Let’s face it, a home inspection can be quite stressful when you’re the one selling your home, because it’s something you often feel is beyond your control. What could the home inspector possibly find that could make or break the deal for you?
There’s likely a whole slew of questions racing through your mind as you wait for the report – and typically all of the worst-case scenarios come to mind. Is my foundation cracked? Will I need to replace the roof… the furnace… the a/c… all of the above?!
Okay, now take a step back. While it’s true that you can’t control everything about the inspection, there are many things you can do before the home inspection date to help the potential buyer’s inspector conduct the inspection to the best of his/her ability, including:
- Clean Up. While, it’s always wise to keep your home spick and span during the selling process, we’re not concerned that you ran out of time to mop the floors or dust the furnace room. What helps inspectors the most is ensuring you cut down on clutter and anything that will obstruct our view of your structural and mechanical components, appliances, attics, etc so we can accurately depict these items in our report.
- Disclose – Don’t Hide. As a home seller, you’re legally required to disclose known issues pertaining to your property. It’s always best to be upfront because inspectors are trained to look beyond the obvious to uncover problems. And, chances are, if it appears like an owner has tried to cover something up, the inspector is going to look even closer at the rest of the house. This could uncover even more issues than you had imagined.
- Get Out. It’s recommended that potential buyers stick around for the home inspection, but it can be counterproductive if you’re there too. No one feels like they can be candid about a home when the owner’s present. Make sure you and your family plan an outing during a home inspection, much like you would when homebuyers and Realtors are present during a viewing of your property.
And if you want to take your preparation one step further, consider a pre-inspection. Did you know that a pre-inspection is available for your property before it’s even on the market? Having a pre-inspection completed by your home inspector prior to listing that highlights the sound investment buyers can expect upon purchasing your property can prove beneficial – and help set your property apart from others already for sale in your neighbourhood. And, best of all, you won’t have to worry about surprises when potential buyers come through with their inspector. Click here to read more about how a pre-inspection can be an added tool when selling your home.
Have questions about how you can help ensure the inspection runs smoothly when selling your home? Answers are just a call or email away.
Find an Inspector near you: https://abuyerschoice.com/locations
