Home inspections are an essential element of buying and selling real estate
As soon as you have an accepted contract on your home, ordering a home inspection is an important element of the enigma. Preparing for an inspection may be just as important. In fact, I strongly believe that those home sellers who spend a little extra time getting ready for the home inspection will have a more efficient inspection and, consequently, a more efficient transaction. The really good news is the preparation for an inspection of your home does not have to be expensive, as the things which need to be dealt with are items that homeowners most often handle on an ongoing basis.
So preparing for your home inspection doesn't need to cost an arm and a leg. The most important to be thinking about is timing. "Taking a little extra time to get your home for an inspection is critical for those sellers who have accepted an offer to purchase their home, this becomes an indicator of a home inspection that's pending, so they are aware that the buyer and home inspector are going to be showing up at their home." Once an inspection is on the schedule, sellers need to spend that week prior to the appointment for preparing the home for inspection. Most home inspectors provide a complete visual review of the home inspection process which most often takes as long as three hours. During this time frame, the home is inspected from bottom to top, both in and out. While the home inspector will inspect and evaluate over 1,600 items indoors and outside including the homes, structural components and systems, there are many small items the seller can take care of up front to make the inspection easier for everyone concerned.
The most important things that should be dealt with before the inspection takes place include:
Making certain access to any mechanical components is easy, like the water heater, furnace and air conditioner.
Providing a pathway in the basement, if it's finished or not, letting the inspector walk around the perimeters of the walls.
Removing obstacles and debris from all the walkways allowing the inspector to easily walk around.
Making clear access available to the attic cover, which is many times inside a closet, so clear the shelves and access.
Replace dirty furnace filters.
Make certain all electrical receptacles and light switches are functional. This can include replacing any burnt-out bulbs.
• Complete Book of Home Inspection 4/E A comprehensive manual that covers all the aspects of interior, exterior, electrical and mechanical home inspection plus a new chapter about green technology. Now with information on the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) requirements, In addition the book provides beneficial on-the-job information along as being a basic guide for the layperson. Loaded with useful drawings, photos, worksheets, and checklists.
Fixing those little things, such as replacing light bulbs that are burnt out, is an inexpensive and simple way to reduce suspicions that are completely unnecessary,. In addition, handling the above items will allow the inspector to have access every portion of your home that should be looked at in order to provide a thorough home inspection and discover any problems needing to be addressed. Sellers should also think about providing copies which document any recent repair service as a way of eliminating any mechanical issues. As we persist in adapting to our "new normal" and continue through the challenging market of today, home inspections have become almost standard, whether they’re done once a potential homebuyer has written a purchase offer upon the home or for laying the groundwork for negotiations in the future prior to the home ever being listed for sale. No matter how the housing market and economy lis doing, potential buyers always have sense of worry regarding what will be uncovered during the inspection, However, a little bit of preparation can entirely eliminate much worry from the process. Not only will spending this time in preparing for an inspection our home be well spent, it will give peace of mind to the buyers while removing doubt and suspicion. "If the home inspector is unable to gain access a specific portion of the home, a question mark ends up on the report, which can cause the buyer’s to have suspicion in their minds; while nine times out of 10, nothing will be wrong.
September 3, 2014
|
