For sellers, home inspections can seem intimidating - but no need to sweat it! Our expert Malt Realty agents are sharing the best ways to prepare your home before an inspection that's sure to get a potential buyer's approval!
1. Don't skimp out on curve appeal
Curb appeal is just as an important as the interior appearance of your home. Making a good first impression is huge when a buyer or inspection pulls up to your home. Here are some steps you can take to increasing your home's curb appeal:
Visually inspect the siding and trim of your home. If you notice a gap, chances are so will the inspector, so make sure to get any exterior repairs completed before an inspection. This includes repairing missing caulking, trim, or exposed nails that may be visible.
Cut back any excess vegetation to ensure there is about a foot of clearance between it and the house.
Check the operation of any exterior doors, locks, and deadbolts.
Remove any stored items that are kept against the side of the house.
2. Check Your Roof and Gutters
Living in Florida comes with its fair share of strong weather conditions. Ensuring your roof and gutters are in good working order will be at the top of a buyer's checklist. Before an inspection make sure to:
Repair any damage and replace any missing elements correctly, as temporary fixes like mastic or caulk will most likely be noted as a defect by the inspector.
Thoroughly clean your gutters.
Make sure downspouts and other drains are not obstructed and are flowing properly. Additionally, you want to check that there is not any run-off pooling into the house next door.
3. Interior is Important Too
While many people focus on making sure the interior of their home is inspection-ready, we have found that there are a few small details homeowners tend to neglect that inspectors are typically looking for. This includes:
Testing all interior doors and locks - this may be one of the first things inspected when entering the home, so it's important to make sure they are working properly.
Checking for leaks under the sink.
Make sure the water heater is properly operating.
Change the filter on the HVAC system.
Test smoke detectors for proper operation.
Check and swap out any old fixtures, lights, and fans if needed. This is a small, somewhat inexpensive element that can easily add value to your home and overall inspection.
4. Clutter Can be Your Biggest Barrier
Clutter within your home can pose difficulties when the inspector needs to get to readily accessible areas such as the electrical panel, laundry room, etc. If the inspector cannot find get to an area or find it, they aren't able to inspect it, which can result in a bad impression left on the buyer. Some areas we recommend checking to make sure there is plenty of clearance for the inspector to access include:
HVAC units
Utility closets
Electrical panels
Attics
Laundry rooms
Underneath sinks
5. Leave Your Home Once the Inspector Arrives
Typically, the buyer will accompany the home inspector in order to ask any questions they may have about the home. If you choose to stick around during the inspection, it may make the buyers feel uncomfortable. We suggest leaving the home and taking any pets with you until the inspection is completed - typically three hours. This way both the inspector and buyers will feel more comfortable checking out the house and addressing any issues they may come across during the inspection.
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