How To Prepare For A Home Inspection
Congratulations! You have accepted an offer on your home and are now under contract. Before you pop the bubbly, you need to go through one more make or break deal: the home inspection.
Is There Always a Home Inspection?
In most offers, a home inspection is always written in. In Arizona, the typical period for a home inspection to be completed is 10 days. That means the buyer has ten days to have a professional inspector come out to the property and they only have that amount of time to ask for repair requests in the BINSR (Buyer's Inspection Notice and Seller's Response). If a buyer is not completely satisfied with the result of the home inspection, they can typically cancel without losing their earnest money.
Home Inspectors Will Check Three Key Areas
A home inspector will be checking three key areas. First, they will be inspecting the appliances to make sure that they work properly. This includes anything from the refrigerator, oven, washer, dryer, garage door, and even a water heater. Next up are the systems or big ticket items like the electrical, gas, heating, and cooling. Lastly, they will look at the structural features like the roof, garage, crawl space, windows, and doors.
Preparing for an Inspection
To prepare for a home inspection, you should take the following necessary steps to ensure a smooth process. If you need help or have any questions, always reach out to your REALTOR® for a list of preferred vendors.
Declutter and clean these key spots prior to your inspection:
- Stove
- Oven
- Furnace filter
- Closets
- Attic crawl space
- Home exterior
Test these items:
- Light switches
- Open and close windows
- Toilets and sinks
- Ceilings and bathroom fans
- Weather stripping
- Open and close garage doors
- Fan and heating ducts are ventilating
- Downspouts are properly diverted
Basic safety precautions:
- Replace batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
- Fire extinguisher should be present
- Exterminate bugs
Necessary repairs to make:
- Replace light bulbs
- Re-caulk bathtubs and sinks
- Remove drain clogs
- Replace screens and cracked windows
- Fix missing roofing
- Replace insulation
Exterior improvements:
- Pressure wash if needed
- Clean gutters
- Trim trees near roof
- Clean out debris from A/C, drainage vents, etc.
Last-minute preparations:
- Leave the home 1 hour early
- Remove all pets
- Leave remotes for ceiling fans, garage doors, etc.
- Leave keys for gates
- Make sure all utilities are on
- Take laundry out of the washer and dryer
- Remove dishes in dishwasher
- Leave paperwork for repairs and maintenance
Our Advice: Do Not Take It Personal
Remember that buying and selling home is strictly business, so do not take it personal. Especially when the home inspector presents you with the report and list of issues in the home. A home inspectors job is to strictly point out violations and safety issues, so arguing with the buyer over the inspectors findings will not help your case. Steer clear and focus on solving all of the problems with the buyer.
Source: Google Image
In the end, you may be either fixing the issue or crediting money towards the repair. All in all, this is where an experienced REALTOR® comes in to play. Our agents here at Myriad at My Home Group know how to interpret inspection reports and will always advise you to choose the move that is right for you and your situation.
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