your repairs and services).
• Clear space in your home that paves access to all nooks and crannies of your house, including crawl spaces, attics, garages, and more.
• Make sure all utilities are turned on, even if the house is vacant.
• Replace any burned out light bulbs.
• Make sure crawl spaces are dry.
• Make sure all plumbing appliances are in working condition and are clean. If there are any leaks, be sure to fix them before the home inspector arrives.
• Make sure all doors and windows are in working condition. Make sure there are no cracked windows, and that they close completely and smoothly.
• Test all smoke detectors to see if they work and, if they don’t, repair them.
• Clean the entire house to the best of your ability.

Don’t Forget the Outside!

The outside of the home is just as important as the inside. The facade of the house is what buyers, as well as all neighbors and passersby, will see first. Regular maintenance and care of the yard and exterior of your house can prevent major repairs or potential costs. Impress the home inspector and your buyers by clearing up the exterior and ensuring that everything is in tiptop shape.

• Clean out all gutters of dirt and debris. Clean the roof as well for a modern look. Dirt on the roof can give an image of sloppiness, so be sure to clear all dust and debris before the inspector comes.
• Make sure all water that comes to the house, including from downspouts, pumps, and drains is diverted away from the house. Your buyers won’t want to be stepping in mud!
• Repair any broken brick, block, or roof shingles. This is one of the most visual aspects of the house, and damage to any bricks or shingles are most easily noticed. Be sure to repair this before the buyers sweep through.
• Remove wood from contact with the house, in case of fires.

This is one of the last steps for a seller, and certainly one of the most important. Although you may be exhausted by the time the sale is finalized, make sure to put effort into following these tips and avoid extra damage or repair costs.