7 Tips to Prepare for the Inspection Phase

Are you looking to sell your home soon?

Not all issues within a home are obvious, even to the home owner. If you have not maintained your home, quite a few things could come as quite a shock during the Inspection Phase of selling your home. If you're looking to sell your home, the process can seem quite intimidating so can you imagine becoming aware of issues that you didn't even know existed?

Here are 7 tips to prepare for the Inspection Phase when selling.

You should hire an experienced, trustworthy realtor. Most experienced realtors have seen countless inspections completed. Your realtor will help you understand what type of maintenance issues are common in your area. For example, different climates and areas bring different situations including pests, electrical issues, water leakage, etc. Your realtor should be experienced in these local issues and will be able to show you what to look out for.

They can also help you to create a plan for any repair requests. Your realtor can go over a game plan with you on whether you should hire someone to complete the repairs or even offer a repair credit to the potential buyers of the home. Your realtor should also be experienced enough to pinpoint what would be considered a minor repair versus a major repair. Some issues are just cosmetic but some are considered safety issues. A knowledgeable realtor is able to decipher the difference. They'll also understand what will need to be negotiated.

Allow the Inspector plenty of space to do their work. Make sure your pets are out of the house so the Inspector is able to do their work comfortably and without distractions. They'll also need plenty of time to do their work. It typically takes anywhere from two to four hours for an Inspector to completely finish their job.

You should also plan on being out of the house as well. This allows the buyers to be comfortable if they decide to be present. If you decide to be present, please talk to your realtor about all of the pros and cons on being there during Inspection.

Make sure that all utilities are on so that the Inspector can properly do their job. This includes electricity, water, gas, etc. Also, make sure you leave any remote controls for things like ceiling fans or lights and any other equipment.

Leaving utilities on allows for the report to be completed quickly and efficiently. It's the Inspector's job to ensure these utilities work so ensuring these are turned on for them makes their job easier and allows for a proper report to be completed.

Declutter your space to make sure the Inspector has room to do their job and can access whatever they need to. If they can't find the areas they need to inspect because they're covered, then they can't complete their job.

For example, if something large is blocking an electrical panel they can't move it and thus can't inspect it. If a buyer sees that an area wasn't inspected because something was blocking the area, it won't leave a positive note for them. If you want your inspection report to go well, please remember to declutter and remove items from areas that an Inspector will need to view. Your realtor will be able to assist in showing you any problem areas.

Ask your realtor for a list of what to expect on inspections. This will allow you to get ahead of the game and be prepared for any repairs that may need to be completed. You can even hire an inspector yourself before you sell so that you have an idea of what a buyer will ask you to repair before closing on the sale.

You'll want to look for things like water damage, roof damage, HVAC age, foundation issues, etc.

Attempting to cover an issue won't do you any good. Sometimes a house may look immaculate on the outside but have a lot of known issues. Buyers may hire multiple inspectors so it's important to stay on top of any known issues.

The best way to prevent curveballs in inspection reports is simply to maintain your home. Stay on top of any issues as they occur as best as you can. Maintaining your home is the same as maintaining your vehicle. There are things you need to keep up with in order for things to run smoothly.

An experienced realtor can guide you through this entire process and make it much more smooth for you.

Contact me today. I can help with all of your real estate needs.