myHomeAdvise.com

Home Sellers - Make Home Ready for Inspection

In today’s world of home buying and selling the home inspector can ruin the sellers’ day with stoke of his pen or a keystroke on his notebook computer. It doesn’t have to be that way home sellers have plenty of time to be ready for the buyer, buyer’s agent and any home inspector. Below are some quick items to have your home ready.

•Be way out in front of the curve, hire your own inspector and complete the repairs before placing your home on the market. A good real estate agent will suggest that you hire an inspector on any home that at first glance says I need help. You could spend $200 to $500 but getting to it first may help you make a sale and get you a higher price.

•Don’t cover anything up, don’t hide problems. They will be found if not by the inspector then when the buyers’ final walk through before closing after you’ve moved all your furniture out. How would you like to move back in or spend 2 weeks in a hotel while the repairs are being completed so you can close and move to your next house, if that deal didn’t already fall apart?

•Basement problems, wet walls or floor? Most times covered by stacks of boxes or other things stored away, inspectors don’t move things they only check where they have access. The point is this will come back and bite you, basement problems are sometimes a very easy fix clean and repair gutters regrade around foundation so water moves away, a leaking hose bibb (outside faucet).

•Painting and touch ups should be done inside and outside a clean fresh look will give everyone confidence in the rest of the property. Painting the front door and entry is the best place to start. Hallways and corners always show a lot of use.

•Cleaning interior and exterior get rid of all the junk you plan on tossing anyway. Too much stuff in the house may be cause to question what’s behind it or underneath of it. Wash off any mold or mildew from your siding and roof.

•Landscaping trim all shrubs around the foundation, tall shrubs cause moisture to stay on walls and foundations a good place for termites and wood rot. Shrubs also hide your house what else are you hiding? This can cause a lot of questions from a home inspector and pest control inspectors they both know they usually find something here.

Each of these can help you make your sale. Home inspectors are not the enemy remember your buyers agent will suggest that you hire an inspector for your purchase.

By Bill Carey