Preparing for Home Inspections: Checkpoints for Realtors To Share with Sellers

If you’re a realtor estate agent, you know the feeling of relief you get when there’s a contract on a listing.

However, before celebrating this milestone, your sellers must first undergo a home inspection, which can mean a delay or cancellation in the deal if the buyers aren’t satisfied with the results of the inspection. That’s why it’s so important you instruct your sellers on how to properly prepare their house and property for a home inspection.

Here are some of the basic home inspection checkpoints for sharing with sellers, regarding preparation so that the home inspection process goes smoothly and there aren’t any problems.

Preparing the Interior and Garage

• Check interior windows and doors, making sure they’re working properly.
• Make sure all doors close and seal correctly and that the weather stripping is in place and undamaged.
• Check all smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors, and if you find dead batteries, replace them.
• Look underneath faucets and sinks for possible leaks, making needed repairs.
• Inspect for floor damage around showers, tubs and toilets.
• Check fans, fixtures and appliances to see if they’re functioning correctly.
• Check caulking and grout.
• Ensure your garage door operates smoothly and make any needed repairs. Also, check your garage door opener, making any required adjustments.
• Be sure fan ducts are connected properly. 

Exterior Checkpoints

• Check all exterior doors, door knobs and deadbolts to ensure they’re working correctly, besides repair any damaged weather stripping.
• Look for missing caulking around exterior windows and doors, making needed repairs.
• Check to ensure tree limbs are trimmed at least 10 feet away from your roof and if not, have the limbs trimmed.
• Shrubs and plant growth should also be trimmed at least about 10 feet away from your house.
• Look for possible damage to siding and make repairs, if needed.
• Inspect gutters, downspouts and chimney caps, making repairs or replacements.
• Be sure any landscaping material and/or dirt is not near the siding of your house.
• Remove any wood, debris or other stored items from the foundation of your house as these things can be a bridge for termites to get into your home.

Heating and Cooling

• Check the furnace filter and if it’s dirty, clean or replace it.
• If you have gas-fired appliances, using a pilot light, be sure the light is turned on.
• Check to ensure all debris has been cleared from the exterior compressor of an air conditioner.
• Inspect the ducts to make sure energy isn’t being wasted because of gaps or holes in duct-work.

Plumbing and Electrical

• Be sure the pilot light on your water heater is switched on.
• Inspect the water heater for any damage or leaks, making repairs. If the damage is severe, you may need to replace your water heater.
• Test the drains, making sure your plumbing fixtures are draining properly and check for leaks in drain pipes.
• As for the electrical, ensure all light switches work and replace any lights that are burned out.
• Be sure all ceiling fans and overhead lights are functioning properly.

Other Considerations and Warnings

• Declutter your house—You’ll want to ensure a home inspector can easily access your basement, attic and electrical panels. You don’t want the inspector to trip over stuff. What’s more, you’ll need to do some decluttering anyway when you move.
• Remove any items that may be hindering an inspector accessing a water heater or HVAC equipment.
• Be sure everything can be inspected as you don’t want to cause doubt as to whether something will work properly.
• Repair any damaged screens.
• Make sure a crawl space can be easily accessed.
• If there’s a septic system buried deep within your yard, provide your inspector with a sketch of where it’s located.
• Plan to be away from your home around during the home inspection as you don’t want to look nervous. Instead, give the inspector your mobile phone number and do something fun, such as going out for lunch or to a movie.
• If you have pets, take them with you during the inspection or have them secured outdoors as well as inform the inspector of any pets left at your home.
• Usually, home inspectors arrive about half an hour early so that they can set up. Therefore, tell your sellers to be prepared.

Questions? Call the home inspection professionals at North Ohio Property Inspection. Our home inspection company, located just outside of Akron in Medina, Ohio, is an authoritative resource for real estate and home inspections. For a high quality home inspection, you can depend on us. Please contact us and learn more about how we can help you.