If your home is on the market or soon to be, no doubt there will come a time when a prospective buyer hires a professional to examine your house. Here are some tips from Inspecta-Homes, one of the Midwest’s most experienced home inspection companies, on how to prepare for a home inspection in Minnesota and Western Wisconsin.
If your property is vacant, confirm that your electric, water, and gas utilities are turned on. Also, be sure to clean out the area to access the attic so that a ladder can be placed by the inspector to gain access. This includes removing clothes and shelving from closets.
Inaccessibility causes delays and may ultimately kill a sale. Avoid these inconveniences by furnishing the key(s) for utility rooms, laundry rooms, sheds, electrical panels, and any other areas that a home inspector might want to examine.
A home inspector will thoroughly canvas your house and inspect everything inside. This includes items like appliances such as the refrigerator and dishwasher, and utility access points for heating, cooling, and electrical. Make the inspector’s job easier by clearing a space of at least three feet around all such items and access points. Clear away any debris, stored items, and boxes.
Following the same train of thought as the previous tip, ensure that your water heater, stove, and furnace are all operational. For safety reasons, a home inspector will not activate the pilot light on any such equipment.
Most people love pets, but it’s a bad idea to leave them in your house during a home inspection. If you can’t take them with you while you’re out, arrange for a temporary stay at a kennel – unless you have a fenced-in area (separate from the backyard) where the pets can stay during the inspection.
Not only should your pets be out of the house, but you and your family should be too. It’s important that the inspector and the buyer be able to review the home and speak candidly without the owner around. Though it’s rare, it sometimes happens that a buyer will get cold feet due to the presence of a nosy or overzealous seller.
Be sure to clean and organize your home’s interior and exterior prior to the buyer’s inspection. A clean home, although not specifically noted in a typical inspection report, makes a good, lasting impression on the inspector and the buyer.
Along with a thorough cleaning, go through your home and fix/replace all burned-out bulbs, loose door knobs, etc. As far as repairing major items (i.e. plumbing and the roof), we recommend hiring a professional. If that isn’t possible, you should be fully transparent with the inspector and explain the issue.
If work is done to your home prior to the inspection, making the repair records accessible is a good way to show the inspector and buyer that you care about the home. Plus, it means one less thing the inspector has to ask you about or mention in his analysis.
If you have questions about the home inspection process, contact Inspecta-Homes today.
I found it helpful when you described what we’d need to do before a home inspector visits our house. We bought our house two years ago, but last week, we found a great job opportunity in another state. That’s why we want to sell our home and move next spring, so we’ll follow your tips to help us prepare for a home inspection. My wife and I appreciate your advice on cleaning our house before a home inspector arrives home.
It helped when you mentioned that the inside of your home would be detailed inspected to ensure proper radon testing. My uncle mentioned to me last night that they are hoping to find a radon inspection service to make sure that they are safe from its harmful effects. He asked if I had any idea what would be the best option to consider. Thanks to this informative article, I’ll tell him it will be much better if they consult a trusted radon home inspection service as they can answer all his inquiries and will provide good-quality service.
It’s great that you elaborated that your service provider would provide a detailed inspection of the property to prevent leaving something behind. My best friend mentioned yesterday that he was planning to sell their real estate property because of a change of plans. He asked if I had any idea what would be the best option to do as he wants to have a property inspection first to learn more about the property. Thanks to this informative article, I’ll be sure to tell him that he can consult a home inspection service as they can help him provide more information about the property.
It helped when you said that property supplies should be working for a proper home inspection process. My best friend mentioned to me yesterday that he was planning to buy real estate. He asked if I had any idea what would be the best option to do as he wants to have a property inspection first to learn more about the property. Thanks to this informative article, I’ll be sure to tell him that he can consult a home inspection service as they can help him provide more information about the property.
My favorite part is when you said that an inspection would be provided all throughout the interior part of the property. My best friend mentioned yesterday that he was planning to buy real estate for investment purposes. He asked if I had any idea what would be the best option as he wants to have a 4-point property inspection to ensure that every property is fault-free. I like this informative article. I’ll tell him he can consult a home inspection service as they can help him provide more information about the property.
I’m delighted you stated that an inspector will carefully go through your home and inspect every single inside component. My sister is worried about her safety because she’s buying a house from the 1970s, a period when lead-based paint was commonly used. I’ll be sure to let her know about this and look into lead inspection services that could assist her in checking out her property.
It’s great to know that home inspection services will inspect the house thoroughly for us even the appliances and utility access points. I think I need that kind of service for the property that my grandparents passed down to me so that issues in it can be fixed first before we move into it. We have kids so we definitely need the house to be in good condition for their safety and comfort.
You made a good point when you discussed that the interior and exterior must be organized prior to the house inspection. My friend wants to obtain an inspection report. I should advise her to choose a house inspector with vast experience in the field.
It got me when you said that there can be delays if there are areas that are not accessible which can kill a sale. As a buyer, I definitely want to get all the information I can get from a property that I am interested in with the help of a home inspector to see if I will proceed with making a deal with the seller. And I want to finally have my own place before the year ends which is why any delays in the process will already be a deal breaker for me.
I appreciated you pointing out that a home inspector will inspect everything inside your house thoroughly. My friend told me that his home needs inspection. I should advise her to hire an expert in residential inspection to obtain precise results.
This article was exactly what I needed! I’m in the process of selling my home, and I was feeling pretty overwhelmed about preparing for the inspection. These tips are clear and actionable, especially the advice about clearing access to the attic and providing keys for all areas.
This article on preparing your home for inspection is incredibly helpful! The step-by-step tips make it so easy to understand what needs to be done. Thank you for sharing such valuable information!
Thanks for sharing this valuable guide on preparing for a home inspection! Your tips are practical and easy to follow, making the process less stressful for homeowners. It’s great to have clear advice on what to expect during an inspection. Keep up the great work!