You have received an offer on your residential property for sale and agreed to a very satisfactory price with the buyer. Congratulations! Time to prepare your house for inspection.
Once the papers have been signed, you move on to an inspection. A successful report is the last step to the final sale.
Joan Hansen has worked with HomeLife Benchmark for 37 years in an award winning role and is one of the most referred realtors.
Your Real Estate Agent
Having a professional real estate consultant can give you the confidence you need while navigating this intensely exciting and nerve wracking time. Joan Hansen has a reputation for honesty and integrity, selling real estate in the Fraser Valley for over 37 years.
Joan’s expertise will make all the difference in helping you to maneuver through this last step. She is a realty agent who will anticipate what will be expected and guide you through all the ins and outs of the inspection in order to handle it properly and thoroughly to ensure success.
The sale of the home is only the first step. Whenever a house has been sold, you must first pass an inspection by a professional who is looking for the flaws, before the new owner will take possession. Where do we look for the flaws?
Joan Hansen says, “It is extremely important that the inspection is a great success. You need to know everything there is to know about any weaknesses or deficiencies you may have in your home. Things you may think of as minor could be a major drawback to the buyer.”
Part of Joan Hansen’s real estate services is to help insure your success in this area.
Properly Prepare
Joan Hansen makes it very clear, “Before the inspector visits your home, be sure to have all your bases covered. Properly prepare your house for inspection or it could mean that you don’t get the ‘very satisfactory’ price you have agreed upon or could cause you to lose the deal altogether.”
Go Out
“The first thing to know when you prepare your house for inspection is that you and your family will need to be out of the house for approximately three hours and any animals will need to be crated or, better yet, off the premises at the time of inspection.”
“The buyer often accompanies the inspector. Be prepared, even a bit early, for the scheduled time for inspection. Sometimes the inspector arrives early to inspect the outside. Don’t be caught off guard when strangers are walking around the outside of your house peering in windows.”
Clean House
“It sounds so simplistic, but having a clean home will make a positive first impression on any inspector. It speaks to pride of ownership and maintenance of the home and property as a whole.”
Leave On All Utilities
“You must leave on all utilities. The inspector will want to turn on the stove and run the dishwasher; check the furnace and air conditioning (particularly critical if the home is vacant). If the inspector is unable to properly inspect the power sources for reverse polarity or check the receptacle for grounding, it could cause a delay in the closing of your transaction and the removal of the buyer’s inspection contingency. The inspector will be forced to re-schedule.”
Easy Access and Pilot Lights Lit
“Be sure there is easy access to all important areas of your house such as, your electrical box, furnace, hot water heater, air conditioning units, attic door, and any other possible locked spaces when you prepare your house for inspection.”
“Keep all pilot lights ignited. The inspector is not covered for liability and will not be responsible for lighting pilot lights. If the pilots are not lit, the furnace, gas stove and/or gas fireplaces and water heater cannot be inspected. Again…this will delay closing.”
“Make it easy to access under sink plumbing. Clear all areas of storage so that nothing is blocked. Any area the inspector is unable to reach will not be included in the report and could send off red flags to the buyers.”
Slow Drainage
“Check all of the sinks and water sources (tubs and showers) in the house when you prepare your house for inspection, to see if there is slow drainage or blockage in the plumbing. Try using a commercial drain cleaner. Call a plumber if you are unable to clear them sufficiently yourself. Make sure all water pressure and drainage is in ideal working order.”
Light Bulbs
“Examine all of your attached light fixtures inside and outside the home, shed or garage. Make sure all the light bulbs are working. Any outage may lead the Inspector to believe there could be an underlying electrical problem.”
Service the furnace
“Service the furnace. Replace your furnace return air filters. Filters that are dirty will cause the HVAC system to be less efficient. These sorts of details mean a great deal to inspectors who are looking for evidence of a well maintained home.”
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm
“You should have a working smoke and carbon monoxide alarm on every floor of your home.”
Flooding Issues
“Inspect the earth around the exterior to make sure that it slopes down and away from your home to avoid flooding issues in any area that comes in contact with your basement or foundation.”
Cracked Windows or Broken Screens
“Any cracked windows or broken screens, should be repaired as soon as possible to prepare your house for inspection.”
Keys
“You will need to provide keys for any outbuildings such as unattached garages or sheds.
Also unlock the covers for your sprinkler system or electrical box.”
Infestations
“Any sort of insect infestation: ants, bees, and especially termites, can be a serious concern. Have it taken care of before the inspection report reflects the problem.”
Gas Lines Etc.
“Any unused gas lines should be capped. Any chimneys or flues should be capped to prevent debris from clogging off a critical vent. A clog in the water heater flue can create a dangerous buildup of carbon monoxide.”
Overhanging Vegetation
“Observe all overhanging vegetation at your property. Trees that hang over roofs can shorten roof life by inviting moss to take hold. Rodents can gain easy access to your chimney and other openings from easily accessible vegetation. If there’s a low-hanging, unhealthy branch, it could fall onto the roof, damaging it. (Inspectors will always find evidence of rodents). Any and all of these deficiencies can affect home prices and the final home inspection.”
“I had a personal experience with this. We noticed that a squirrel was gaining access into our attic. One day I saw him jumping from an overhanging branch onto the house. I had my son cut the branch off. A short while later our little friend returned. He stood at the end of this short branch and squawked at me, very upset, as though saying, “How could you remove my doorway to your house.” Lol”
Health and Safety Issues
“If you know you have asbestos, lead, or other health and safety issues in your home, you need to disclose this information before attempting to sell your home. These things will show up in a report. Any sorts of hazards such as this could certainly scare away potential buyers and if you have not been open and honest with potential buyers, it will create an atmosphere of distrust in other areas of the agreement”
Invoices and Documentation
“Be sure to provide invoices and documents pertaining to all repairs and home improvements. Full disclosure builds confidence in the buyers and will impress the inspector.”
Now that you’ve aced the inspection…have Joan Hansen and her team help you find the dream home you have always wanted.
Phone Joan at 604-220-7653 or email: joan@joanhansenteam.ca