Selling your house can be an exciting moment, and you want the transaction to go as smoothly as possible. You might worry about how buyers will feel about the home if something happens during their inspection or if they find a problem that is not noted in your listing.
Before selling your house and transitioning, you must perform a top-to-bottom inspection and repairs. These repairs will ensure each room is free of any hidden damage and in perfect shape before starting negotiations with potential buyers. It would be best if you fixed some things before the inspector comes to your home. Some of them include.
1. Clean Your Home
Before you schedule a house inspection for your home, you should ensure it is in a condition that will present your property as well as possible. Cleaning a house can be arduous, especially if it’s old and has never been cleaned. To simplify the job, you can start by cleaning your smallest rooms.
Start with any clutter that may be lying around within easy reach. Then clean all bathroom surfaces (floor, walls, shower, and mirror) with a disinfectant. If you notice any cracks or areas almost falling apart, get them repaired as soon as possible. You can clean each room one at a time or take on larger sections of the house at once.
2. Get A Pre-Inspection
If you are selling your home, it is suggested that you have a pre-inspection to identify and eliminate any hidden issues before the buyers do. An expert inspector should perform a house inspection and will check for foundation problems, water infiltration and drainage, home wiring, and plumbing in crawlspaces or basements.
A pre-inspection will also help identify oil leaks, gas leaks, rodents, and other pests, and if building codes are violated. A pre-inspection will help you identify areas that need repairs to help pass the primary inspection.
3. Inspect the Roof
The roof is one of the most important things you need to fix in your house. Of course, your roof should be in good shape before your inspector comes to your home.
If there are holes in the roof, you need to repair these now. If you notice any cracks or leaks, consider hiring local roofers to come and do roof repairs.
Also, remember to check the strength and ventilation of your house. If your roof has metal shingles, contacting a metal roofing service will help you assess the strengths and weaknesses of your roof. You can determine ventilation by looking at the vents of your roof and counting how many are open. In most cases, you should have a minimum of eight open vents during a house inspection.
4. Exterior Doors
The exterior doors should be checked, too. It would be best if you made sure that they open and close correctly, and they should fit in the frame tightly and firmly. The door’s hinges can be one of the biggest problems of your house. It can cause a lot of damage to your property if it’s not in good shape.
If you have sliding glass doors, an expert should also assess them because they are prone to damage from storms and other elements.
5. Windows
It is also vital to check your windows. The windows should be in good shape and should open and close quickly. They shouldn’t have any leakage or cracks, either, with tight-fitting seals. If they don’t, then you will have to replace them soon.
You need to check the frames of your windows, too. Also, don’t forget to inspect the caulking around the windows. Consider replacing it if it’s no longer effective.
6. The Garage
The garage door doesn’t only protect your car but also keeps out moisture that can be damaging to the other parts of your home. The cables and springs of your garage doors should be in good shape. If there are any leaks around the door, you need to get them fixed before the inspection day arrives.
The garage floor should be checked, too. The floor should be clean and tidy to keep it away from damage. If you have a concrete floor, hire a floor restoration expert now. You can also apply garage floor coating to your garage floor to prevent moisture damage.
The garage door’s opener should work efficiently to avoid disappointments on the inspection day. The garage door’s tracks should also be in good shape and mustn’t produce noise when moving up and down. The rollers should roll smoothly, too. You will need to clean or replace them if they don’t.
7. The HVAC System
The heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system is another essential part of your house that needs to be checked. Inspect the air filters and replace them if needed. You must get the HVAC system repaired before your inspection day if there are any creaks or squeaks.
It’s a good idea to inspect your ducts now because they are prone to get clogged with dust and dirt. If this happens, it can cause serious problems during a house inspection.
You also need to test the airflow and ventilation of your HVAC system now because it can be an essential factor determining the evaluation’s success.
You should hire an air conditioning service to check your ducts, too. There could be something wrong with them that you may not know. Also, you won’t know how healthy your HVAC system is if you don’t hire experts.
8. Fix Your Homes Exterior
The paint of your house can be one of the deciding factors in the evaluation process. The siding should be in good shape, solid and sturdy. The caulking should be effectively sealing the cracks and holes of your home. If water leaks in your home, the flashing should keep the water out of the foundation. If caulking is ineffective, you need to replace it.
It would be best if you also fix any cracks or gaps in your exterior walls that could let air and rain freely into your house. These cracks are also a cause of structural damage to your home. You can replace these with flashing around the interior of your house.
The gutters should be clean and sturdy and mustn’t let any debris into the basement or crawl space. The ground on your property should also be kept tidy to avoid any problems during a house inspection. If you purchased custom homes with swimming pools and hot tubs, ensure that these elements are safe enough before you start to sell your home. If you don’t take care of this part of your home, a new buyer may decide that it will cost too much to fix the problems and might decide to pass on it.
9. Don’t Ignore the Plumbing
Your house’s plumbing should be in good shape before a house inspection day arrives. If they don’t function properly, you need to contact a plumbing service immediately. Check the water pressure of your shower and sink. You should also test the water drainage and check if it causes any damage to your foundation.
If you notice anything unusual with the toilets, bathtubs, or sinks, you need to call a plumber immediately to fix them. The same goes for leaks in your home’s pipes. If your pipes are leaking and dripping, you must call a plumbing service as soon as possible.
10. The Landscaping
The landscaping of your home is also essential during an inspection day. You need to ensure that there are no pests or rodents on the lawn. The lawn should be well groomed, too. The shrubs, bushes, and trees should also be in proper shape. You can hire a tree trimming service to achieve this.
The general tidy-up of your property is essential, too. The driveway, pathways, and fences should be in good shape and shouldn’t present any safety hazards to people visiting your property.
If you plan on planting new trees on your property, it’s a good idea to hire tree services to give you some advice on making the right choice to improve curb appeal during the inspection day. If you have a flowerbed or vegetable garden, you will need to plant new flowers and vegetables for the new owners to see when doing a house inspection.
11. The Electrical Safety
Your house’s electrical system can be an essential part of an inspection. You need to check if there are any loose, worn, or broken places in the wiring. If there are, you will need to call a reliable electrician to get them fixed as soon as possible. It would be best if you also inspected the outlets, switches, and breakers. You can replace them if they are not compelling enough anymore.
If you haven’t yet installed smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms in your home, it’s a good idea to do that now because they will be mandatory elements during an inspection day. You can also install fire sprinklers in your home. These are not required elements, but they will help you to sell your home faster if they are effective.
12. Home Security
The security system of your house is vital during a house inspection because some sellers choose not to disclose this information about their homes for security reasons. The alarm should be easy to use and shouldn’t be causing any problems for the owners anymore. The system should also work efficiently to ensure the homeowners stay safe. If a keypad isn’t working or the alarm is stuck, you need to call a reliable expert to fix it as soon as possible.
People who buy new homes want them fully equipped with emergency lights, security systems, and fire sprinklers. Ensure that everything is working flawlessly before inviting home inspectors.
13. Repaint the Walls and Cabinets
If you want to increase the value of your home drastically, you need to repaint the walls and cabinets. The color of the paint should be fresh and clean, while your choice of paint will affect how much you can increase the value of your property. You should get a neutral color that matches anything your new owners want to add in the future.
The walls, ceilings, and doors should be completely coated with paint. The paint should be free of cracks and chips. Small spots or areas may be easy to spot during a visual inspection. If you plan to remove the wallpaper, you must repaint the walls before inviting the inspector. You can do it yourself or hire a professional painter to do this for you.
14. Declutter Your Home
Decluttering your home will make it much more appealing to potential buyers. You will want to remove all unnecessary objects from the property so that the inspectors can get a more accurate picture of how the space is used.
Before a house inspection, you should take all personal belongings such as clothes, plants, books, and holiday decorations and hide them in closets or empty rooms.
If you have an office or a study room, you must ensure everything is organized and clean because new owners often inspect these areas.
15. Fix the Light Fixtures
Before you schedule an inspection for your home, you should ensure all the light fixtures in your house are working correctly. You may have to replace them if they are causing any damage because of their condition.
If any light fixtures are not working, you must repair them before the inspection. If you don’t want to do all the work yourself, hiring someone who knows how to fix light fixtures is a good idea. You can also install motion sensors or dimmers throughout the house to turn off the lights when nobody is home.
And that’s how to prepare your home for a house inspection, which should help you sell your home faster and for the highest price. Don’t try to hide any defects you can quickly fix on your own because the inspector will notice them instantly.
When you are ready to sell your house, contact an experienced real estate agent who will advise you about the latest market rates and help you sell your property for top dollar.
