As a home seller, are you prepared for the home inspection (building inspection)?

The buyer home inspection is one of the most critical stages of a real estate transaction and is often the contract item that causes the most anxiety for both the buyer and seller. By properly preparing for your real estate home inspection, you can avoid some problems that raise flags in the inspection report or complicate the sale of your home.

We’ve put together a home inspection checklist to help you go into the home inspection and minimize potential snags. 

Infographic: Home Inspection Checklist

 

Routine maintenance is an easy way to keep up with minor problems and prevent them from turning into bigger problems.

Outside the home:

  1. Repair masonry on steps, foundation, and chimney.

  2. Re-caulk around doors and windows and check any weather stripping.

  3. Check flashing and replace any missing shingles. 

  4. Replace any broken glass

  5. Make sure all windows open, shut and lock.

Inside the home:

  1. Have furnace cleaned and a current inspection tag hung from the unit.

  2. Have fireplaces, wood stoves, and chimneys cleaned.

  3. Check for and repair any leaky faucets.

  4. Re-caulk and re-grout around sinks, tubs and toilets.

  5. Check all regular outlets and GFI outlets to be sure they are functioning properly.

  6. Make sure all appliances that are selling with the property are in working order and service if necessary.

  7. Make sure all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working and install new batteries

  8. Have water filtration systems (especially for wells) serviced and have service records available.

On inspection day, make your house shine! Make sure it is clean and that all doors, windows and utility rooms/basements are accessible. You want to make sure the inspector likes your home and does not becoming frustrated while inspecting it.

Allow ample time for the inspection and plan to be away from your home during the inspection. Also, make plans for your pets to be out of the home or contained. An inspection can be stressful for them. Typical buyer home inspections last 2-3 hours but can be more-or-less depending on size of home and any other inspections (like water tests and radon tests) that may be conducted at the same time.

Taking these steps can go a long way towards preventing issues that can negatively affect the home inspection and make buyers less confident in their purchase. It can also impact your final selling price as buyers often use the inspection to renegotiate the final selling price.

We all want your sale to go smoothly. If you would like more information please feel free to contact us.

Want to know how much money your Maine Home is worth on today’s market? Our online property valuation tool will give you an initial estimate. A Dwelling in Maine real estate agent can provide you with a more accurate price after viewing your home features, renovations, fixtures, and condition.