Buying and Selling a home can be really stressful and one of the most stressful parts is the home inspection. In fact, most deals fall through because of it.
So today we’re going to go through my home inspection checklist for SELLERS so you can get in front of some possible pitfalls and avoid a bad home inspection.
I’ve been selling real estate for over 20 years and this list comes from my experience. This is not going to be a big money replace/repair list but instead some really good things you can do easily that I know inspectors focus on and buyers are afraid of. I’ll point out some of the Hot Button items so you know what to focus on.
And if you’re a buyer watching this- my list will give you insight to what an inspector may point out and if it is a big deal or not.
So, lets dive right in
Let’s start with the easy one. Lights! Go through the house and make sure All light bulbs work! If not, change them. And while you’re at it, make sure they are all the same color and LED. It will make your home look nicer with the consistency
HVAC -HVAC can be a bit ticket item and really scare buyers if the inspector flags it. So do yourself a favor and get your furnaced professionally Serviced Before putting your house on the market. Change Filters. Furnace humidifier-if you have one, make sure it’s clean and working. They tend to not work and collect mold. And mold, even in a contained furnace humidifier is a 4 letter word that will freak buyers out. So, if its not working, remove the filter, clean it, unplug it and sell as is. Hot Button item.
Gutters – Clean them. Clogged Gutters are the #1 reason water enters your house
Landscaping- make sure the grading is going away from house. No trees touching the house
Termite inspection – Here in Maryland, it’s cheap and worth it. I know when I lived and sold in CA, it was very different, so check with your area to see the proper way to deal with termite inspections
Windows. Make sure they open. Sometimes they are painted shut and can easily be opened with a putty knife. So, it’s better to get in front of any stuck windows than have an inspector flag them. Window replacement is expensive, especially with older windows that may need a special lead based paint specialist if they are older than 1978.
Plumbing valve -The backflow devices are considered “non-testable” and the only required maintenance is rebuild or replacement of the device once every five years. A tag should always be hanging from the device identifying installation date, expiration date, or both
Water stains. Are they old. Are there issues. Neighbors will always tell as well as insurance claims
Grout-bathrooms, kitchen, floors walls
Radon – Easy to remediate
