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1.
Clean the House This sounds so simple yet home owners often
overlook this tactic. Home inspectors are people first and inspectors
second. As people, they carry preconceived ideas of how well a home has
been maintained. Clean homes say you care and take care of the house. 2. Be On Time Because the Inspector Will Be Sometimes
home inspectors are early. If an inspector makes an appointment with you
for 9:00 a.m., have the house ready for inspection at 8:30. It's also
common for inspectors to start on the exterior of the home, so leave the
shades down or drapes drawn until you are dressed. More than one unprepared
seller has been "surprised" by a stranger stomping around in the back
yard.
3. Leave the Utilities Connected The
home inspector will need to turn on the stove, run the dishwasher, test the
furnace and air conditioning, so leave the utilities on, especially if the
house is vacant. It's impossible to check receptacles for grounding and
reverse polarity if the power is turned off. Without utilities, the
inspector will have to reschedule, which could delay the closing of your
transaction and the removal of the buyer's home inspection
contingency.
4. Provide Workspace Around Furnace and Water
Heaters Remove boxes, bookcases, furniture and anything else
blocking access to your furnace, air conditioner and water heater. The
inspector will need three to four feet of working space to inspect these
items.
5. Keep Pilot Lights Ignited Many
home inspectors will refuse to light pilot lights because they are not
covered for that type of liability. If your pilot lights are not lit, then
important items such as the water heater, gas stove or furnace will not be
inspected and the buyer could delay closing until those inspections are
completed.
6. Provide Access to Attic and
Garage The inspector will need to get into your basement and /
or attic as well, so keep a path cleared. Move boxes away from the walls.
Vacuum spider webs.
7. Leave Keys for Outbuildings &
Electrical Boxes Leave the remote controls for your garage door
opener or a key if the garage is unattached to the house. Unlock the covers
for your sprinkler system and electrical box. Leave a key for exterior
building access.
8. Clear Away Brush from Exterior Inspection
Points Nobody expects you to shovel a tunnel around your home if
snow drifts are blocking the foundation but, in the winter, do provide a
path around the house. In the summer, cut down dead tree branches and clear
brush from the foundation. Move trash cans away from the house. 9. Provide Repair
Documents Make available to the home inspector all invoices and
documents regarding remodeling projects or new items such as a roof or
furnace. If you've upgraded the electrical from ungrounded to grounded,
installed a new dishwasher or repaired a leaky faucet, find the paperwork.
It will give the buyer peace of mind to know those items were
reinspected.
10. Prepare to be Away for Three Hours
Minimum Often the buyer will accompany the home inspector, and
buyers feel uncomfortable asking questions if the owner is present. Try to
schedule a time for the inspection when you can be out of the house, and
take the children with you. Crate your pets if you cannot remove them from
the premises.
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