About to Sell your House? Get ready for the Home Inspection

According to the National Association of Home Inspectors, there are over 1600 items on a checklist. Inspectors use this Home seller checklist as a guide when combing over every reachable nook and cranny.

​Here’s a small list of some of the things Austin Home Inspection Group will look at when going over your home with a fine-toothed comb:

• Roof – loose, hanging or defective roofing materials, gutters, chimneys and skylights
• Electric – proper working light switches, panels and plug outlets
• Grounds – sick or dying shrubs and trees, crumbling pathways and walls, standing water and faulty grading
• Plumbing – water pressure and temperature with proper drainage flow
• Exterior – old paint, vinyl bowing or dents, proper clearance between earth and siding, mold or cracking
• Bathrooms – all bathroom fixtures operate in a proper and correct way
• Structure – window and door rotting along with integrity of the building’s foundation
• Interior Rooms – adequate insulation, sufficient heating vents and water-damaged ceilings
• Windows, Doors & Trim – peeling caulk, damaged glass, rotting wood
• Kitchen – working order of cabinets and drawers, good ventilation and under-sink leaking

​House inspections give prospective buyers and sellers peace of mind and a bargaining chip for the price. Unfortunately, this gives some buyers the impetus to back out of the deal upon realizing their buyer’s remorse. Since most people won’t incur a penalty for doing so, this tends to happen often.

​If potential buyers are intending on tearing down the home to build their own, then an inspection won’t be necessary. A buyer with a desire to rebuild will attempt to negotiate the lowest price possible. That means they will often ditch the house inspection altogether.

Be warned, though, there are a couple of issues to be aware of when using this tactic. 10 different inspectors will come with 10 diverse checklists with contradicting items of concern. This means, for example, that even if your prepared for seller’s home inspection doesn’t list anything wrong with the HVAC system, doesn’t mean the buyer’s results won’t.

Plus, if your inspector does find something wrong, legal requirements will compel you to disclose that to buyers. If you aren’t honest about all the problems with your home, it can land you in some trouble and put off potential buyers if you aren’t careful this will be against the home seller disclosure laws.

To make the house inspection run more smoothly from your end, there are a few things you can plan for and prepare to do.

• Get Paperwork In Order – Create a physical file of all your home’s repairs and maintenance. This includes insurance claims.
• Give Entire Home Access – Make sure you unlock any doors, gates, sheds and garages so inspectors can view your property uninhibited.
• Clean Your Home – Remove any clutter and mess that will prevent an inspector from gaining access to any given area of your home.
• Clean out your attic, basement and storage areas. Spruce up electrical panels and keep walking spaces clear of children’s toys and junk.

When the inspector does show up, it’s a good idea to leave the premises. Give the inspector your cell phone number and go somewhere for a few hours. Anxiety and worry from you makes for an uncomfortable atmosphere. If you it’s helpful to stick around, more often than not, you’re actually impeding the process.

Also, don’t play cozy host with your inspector. There’s no need to set out food and beverages or provide ladders and tools. If an inspector needs something, they’ll bring their own. It may seem rude for those adamant about making others feel welcome, but this is about business, remember?

Our team will help you a satisfying inspection and give you a home seller’s tips that guarantee sold out the house.

Upon the inspector’s delivery of findings, do not argue with them. It’s not helpful and it turns off potential buyers. Their job is to nitpick at every safety violation, potential hazards and other appropriate deficiencies. So, they’re going to come with a huge list of problems. This isn’t a personal insult to you and it’s nothing to get upset over.

Allow this list to be a bargaining tool for you to solve the issues directly with the buyer. But this is where an experienced real estate agent comes in handy. They know how to interpret inspection results. They’ll be able to decipher which items are red herrings intended to lower the price and which ones are honest repairs.

Austin Home Inspection Group is a home inspection company with decades of service experience for all seller’s home inspection needs. Our Group experts offer in-depth knowledge and quality work backed by a stellar reputation. So, if you’re planning on selling your house, let our team perform the house inspection to ensure you get the most honest results.

We do everything from mobile home inspections to new construction home inspections and even radon testing home inspections. Our experts can conduct a house mold testing and provide an apartment inspector.

We ensure you get a thorough understanding about the current state of your home. Our dedication to delivering the highest attention to detail and knack for precision will give you the most accurate synopsis for your property in Austin, Texas.