You have decided on a big step in your life: you are selling a house! You expected the search for a customer to take a very long time, but you were lucky! You quickly found a buyer who fits the terms of the sale, so it’s time to pack. However, before you take out the last box from your, now-former home, wait for the home inspection. Most buyers decide to seek the expert opinion of this inspection before signing the final contract. This inspection doesn’t evaluate you, but they give an opinion on the complete condition of the building. Based on his expert opinion, the customer knows what to do next. It often happens that after receiving the analysis, the buyer withdraws from the contract or asks for a reduction in the total amount due to the houses’ condition.
A home inspector is a person who is trained for a detailed check-up of a facility which is the main topic of their project. The examination is performed according to strictly established criteria and schemes. It covers almost everything: from the ground to the ceiling. They will not neglect the plumbing, electrical system, foundation of the house, quality of construction, walls, installation, etc.
Yes, if you are a salesperson, it really sounds like a nightmare. No seller wants his contract to fail or to incur additional costs in repairing the house he’s trying to sell. Don’t despair, there is always something else you can do. Here are some tips on how to make a home inspection report positive for you.
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Provide free space
If you are expecting a home inspector to visit your home, the first thing you need to do is make sure that he moves around the house easily. Store the packages you have packed in one place that will not interfere with this procedure. Clean the rooms of unnecessary things. Don’t forget to do the same with the yard and basement. Simply, we all love easy walking around the house. It could happen that due to the accumulated things in one area, the inspector thinks that you are hiding something in that certain area, which he should not see. Inspectors like to move furniture and things in the house to make sure everything is ok. So give them space and don’t wait to be warned.
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Don’t forget the yard
You don’t want only to sell your house, but also the space around it, in one word- the backyard. Expect the inspector to deal in detail with this part of the property. At house-inspections.com.au you could read more about the standards and norms when it comes to the yard and the vegetation. It costs you nothing to decorate it nicely, trim or simply clean the yard. What the inspector will surely pay attention to, and what few sellers know, is the norm that from the outer wall of the house to the first nearest vegetation, it must not be less than 12 cm. Take a walk, measure and pay attention to every detail.
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Clean, clean, clean!
Although you have regularly maintained your home, another final cleaning is needed. Once you’ve packed up and moved your stuff off the house, it’s time to roll up your sleeves. Whether the new tenant of the house is going to partition certain rooms, tear down a wall or paint, it is up to you to hand over a completely clean house to a buyer. This is the first thing a house inspector encounters. Take care not only of floors and dust, but also take the time to clean kitchen appliances, carpentry and toilets. Clean things give a completely different point of view of the space.
This cleaning can also help you check every room in the house once again and see if everything is in the right place. However, if you have no experience with moving or simply do not have the time, you can always hire a professional house cleaning service and clearviewwc.com for windows.
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Check the bulbs
While it sounds too irrelevant, this is one little trick to get positive reviews. Check every light bulb inside your home. Be sure to replace the broken ones. Don’t forget the light bulb in front of the front door, as well as the ones in the yard. It is a very small investment, and the inspector will have nothing to complain about.
Extra tip: when you are waiting for the inspector, turn on every light you have in your home. Good lighting makes the space shine and makes it much more spacious.
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The roof
Strange as it may sound, the roof is an item that must be checked in this process. The home inspector will certainly not write a report without checking the roof of the house for sale. If you are a seller, be sure to check it in detail. Clean the dirt that has accumulated in the gutters, make sure you have bricks that need to be replaced. Get rid of moss. Make sure everything is in order under the roof. Any damage must be repaired before this inspection.
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Check the filter
Even though you are leaving the house, it is time to replace the filters on the heating and cooling system. Call your service technician or do it yourself. No, this is not an additional cost, but just loss prevention. Everyone loves fresh and clean air, and you make sure the atmosphere in the house is pleasant while the inspector does his job.
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Check the toilet
It’s just amazing how sometimes we can regret small, seemingly insignificant things. So don’t be lazy but check the condition of your toilet well. Pay attention to the toilet bowl itself, its function and cleanliness. The detail on which positive points are often lost is the cistern. Make sure it works well, and if you notice that it is not completely asleep, prepare yourself for some work. Repairing a cistern, if there is a minor malfunction, is very easy and you can finish everything yourself very quickly. If the fault is bigger, don’t think about money save: either call a master or buy a new cistern.
A home inspection can be a very stressful job. But relax. Most buyers know that they cannot expect perfect result. Simply, they do not want to be faced with difficult things and investments after buying a house. Home inspectors are quite precise and open. Reconcile with the fact that they, no matter how hard you try, will always find small grievances. So check every part of your house well. Many sellers, taught by experienced, hire a home inspector before the buyer does. In this way they have a clear insight into what needs to be repaired or changed before analyzing the inspector hired by the customer.
The house inspector’s report is the last step in selling the house. It is just as important as any previous one, so do your best to get through it with extra cost.