Prepping Your Home for an Inspection

Home inspections are a critical part of the buying and selling process. With an inspection, homebuyers

gain valuable insights into a properties condition, a situation that could give them extra confidence, spur

to repair requests, or lead them to back out of the deal.

Since so much rides on the result of the inspection, sellers need to be diligent, ensuring their property is

ready for the process. If a home inspection is on the horizon, here’s what you need to do to prepare.

Make Everything Accessible

During the inspection process, the inspector is going to examine every inch of your home. Ideally, you

want to make sure their journey is unimpeded, ensuring the inspector can easily reach critical areas and

systems.

Begin by unlocking any gates or doors that aren’t accessible via a lockbox or other means. Additionally,

any crawlspace access points need to be clear, including those located on the exterior and interior of

your home.

The same goes for attic access, which not only needs to be easy to open but simple to get inside. If the

door has an attached ladder, make sure it can open fully. If a step ladder will be necessary, make sure

there’s enough room for one to sit under the opening.

Manage the Perimeter

A home inspector doesn’t just look around inside your house; they also examine the exterior. You want

to make sure that the perimeter is easy to look at, so it’s wise to clear away anything that could impede

the inspector.

For example, move garbage cans, barbecue grills, and patio furniture away from the walls. Additionally,

clear away or cut back any plants that may be in the way.

Address the Roof and Gutters

If you haven’t examined your home’s roof or gutters recently, now is the time to do it. Grab a ladder,

safely climb up, and look for issues you can address. For instance, if you see moss or debris, remove it.

Clean out your gutters and check downspout positions. Examine your shingles for damage and, if

needed, schedule repairs before the inspection.

Clean the Interior

While dirt doesn’t equal damage, that doesn’t mean cleanliness doesn’t matter during a home

inspection. If an inspector sees grim or has to navigate a ton of clutter, the inspector’s mindset might

skew negative. They might assume that, since your house isn’t clean, you don’t care for it properly. As a

result, they may spend more time looking for issues or assume that some exist when they might not.

Replace Bulbs, Batteries, and Filters

Burned out light bulbs and dead smoke detector batteries won’t help you during a home inspection.

Since the inspector won’t look into why the light is out or the smoke detector isn’t working, they may 

assume that an electrical, fixture, or device issue is to blame. By replacing your lightbulbs and batteries

before the inspection, you can sidestep this potential problem entirely.

Additionally, it’s wise to take a moment and replace your furnace filter. When a fresh one is in place, the

inspector is more likely to believe that you maintain your home, increasing the odds that they’ll view the

property in a positive light.

Plan to Leave Early, and Take Your Pets

As a seller, you won’t be present during the inspection. Make sure you are ready to go at least an hour

before the appointment. If you have pets, then bring them with you, too. That way, they aren’t in the

inspector’s way and won’t incidentally influence the process.