If you’re considering selling your home then you’ll need to do a home inspection. It can be a tense and stressful time. You don’t want any surprises to pop up that can cause you to fail the inspection. I failed inspection will also delay the sale process. For sellers, you want to pass with flying colors and for buyers, they want to be assured that their new home is in great condition and that there won’t be any nasty surprises waiting to pop up on them.
Inspectors have a difficult job. They have to look for all types of issues that can exist in a home. They have to be knowledgeable of codes and regulations. As a seller, you can make sure that your home passes inspection with flying colors by getting a headstart on your inspector. Look into the different areas and things that will be looked into and make sure that they are up to standard. You’ll be less in the dark about what’s going on and areas of concern.
Tips To Passing A Home Inspection
If this is your first time selling a home you might be a little wary of what all goes into the process. One thing that your should pay close attention to is the home inspection process. As a seller, you’ll want to have an inspection done before you put the house up for sale. You also want to be prepared in the event that your buyer also wants to have an inspection done. You not only need to know how to pass a house inspection but also be aware of the things that fail a home inspection and make sure that you get them taken care of if any of them are found in your home. If you’ve taken care of your home you won’t have much to worry about. Here are some tips to help you pass your inspection with flyer colors.
Check your electrical wiring
Wiring can be one of those things that derail a sale. This is true, particularly for older homes. Of course, when the home was built the wiring was up to code. Sadly over time the wiring becomes a problem and violates code and is considered a fire hazard which is a major no-no. Pay attention to outlets, tangled wiring, and connections throughout the electrical panel. You may need to replace the entire electrical system and while it may seem expensive, you will benefit from it greatly.
Check your plumbing
Go through and examine all water outlets in your home. Check things like wet cabinets and floors in the kitchen. In the bathroom look for water spots around the toilet and bathtub. Also, check bathroom cabinets for water. You’ll also want to check the walls and ceilings in your bathroom. If you have a multi-level home then check the ceiling on the lower levels for water damage. Internal pipes can be harder to get to and may require you to rip and tiles and flooring. For external things like faucets, they are an easier fix.
Check your roof
Unless you have the training it’ll probably be difficult for you to go up and inspect it for yourself but you can stand at a distance and look for bare spots, those will need to be fixed. You can also look around the roof trimming, look for breakaways or cracks and damages. You also want to check for water damage from rain seeping through. Not all roof jobs mean replacing your entire roof. You may simply need a small area repaired. Issues with your roof can quickly turn off a buyer. It is best to get a professional to come in and assess your roof. Once you know what needs to be done you can make arrangements for the necessary repairs and updates to be made.
Check for mold, pest, and rodents
Mold is potentially dangerous and extremely hazardous to your health. It is also hard and expensive to get rid but it is something that’ll have to take care of in order to pass inspection. Things like rodents and other pests are a major issue. You’ll not only fail your inspection but it can be a turning point for a buyer. Once the buyer sees or hears that you’ve had rodents and pests it can be pretty hard for them to get that image out of their heads. You’ll want to have a pest control company come in right away and deal with it before your inspection. Look out for things like small pellets and poop trails. You’ll most likely find the next if you keep searching.
Clean Debris from gutters and downspouts
Preparing your home for sale directly after heavy weather conditions means that you’ll need to take care of any debris laying around your home. You’ll want to clear out the gutters, unblock any downspouts. You’ll also want to check the soil and foundation around your home from erosions. This can hint at possible instability in the foundation of the home later or result in flooding in the basement if there are cracks or if water seeps through. In this case, you want to make sure that you have your basement waterproofed.
Check your major systems
Check all of your major systems in and out of the home to make sure that they are in top working order. Change water heaters if need be, change appliances that you want to sell. Change out showerheads, taps, and faucets. Have the AC unit vents and filters cleaned. Overall you want to make that all the utilities in the home are in top working condition.
It can seem daunting having a home inspection done. However, you don’t need to panic. Follow these tips and get on top of your game. Make the necessary changes and repairs. You can also tackle the jobs that don’t require a specialist yourself. Selling your home can be an exciting and even fun process once you’re of what goes into getting it done. Make your home inspection ready for both your inspector and that of your buyers and we’re sure that you’ll pass with flying colors.
