Should you do a home inspection if you are selling your home, PRIOR to putting it on the market? I know there’s so much to think about when selling, it’s hard to decipher what to or not to do.
Hi, I’m Sherri Echols, Broker Associate with RE/MAX Bryan – College Station and I’ve helped hundreds of sellers prepare their homes for sale in the Brazos Valley area. Now that you’ve spent time preparing your home for sale, why should you worry about a Home Inspection? I’ll tell you why. The home inspection on your home is just as important as your contract offer. Almost every buyer whose contract is accepted will do a Home Inspection, even their lender will recommend that they get one. The home inspection is designed to evaluate the general condition of your home and all of its mechanical systems. This inspection can either make or break your deal, so spending a little time on some of these issues BEFORE your home goes under contract will save you time and money in the end. Also, knowing what repairs may come up and the cost to fix them will help give you a better understanding of what your true proceeds will be.
Let’s look at the major issues that often come upon a home inspection. #1 Electrical Issues – Make sure that all outlets, GFCIs, and switches work and replace any broken outlet covers. Also, replace burned-out light bulbs to avoid a negative observation like “Light is inoperable” on the report that may suggest an electrical problem. #2 Water and Plumbing – make sure you don’t have any leaky faucets or signs of leaking under your cabinets in the kitchen and bathrooms or on outside spigots. #3 A/C system – Clean or replace dirty HVAC air filters. They should fit securely. #4 Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and replace dead batteries #5 Attend to broken or missing items like doorknobs, locks, and latches; windowpanes, screens, and locks; gutters, roof tiles, downspouts, and chimney caps. #6 – Wood Destroying Insect Conducive Conditions. These include Dry Rot. Dry rot often occurs around door frames on exterior doors or on the siding of homes, and on fascia boards. This is common in that they are older and/or have a lot of sun exposure, but it can be easily addressed. Also, be sure to remove stored items, debris, and wood from underneath the home in the crawl space. These may be cited as “conducive conditions” for termites or they very well may already have termites on them. Also, be sure to trim any tree limbs within 10 ft of the house. #7 Doors – make sure that all of your doors open, close and lock easily. Garage doors must also have working safety features like sensors. Lastly, #8 Re-caulk around tubs, showers, and countertops in bathrooms and countertops in kitchens. Checking these areas before your home inspection is an investment in selling your property. Your real estate agent will thank you!
For any clarification of these items, feel free to give us a call! For more information feel free to give us a call! Please be sure to like and share this on Facebook and in YouTube hit the subscribe button and the little bell so you don’t miss anything. This is your Community Market Leader Sherri Echols, a helping hand for a happy home
