Ready to Sell? Here is How to Ace a Home Inspection
So you’re ready to unload your existing abode and buy a new custom Florida home but first comes that pesky “selling” part.
It’s different for every seller, but for our purposes, let’s assume your current home is well-priced, well-kept and has attracted a solid offer from a buyer. One of the most important next steps in finalizing the transaction is the home inspection.
If you’re a first-time home seller or buyer, this is a thorough checkup executed by a professional home inspector. These pros do the fine-toothed-comb thing on the seller’s home, examining such things as mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems, the home’s structural integrity, the condition of its roof, and many, many other items.
It’s one of the final — and most critical — steps before the seller and buyer close on their contract. The best outcome for a home inspection is a clean bill of health, or only a minor fix or two that can be negotiated between seller and buyer.
Be sure to stay up to date on your annual homeowner maintenance schedule, which will help when it’s time to prepare for your home inspection.
Read on for more about to ace a home inspection.
Pre-empt trouble
The goal of any home inspection is to confirm the home’s condition, which can validate its worth and asking price. The reverse also is true; a thorough home inspection can unearth issues (and potentially expensive repairs) that can jeopardize the contract between buyer and seller.
That’s not a good option.
As the seller, you want a home inspector to find nothing more than a leaky gutter downspout. So the best way to avoid any closing delays — and additional expenses — is to have a professional inspection done before you prep your home for sale.
Hiring a well-vetted professional can be worth the several-hundred-dollar expense because you’ll know exactly how much — or little — prep work is ahead. For example, you may know all your bathrooms need painting, but you may not know the pool pump’s on the blink. That’s probably easier to deal with before you go to market.
A few practicalities during a home inspection
Whether you have your home inspected before beginning preparations for sale, or wait until it’s under contract, there are some surefire ways to help your home inspection go smoothly.
One is cleanliness. A neat, uncluttered home makes a better presentation for both potential buyers and home inspectors. It also makes it easier for an inspector to access those mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems. Don’t make him or her dig past under-the-sink cabinet clutter to examine those U-bend pipes!
Two is relocating pets while the inspector is onsite. They may be part of your family, but also a potential, unnecessary distraction. It’s best to allow a home inspector to work interruption-free.
Three is relocating yourself.And the rest your household, if possible — part of the above-mentioned elimination of distractions. Your real estate agent (and perhaps the buyer’s) will accompany the inspector, so someone will be there to open your home and secure it once the inspection is complete.
Ready for your new custom Florida home? Talk to ICI Homes here.
