One of the most common reasons a real estate deal falls through is because of a failed home inspection. As a listing agent, this is a mistake that you can help your client’s avoid through preparation. Here’s a list of items you should encourage your client’s to tend to in order to ace their home inspection:
Interior:
1: Make sure all utilities are turned on.
— This includes water, electricity, furnace, A/C and the water heater. You may want to also replace the air filter as they impact the efficiency of the overall HVAC system.
2: If there is a gas fireplace, make sure the pilot light is on.
— If the pilot lights are not lit, then important items such as the water heater, gas stove or furnace will not be inspected.
3: Check to ensure that all appliances are working properly.
— Clean out oven and stove top so they can be tested without setting off the smoke alarm.
4: Put light bulbs in all sockets and replace burned out light bulbs.
— Any flickering light fixtures can be possible signs of a problem for an electrician to investigate.
5: Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and replace dead batteries.
6: Make sure all electrical outlets are working.
7: Fix any leaky faucets and any clogs in the sink drains.
8: Test the air quality for mold and asbestos.
9: Check to make sure that all toilets flush properly.
10: Make sure that all grout and caulking in kitchen and bathrooms is in good repair.
11: Fix doors that don’t close or latch properly.
12: Inspect for termites, insects and rodents.
13: Check to make sure that windows open and close properly.
14: Have remote controls available for ceiling fans, lights etc.
Exterior:
15: Clean out the gutters and repair any damages.
16: Check siding and trim and repair any damage as needed.
17: Repair any missing caulking around doors, windows and over nail heads.
18: Repair any damaged or missing roofing.
19: Make sure the garage door is operating properly.
20: If there is a septic tank or well in the yard, leave a sketch with its location so the inspector can find it.
Day of Inspection:
21: Clean the house.
— If an inspector walks into a messy home, it may make them think the owners don’t take care of the house.
22: Be prepared early for the inspection.
— You don’t want to still be prepping when the inspector is at your door.
23: Provide a workspace around furnace and water heaters.
— An inspector will often not move anything themselves and, if they don’t have access, will be unable to conduct the inspection.
24: Leave keys for outbuildings and electrical boxes.
— This includes the controls for the garage door, keys to the sprinkler system and electrical box as well as any exterior buildings on the premises.
25: Clear away brush and snow from exterior inspection areas.
— If there is snow, shovel a path around the house. In the summer, clear away overgrown branches and bushes.
26: Provide repair documents.
— Give the inspector access to documents pertaining to remodeling projects or new items such as a roof, furnace, electrical system or appliance.
27: Consider coming to the inspection.
— The sellers typically don’t come to the inspection, but it is good for you to be there as their advocate.
28: Provide access to attic and garage.
29: Remove any locks on outside gates which prevent full access to the exterior.
Other things to keep in mind
30: Don’t try to conceal defects.
— Buyers might begin to wonder what else the owners are hiding.
31: If a home inspector finds an issue, they might recommend hiring a specialist.
— General home inspectors can spot issues during an inspection, but may be unqualified to diagnose the problem.
32: Buyers can conduct numerous specialized inspections before closing on a home. For example, if the home has a chimney, the buyer might hire a chimney inspector. If the electrical box is old, the buyer might hire an electrician to evaluate it. Other types of inspectors include:
— A pest inspector for termites, bugs and rodents.
— An HVAC specialist for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning.
— A lead abatement contractor to inspect for lead-based paint.
— An appraiser to measure square footage.
— A surveyor to measure for encroachments, boundaries and size of the lot.
— A foundation engineer to evaluate the foundation.
— A roof inspector to evaluate the roof.
— A sewer inspector to check the connection to the sewer system.
— An arborist to determine the health of the trees on the property.
— A plumber to evaluate the pipes.
— A mitigation contractor to test for radon or methane gas.
33: Don’t let your client’s give in to unreasonable requests by the buyer. — There are several types of home inspection repairs that a seller should not make, including: Cosmetic issues, Cheap fixes, Renovations the buyer is planning
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