If you plan on selling your home, you should prepare for your prospective buyer to hire a home inspector to examine the property. Covering all of the bases in prepping your home is crucial. Though different inspectors may have their own standards, the following mistakes are all virtually guaranteed to put you in danger of failing the inspection.
Broken roof shingles and/or a deteriorated chimney
There’s a good chance that the state of your roof shingles will be one of the very first things that your home inspectors take note of, so having these in bad condition will be a good way to hurt your chances at passing the inspection as soon as it begins. If all of the roof coverings have been kept up to standard and free of any signs of rot, however, then the chances of passing rise substantially.
A damp basement
A surefire way to bomb your home inspection is to have the basement reek with a mildew odor from excessive moisture. Home inspectors put a great deal of importance on any signs of leaking or dampness. Not only is dampness a problem for the odor and structural stability of a house in general, but it may also attract insects. Make sure to clean the gutters, direct all drainage pipes away from the home’s interior, and check for any water seeping through plugged drainage lines.
Full appliances
Dishwashers, dryers, washing machines, and various other appliances need to be turned on for the home inspector to test them; having each of these things filled to the brim with dirty dishes and laundry can cause the home inspection to fail. Making sure to keep all of the appliances clear and ready to perform, however, will improve the chance of passing and make the inspector feel relieved.
Pest infestation
You will find it impossible to pass your home inspection if your home is 24/7 for belligerent, disease-ridden pests like rats. Some of the primary signs of a home that’s been compromised by a rodent takeover are gnawing marks on wooden surfaces, greasy streaks on low areas of the walls left by fur, and small black rod-shaped droppings. And of course most common in Southern California, termites.Before the home inspection, do a thorough run-through of your home to confirm that you haven’t missed any tell-tale signs of invasion, and if there are pests, contact a pest control service in Crystal Lake immediately.
A poor-quality or manufacturing electrical system
A home with a faulty electrical system will never pass any home inspection. Even functional circuit breaker configurations might occasionally have improperly wired “duds” that keep them from working as they should, and this can be very difficult to explain to the most critical home inspectors who inspect all of the ground fault circuit interrupters. Making sure that all receptacles are properly wired for meeting the needs of the entire house is a bare minimum for passing the inspection.Some of the things that jeopardize your chance at passing a home inspection are the easiest things to overlook. That’s why it’s best to work with an experienced agent who knows all the pitfalls of home sale transactions and can guide you through the process smoothly.
This article was written by Dixie Somers, a freelance writer who loves to write for real estate, women’s interests, and home décor. She lives in Arizona with her husband and three beautiful daughters.
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