A “clean” home inspection report is extremely advantageous to the seller of a home. It will make your home more attractive to potential buyers. It reduces the size of the overall home inspection report, thus, not scaring away buyers. Buyers typically don’t want to purchase a home with a lot of issues, even if they are minor ones. It also conveys the message that this home is well taken care of and is a good property to buy.
Most of these tips are zero to low cost
Exterior
- 6 to 8 inches of the foundation should be showing around the perimeter of the house to promote the flow of storm water away from the house.
- Trim vegetation to 1 foot away from house to prevent insect access to house.
- Tree branches should not be touching the roof. This can damage shingles resulting in water penetration into the attic, insulation, and ceilings.
- Clean out gutters.
- Replace missing gutter splash guards. Make sure they are pointed to direct water away from the house.
- Install anti-siphon devices for hose bibs (external water faucets).
- Insulate external water pipes.
- Install hose bib covers.
- Re-caulk windows.
- Seal joints in exterior siding where ends butt together.
- Replace missing or damaged weather stripping around doors.
HVAC
- Replace damaged insulation on AC pipes on condensation unit located outside the house.
- Replace air conditioning filters located inside the house or inside the unit in the attic.
Electrical
- Replace missing breaker covers in electrical panels.
- Replace missing or damaged light switch and wall switch covers. v
- Replace missing ceiling light globes in closets.
- Replace ceiling fans that are not working.
Plumbing
- Check every sink to verify it is not leaking and that it is draining at a “normal” rate. If it is draining slowly, remove & clean out P-trap. If it is still draining slowly, try running a plumber snake through the pipe to dislodge obstructions. If it still drains slowly, a plumber may be required.
- Every water faucet should be tightly secured to the sink.
- Replace broken faucets.
- Test hydrotherapy water tub with jets. Make sure jets are working. Allow it to run long enough to clear out any rust or dirt that may have collected from not being used. If jets fail to come on, contact a plumber for repair.
- Make sure toilets are tightly secured to the floor.
- Replace toilet flapper valves if toilet is periodically turning on to refill the tank.
- Clean and scrub bath tubs and showers prior to the home inspection.
- Re-caulk around bath tubs and showers as needed. Buy a point tool to make the caulking job look professional.
Doors & Windows
- Repair broken windows.
- Test windows to ensure easy operations. If they do not, clean out tracks.
- Test all doors to latch. Repair those that do not.
- Replace door knobs that are not working or will not lock.
- Replace missing doors.
Ceilings & Walls
- Check ceilings for water stains. If they exist, use primer and repaint; however, before you do, try to determine what is causing the stain. It could be coming from the air conditioning overflow pan, plumbing leak or from a roof leak. Causes of the stain should be addressed before priming and painting.
- Patch small holes in walls. Use spackling to cover nail holes. Sand to make smooth before painting.
- Apply touch-up paint to ceilings and walls as needed.
Major Cost Items
Major cost items that scare most buyers away are:
- Foundation issues
- Roof replacement
- Air conditioner/furnace replacement.
If you suspect issues with any of these, talk to your Realtor to develop a strategy plan for marketing your house.
We hope these tips will help you make the sell of your home transition smoothly.
