6 Ways to Prepare for a Successful Home Inspection
Buying and selling a home is an exciting endeavor. Whether you are buying or selling it’s a chance for you to start fresh. But a fresh start isn’t as fun if it comes with unexpected surprises.
A home inspection can be a daunting task for buyers and sellers. It can reveal the appealing and perhaps unappealing aspects of a home. But it can also help establish expectations for the buyer and seller. Knowing the good, the bad, and the ugly about a home before the keys are exchanged, will help you make a better-educated decision about any potential property.
Our home inspectors have been helping buyers like you throughout Lancaster, PA for almost 10 years. Throughout our years of experience, our reliable team has learned six tips that can help every buyer and seller experience a smooth home inspection.
1. Arrive on time and ready to learn
There is no better way to start an inspection than on time. This helps us stay on track and maximize our efficiency. It is also important for home buyers or sellers to come prepared to learn about the home on the inspection day. Your HouseMaster inspector will have a surplus of useful information about the home, so come with an attentive mindset and be ready to ask questions and soak up plenty of new information.
2. Selling? Declutter the house
As inspectors we examine the whole house—that means inside and out. We inspect walls, ceiling, floors, flashings, trim, foundational issues, built-in appliances, patios, porches and decks and much more. In order for us to conduct a detailed inspection, it is helpful that we have access to all areas of the home prior to our arrival. So take some time and clear way clutter under sinks and in closets. This way we can conduct a comprehensive examination of all the major components of the home. Home inspectors need access to all areas and need the utilities on to run tests on systems.
When conducting inspections specifically with sellers, it is important to clear any important blocked spaces that the inspector will need to inspect. These spaces include crawlspaces, attics, or even electrical panels. Allowing access to these spaces prior to our arrival increases our efficiency, allowing for a smoother inspection process.
3. Block out time
The inspection process is meant to be thorough and precise. That means the process does take time. To better prepare for the home inspection, make sure to block out a minimum of two to three hours for the full inspection. This allows us time to inspect all the major areas of the home, take time to show you how to operate the various systems of the home, answer any questions you may have, and provide a detailed report on our inspection findings.
4. Avoid distractions
Our home inspectors will check hundreds of items in your home and we will cover a lot of information in a few hours. We often recommend that home buyers or sellers avoid distractions during the inspection. And while we love sharing our knowledge we also recommend individuals limit the number of people they bring to inspections. Large entourages can sometimes disrupt the inspection process and be a bit overwhelming for home buyers. We know this is an exciting process for home buyers—and we love the enthusiasm. However, we encourage individuals to bring the whole family to tour the home either before or after the inspection.
5. Don’t sweat the small stuff
No home is perfect. This is important to keep in mind for any home inspection. The purpose of an inspection is to provide you with an evaluation of the visible, accessible major elements of a home as prescribed by industry or local standards. While your inspector may address minor issues, the focus of a quality home inspection is on major issues including safety concerns rather than cosmetic imperfections.
6. Ask questions
Don’t be shy. We encourage you to ask any questions you have about the home or the inspection. We love questions, so ask away! Our knowledgeable team is here to help you understand the condition of the home as well as identify any issues we find.
Whether you are looking to buy or sell, these home inspection tips will help create a successful (and hopefully easy) home inspection for you.
Ready for an inspection or have more questions? Give us a call today.
