So you’re about to close on your house – how exciting! Everything so far has gone according to how you’ve planned it. However, you are still waiting for the property inspection to be conducted. To be honest, you are rather concerned that this may delay the final closing date somewhat as you have a sneaking suspicion that there could be a few issues with your property, but you are not 100% sure. What if you wanted to speed up the process yourself? What are some of the pre-emptive measures that you could take to prepare your house for the required property inspection?
First and foremost, always ensure that all your utilities are switched on, this includes your gas and electricity. Property inspectors will most certainly be checking this.
Next, if you have pets, make sure that they are locked away or even temporarily removed from the premises for the duration of the inspection.
It is essential that you check that your smoke detectors are fully functional before the inspection. Your carbon monoxide detectors should also be in full working order. If not, arrange to have these repaired beforehand.
Part of any property inspection will include a check of the air system and whether the HVAC filters are fitted correctly and are clean. Ensure that yours meet these two criteria.
Next, walk around your home taking note of any items which need repair, such as broken windows, cracked walls, broken screen doors, etc. Any items you know to be defective must be fixed before the inspection is conducted as failure to do so will most definitely result in your buyer having the upper hand and being able to negotiate a lower price.
The area around the electric breaker panel must always be clear. The same goes for HVAC equipment, the water heater, attic space and crawl space.
If you have stored any wood around the foundation space, make sure that this is removed from the wood, as this is the ideal breeding ground for termites, and you don’t want them anywhere near your foundations!
If you have tree limbs hanging over your roof, trim these back so that they don’t cause any damage.
Preparing for a property inspection ensures that your home is in prime condition and that you can get the maximum price and benefit out of the process.
