A handy guide to home inspection with everything you need to know.
What do I expect with a home inspection? This is a very popular topic lately. It’s so exciting to get through the process of listing a home, getting some showings, accepting an offer, and getting under contract. That contract, however, is contingent on a successful home inspection. What does that mean for you?
What does the home inspector do? The home inspector is an independent third party who comes through to look at the house, top to bottom—from the roof to the foundations. They’ll inspect the electrical and plumbing and look for signs of water damage and mold. The inspector will look at your appliances and the HVAC and check the functionality of your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
There are some tips that will help ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible, starting with accessibility. You want to make sure that areas of the home that are harder to access are made available to the inspector. If you have an attic with access through a closet, make sure you remove everything from the closet so the inspector can get in. If you have a crawl space, ensure that it is also ready to be accessed. **If you have a gate or any sort of storage space, make sure that it is unlocked. **
“ The home inspector is coming through to look at the house, top to bottom.”
The home inspection is an excellent time to prepare the home by cleaning and decluttering. The exterior needs to be cleaned and free from debris because the inspector will need access to the roof and the deck. They will also want to look at any sprinkler systems, so long as they are not winterized.
There are a couple of other ways to prepare the home in addition to the general cleaning of the interior and exterior. Start by replacing any lightbulbs that are out and replacing the furnace filter since these items will be checked anyway, and replacing them will be one less thing that gets flagged. Consider properly labeling the fuse box since this will come up as the inspector checks the electrical system. Finally, make sure that all windows and doors can open and close properly, and ensure that any pest or bug problems have been addressed.
As we know, every house is unique and has different things going on. Feel free to reach out to me. I’d love to meet with you to talk about you and your home’s specific needs. Don’t hesitate to call, text, or email me. Have a great day.
