Preparing Your Home for the Inspection
Congratulations on the Pending Sale of Your Home!
Our team at My City Home Inspector has been selected to perform the home inspection for your property.
We understand that selling a home can feel overwhelming, and our goal is to make the inspection process as smooth and stress free as possible for everyone involved. A little preparation before the inspection helps us complete a more thorough evaluation while reducing delays and avoiding unnecessary reinspection fees.
Below are a few simple suggestions that can help your inspection go as smoothly as possible.
Ten Easy Steps for a Smooth Inspection
1. Prepare Your Pets
We love animals, but inspections involve several people moving throughout the home, opening doors, accessing attics and crawlspaces, and operating equipment. For everyone’s safety and comfort, we recommend that pets be crated or away from the property during the inspection.
2. Help Us Access the Home
Please make sure all utilities are on and that the inspector has access to all major systems and components of the home. This includes the attic, crawlspace, electrical panel, furnace, water heater, garage, detached buildings, and any locked rooms or gates. Inspectors cannot move personal belongings or force entry into inaccessible areas.
Special Note: Opening attic access panels may cause loose insulation or debris to fall. If valuable items are located beneath the attic opening, you may wish to move or cover them before the inspection.
3. Clear the Kitchen Appliances
The inspector will test the stove, oven, microwave, dishwasher, garbage disposal, and exhaust fan. Removing cookware, dishes, or stored items from these appliances helps speed the inspection and protects your belongings.
4. Take Care of Small Maintenance Items
Replacing burned out light bulbs, installing fresh smoke detector batteries, changing dirty HVAC filters, repairing small plumbing leaks, and replacing missing outlet or switch covers are inexpensive improvements that often prevent unnecessary items from appearing in the inspection report.
5. Prepare Windows and Decorative Items
Windows throughout the home will be opened and operated during the inspection. Opening blinds and curtains ahead of time helps speed the inspection and reduces the chance of accidental damage. Decorative items on window sills or toilet tank lids should also be removed temporarily.
6. Leave Helpful Information
If there is anything you would like the inspector or buyer to know about the home, feel free to leave a note on the kitchen counter. Maintenance records, warranties, repair receipts, and information about recent improvements are always appreciated and can be helpful to the buyer.
7. Give the Buyer Space
It is customary for sellers to be away from the property during the inspection. If you plan to remain home, we simply ask that you allow the buyer and inspector to move through the property without interruption. This gives the buyer an opportunity to ask questions and fully understand the home’s condition.
8. Allow Time for the Inspection Review
At the conclusion of the inspection, the inspector will review significant findings with the buyer. This conversation is an important part of the inspection process, and we recommend allowing the buyer to participate privately so they can ask questions comfortably.
9. Prepare for Radon Testing
If a radon test has been ordered, please maintain closed home conditions beginning at least twelve hours before the inspection and continuing throughout the forty eight hour testing period. Windows should remain closed, exterior doors should only be opened for normal entry and exit, and whole house fans or other equipment that brings outside air into the home should not be operated. Radon mitigation systems may continue operating as normal.
10. After the Inspection
Our inspectors treat every home with care and respect. Once the inspection is complete, we recommend checking that thermostats are set to your preferred temperature, doors and windows are locked, and any GFCI outlets that were tested have been reset if necessary. Although uncommon, GFCI receptacles can occasionally trip or fail due to existing wear.
Who Receives the Inspection Report?
The inspection report belongs to the client who purchased the inspection. To protect our client’s privacy, we may only release the report with their authorization.
Thank You
Thank you for helping prepare your home for the inspection. A well prepared home allows our inspectors to perform a more complete evaluation, minimizes delays, and helps keep your transaction moving forward. We appreciate the opportunity to be part of your home sale and are committed to providing a professional, respectful inspection experience for everyone involved.
