Congratulations. You accepted an offer and you’re about to get hit with the home inspection.
Don’t fret.
There are several things you can do to smooth out your upcoming inspection.
Outside the home:
1. Remove any storage, debris, and wood that is making contact with the ground. These may be noted as termite conditions.
2. Trim back tree limbs 10’ from the roof and trim shrubs 1’ from the house to allow access.
Inside the home:
3. Confirm that water, electric, and gas service is on and all pilots are lit (if vacant).
4. Lock up pets or take them with you when you leave.
5. Replace burned-out bulbs.
6. Test smoke detectors and replace dead batteries.
7. Install a Carbon Monoxide detector (if applicable) on each floor.
8. Clean or replace dirty furnace filters. Make sure they fit securely.
9. Remove anything blocking access to HVAC equipment, electric service panels, water heaters, attics, and crawl spaces.
10. Unlock areas the inspector needs to get into – attic doors, electric service panels, closets, fence gates, garages, sheds, and crawl spaces.
11. Repair broken or missing items like doorknobs, locks and latches; windowpanes, screens and locks; deck spindles, gutters, downspouts and chimney caps.
Here’s a 4-page home seller guide with all these and more.
