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Preparing for a home inspection

Whether you’re buying or selling, a home inspection is almost always part of the process. As a buyer, you want to “have look under the hood” before you go through with the purchase. It’s usually written into your offer as a contingency, so if you’re not happy with the result you can reopen negotiations to address any discoveries, or even cancel the sale.

As a seller, you want to address any potential issues before the inspection takes place. Since it’s in the best interest of both buyers and sellers to ace the home inspection, here are 5 tips to help your home shine on inspection day.

Utility Room: Tidy up around the “mechanicals” (aka furnace, water heater, etc.) These are biggies on an inspection and cleaning helps eliminate any perceptions of neglect. Wipe down the units, sweep up, and change the furnace filter.
Drains, Sinks, and Plumbing: By far the most common callouts on an inspection are slow drains, missing caulk, or leaky fixtures. Flush those drains, fire up the caulk gun, and fix anything that drips.
Doors, Windows, and Screens: If they’re broken, missing, or a bit squeaky, the inspector’s eye will catch it. Clear out window tracks or give hinges a little oil. This includes the garage door!
Tighten Up: Doors, door handles, closets, and toilet bolts should all be snugly secured.
Cleanliness Is Key: It shouldn’t matter as much as it does, but well… it does. Cleaning goes a long way. Tidy up, and pay extra attention to inside appliances (fridge, dishwasher, laundry) and under sinks.

Our Take:

If you’re purchasing a home, be sure to ask your inspector questions and study the report – this often turns into a punchlist of “to-do’s” upon moving in. Working with an experienced agent can help you decide which items need to be resolved before move-in, or how to negotiate a better purchase price based on findings. When selling, ask your agent about the benefits of doing a home inspection prior to listing. Whether it’s your first purchase or sale, or your fifteenth, nobody likes surprises when dealing with one of life’s biggest investments.

Our SunCrest Market Update is a hyper-local analysis of the most up-to-date information regarding the SunCrest real estate market. The previous month’s SunCrest housing information and future editions are released monthly.