How to Prepare for a Home Inspection: Tips for Sellers

As a seller, you may feel nervous about how to prepare for your upcoming home inspection. Fortunately, there are things you can do in advance to help things run more smoothly. That’s why we rounded up home inspection experts from Houston all the way to Miami and had them share their best advice. Here are their top tips sellers can use to prepare for a home inspection.

Hire a professional

The first step in how to prepare for a home inspection is to hire a professional and reputable home inspector.
– Evolve Property Inspections

Leave the house during the inspection

Prepare to be out of the house for at least three hours to allow time for the inspection. Buyers are often present during the inspection; they may feel uncomfortable asking questions if the seller is present. If you are unable to remove animals from the property, be sure they are crated or otherwise secured.
– Safe Check Home Inspections

Clean and declutter

Have a clean house with nothing blocking the access to the attic.
– Florida State Home Inspectors

The house needs to be in a clean, orderly, and readily accessible condition. Stored items, personal items, and furniture greatly impact the ability to test and inspect numerous systems throughout the home. Is the sink full of dishes? Are the moving boxes blocking access to the air conditioner and water heater in the garage? Access issues during an inspection do not reflect well on the report and could also be a negative for the buyer.
– Brett The Home Inspector

Declutter as much as possible prior to your inspection. Inspectors and buyers are turned off and triggered by clutter and grime.
– Southern Brothers Inspections

Replace light bulbs

Replace all dead light bulbs inside and out prior to inspection. If you are using low wattage bulbs, replace them with nice, bright lights prior to inspection. Bright lights may help your house show better as well.
– Spot On Inspection

Keep safety hazards top of mind

Basic safety features, such as smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are some of the most commonly overlooked items we find inspecting homes. Sellers should make sure to have, preferably new, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors installed in the hallways and bedrooms of the property. Not having these things in order before the inspection can indicate that the home has not been well maintained and will lead to items being called out as “Safety Hazards” which can potentially turn buyers away.
– Golden Gate Home Inspections

Lack of proper GFI protection is a common issue I find at inspections – especially older homes. Short for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter, a GFI (also known as GFCI) is a type of electrical outlet designed to protect you and your family against electrical shock. These receptacles can save your life and should be present where water or the potential of wetness exists like outside the house, washing machine area, and garages even though no plumbing may exist.
– Meticulous Home Inspection Corporation

Remove pets from the house

Do not leave pets in the house to “help” during the inspection.
– Eagle Eye Inspections

Clear access

Make sure that any attic or crawl space entry points are free from obstructions and/or unlocked so that we do not have to disclaim those areas as “not inspected” or have to make a return trip to inspect, usually at an additional cost.
– HomeCheck Inspection Services

It is very important that all utilities are on, pilot lights are lit, and that there is clear access to all electrical panels, hot water heaters, attic access panels, etc. Without these things being in place, the inspection will likely need to be rescheduled, which could hold up the closing.
– Blue Mountain Home Inspection

Remove any vegetation that may be obstructing access to the exterior of the home.
– Americas Choice Commercial Building Inspections

Be on the lookout for mold

A mold inspection is a specialized part of a home inspection. They work together to give the purchaser a more complete picture of the condition of the property. Of course, it’s not only limited to purchasers. Mold and moisture investigations are also a preventative maintenance aspect of property ownership as well. All that said, when preparing for a mold and moisture investigation, we can most effectively evaluate a property if it is in a static condition. That means windows closed, no vacuuming, all air purifiers/humidifiers/dehumidifiers/free-standing-fans should be switched off for 24-hours prior to an inspection.
– Mold Inspection Sciences

When getting ready to sell, you can remove small amounts of mold using full-strength undiluted white vinegar and touch up with mold-killing primer paint. But if you have more serious mold issues, you’ll need to have a certified inspector investigate and provide you a solution. The good news is that during the negotiation phase of the purchase, the buyer may be willing to share the costs of mitigation.
– Dog Gone Mold

If it is a crawl space house, look on the floor joist for hazy white coating, or white snow looking growth. This is normally Aspergillus, a toxin-making mold.
– NWA Mold and Asbestos Inspector

Originally published by Redfin