The home inspection takes place in a normal real estate transaction after the buyer has approved a purchase agreement but before the actual closing day. Most homebuyers decide to make the closing conditional on the outcome of the house inspection, giving them the option to back out of the deal if the inspector uncovers something they don’t like and the seller refuses to fix it or reduce the asking price to reflect it. You’ll want the home inspection to go as easily as possible for you as the seller, with few to no severe faults found. It’s a good idea to make it as easy as possible for the inspector, too.
Here are some tips to help you:
1) Make sure the home is clean and in good repair – Make sure no walls are peeling, no holes or cracks need to be patched, the flooring is sound and the overall feel of a well-maintained house is conveyed. Of course, if you recently had repairs done or some painting is done, you can confess this to your inspector. Just don’t make any major renovations just before the inspection. Be honest if there’s something wrong with the house – it’ll save your inspector time looking for things that might not exist. It’s a good idea for you to bring along another family member to help point out defects that may have been missed.
2) Keep pets out of the way – If possible, make sure pets are kept away from your real estate sales listing during the home inspection. Pets can cause a lot of problems for an inspector. They can track dirt, especially if you have dogs that spend a lot of time outside, onto your floors and rugs while they’re inside being inspected. Your pet might get tired of being in the same spot for so long and may do something inappropriate or try and go out through a door or window to leave. Depending on what kind of pet it is, it could also growl or hiss at the home inspector or even attack them if it feels threatened by them for any reason. Make sure to provide your home inspector with a key to your house when they arrive, so they can get in and out of the location easily.
3) Be ready for them – Make sure you’ve turned off smoke detectors and alarm clocks, unlocked doors, closed windows and removed items from closets, cabinets or drawers. Have all the extra keys ready and make sure the home’s water faucets are on before the inspection begins. All of these things will help speed up your process. The standard home inspector’s report will include information on the condition of the home’s heating system, central air conditioning system (if applicable), interior plumbing system, electrical system, roof, attic, insulation, ceiling, floor, windows walls, and doors, and foundation. The peace of mind that a home inspection can provide is one of the most important reasons to have one when purchasing a home. The primary goal of a home inspection is to ensure that the house is structurally sound and safe.